Practical Christianity (1)
A Sermon on Romans 12:14-15
Originally preached Oct. 7, 1966
Scripture
14Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. 15Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.
Sermon Description
In this sermon on Romans 12:14–15 titled “Practical Christianity (1),” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones looks at the application for the doctrine Paul has been laying down and how theory moves into practical daily living: “The glory of God in His great salvation is involved in this [daily living].” Learn that the best form of evangelism is Christian people manifesting the Christian life, not only the proclamation by word of mouth. Dr. Lloyd-Jones shares that “a mere theoretical Christianity is useless” and a contradiction. The Scriptures are intensely practical and Christians are called to have patience with unbelievers. Moreover, Dr. Lloyd-Jones teaches that one’s attitude towards persecution must be positive as the endurance of persecution in its various forms tests the reality of their Christianity in a thorough manner. Only a Christian can bless (and not curse) those who persecute them. Christians are called to remember what they were and how God reacted to them, showing them total grace. The sinner must be separated from the sin, asking the question, “Why does a person behave the way they does?” Christians are encouraged to have compassion on the sinner’s helpless state and pray for the salvation of unbelievers to “be like our blessed Lord.”
Sermon Breakdown
- The apostle Paul is addressing practical Christian living in Romans 12.
- Verses 1-2 provide the foundational principles for the rest of the chapter.
- Verses 3-8 discuss exercising spiritual gifts in the church.
- Verses 9-13 focus on relationships within the church.
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Verses 14-21 deal with reacting to persecution and difficult people.
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Christians should expect persecution because the world persecuted Christ.
- Our reaction to persecution must be positive, not just non-retaliatory. We must desire the good of persecutors.
- We can only have this reaction by understanding our own sinfulness and God’s grace in saving us.
- We must see persecutors as spiritually blind and pray for their salvation.
- Examples of this positive reaction include Christ on the cross, Stephen’s martyrdom, and the parable of the unforgiving servant.
Sermon Q&A
How Did Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones Explain "Blessing Those Who Persecute You"?
What is the context of Romans 12:14-15 in Paul's letter?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, Romans 12:14-15 comes after Paul has established the doctrinal foundations in the first 11 chapters. Chapter 12 begins a section about practical application of the doctrine. Verses 1-2 establish the foundational principles for Christian conduct, verses 3-8 describe Christians using their gifts in the church, verses 9-13 address relationships within the church, and from verse 14 onward, Paul addresses our reactions to other people, especially those who mistreat us.
Why does Dr. Lloyd-Jones say only Christians can fulfill these commands?
Lloyd-Jones emphatically states that "no man can possibly live in the way that we are instructed to live here unless he is born again." He calls it a "great heresy" to think that Christian conduct can come from people who aren't Christians. The commands to bless persecutors are not merely moral maxims like those found in pagan writers; they require the new nature that comes through regeneration. This is why he says separating practice from doctrine is a serious mistake.
What does it mean to "bless" those who persecute you?
According to Lloyd-Jones, the literal meaning of "bless" is to "speak them good." It means to pray for your persecutors, asking God to deal with them mercifully and to do them good in the highest way. He contrasts this with the natural instinct to "curse" them - not merely using bad language, but calling down God's judgment upon them. Instead of asking God to punish them, we are to ask God to bless them.
What process does Lloyd-Jones outline for blessing persecutors?
Lloyd-Jones outlines a step-by-step reasoning process: 1. Start by remembering God's reaction to you when you were His enemy 2. Consider why the persecutor acts this way - distinguish between the sin and the sinner 3. Realize they can't help it - they are spiritually blind, dupes of Satan 4. Feel compassion for them as victims heading toward judgment 5. Desire their salvation and pray for it
How does Lloyd-Jones compare our reaction to persecution with God's reaction to sinners?
He reminds us that we were once "enemies of God," "arrogant," "disobedient," and there was "nothing in us to recommend us to God." Yet God didn't curse us - He loved us and sent His Son. Lloyd-Jones states, "That's how God dealt with you when you were as these other people are now." If we understand this grace properly, we will extend similar grace to those who persecute us.
What biblical examples does Lloyd-Jones use to illustrate this teaching?
Lloyd-Jones cites several powerful examples: 1. Jesus rebuking James and John when they wanted to call fire down on the Samaritan village (Luke 9:51-56) 2. Jesus' teaching in the Sermon on the Mount about loving enemies (Matthew 5:43-48) 3. The parable of the unforgiving servant (Matthew 18:23-35) 4. Jesus on the cross saying, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34) 5. Stephen praying for his murderers, "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge" (Acts 7:59-60)
How does Lloyd-Jones connect this teaching to our relationships with unbelieving friends and family?
He explains that the same principles apply to how we treat unbelieving relatives or friends who don't understand our faith. Rather than becoming impatient or annoyed with them, we should recognize they "can't help it" because they're spiritually blind. He states it would be as wrong to be angry with them as it would be to get angry with an insane person, as they are victims of spiritual disease.
The Book of Romans
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.