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Sermon #3140

The Test of Real Christianity

A Sermon on Romans 8:5-8

Originally preached March 18, 1960

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Scripture

Romans 8:5-8 ESV KJV
For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on …

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Sermon Description

The metaphors for life and living abound in this sermon on Romans 8:5–8 titled “The Test of Real Christianity” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones piles together vivid illustrations of nourishment, abundance, movement, genuineness, warmth, and vigor. This is because the true “test” of Christianity is whether a person is genuinely “alive to God.” There is no such thing as a Christian who has not been “made alive” by God or has been born again by the Spirit. If there is only death, warns Dr. Lloyd-Jones, there is not true Christianity, no matter how moral a person may be. While on the outside someone may superimpose Christian morality onto their life, it is ultimately inauthentic and artificial. It is a lifeless duty and lacks the warmth and spontaneity of genuine Spirit-wrought change that always accompanies regeneration. This has practical implications, argues Dr. Lloyd-Jones. It will change one’s understanding of evangelism. It will also impact how they understand “backsliding” in the Christian life. Moreover, it changes how they evaluate the fruit of a Christian life. Listen as he combats a lifeless, mechanical Christianity with an authentic biblical Christianity that is full of life, joy, and authentic Christian service to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Sermon Breakdown

  1. The Christian is not merely a man who believes and remains where he was. He's a man who's been entirely changed. His whole position has been moved.
  2. The difference between the Christian and the non Christian is a radical one. It is a complete one. It isn't merely a matter of a slight difference.
  3. The Christian is in Christ. He has a new life, and this new life which he has is one in which he is dominated by and led by the Holy Spirit.
  4. The Christian minds the things of the spirit. These are the things that interest him, move him, and attract him, the things which he therefore pursues.
  5. The man who follows the mind of the flesh is dead in a state of spiritual death. But the men who goes after and is governed by the mind of the spirit has life and peace.
  6. More and more, as one minds the things of the spirit, one has an ever increasing measure of life.
  7. Here is the most important statement: To mind the things of the spirit is a proof of the fact that we have spiritual life.
  8. The other man has no interest in spiritual things because he's dead. You preach to him, you get him to read the scriptures. It has no impression upon him.
  9. Life is something that always shows itself.
  10. Life, according to the New Testament teaching, means something like this. The Christian is one, as I've been saying, who is no longer dead. Or if you like, we can say he is no longer dull. He is aware within himself of this ability to respond. Even when the Christian is at his very worst and lowest, there is always this evidence of life.
  11. There are many religious people who are not born again, yes, but their religion is outside them. They carry it in a bag, as it were. The Christian knows that the thing is inside him. It may be very weak and feeble, but it's there and he knows it. And this, of course, affects everything he does.
  12. The activities of the Christian are never superimposed, they're never added on. What the Christian does is not merely a matter of duty. It is something that is a spontaneous expression of what he feels within.
  13. 'You shall know them by their fruits.' You see, the argument, that's what inside must come out, and if there isn't life there, it cannot come out. It's artificial, counterfeit, superimposed, added. It lacks this genuineness.
  14. 'A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things.' The apostle is emphasizing this element of spontaneity, warmth, and movement. The whole attitude of a true Christian is different.

Sermon Q&A

Questions and Answers About Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' Sermon on Romans 8:5-8

What does it mean to be "spiritually minded" according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?

According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, to be spiritually minded means to have spiritual life within you. It means having "a new life, a new disposition, a new power, a new energy" that comes from Christ. The spiritually minded person has an internal, spontaneous desire for spiritual things, not merely an external, duty-bound approach to religion. Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that "the Christian is one who is no longer dead or dull when you put these things before him" and that there is "this ability to respond" to spiritual things. It's characterized by a spontaneous expression of what one feels within rather than merely performing religious duties out of obligation.

How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones contrast the Christian and non-Christian in this sermon?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that "the difference between the Christian and the non-Christian is a radical one. It is a complete one." He contrasts them in several ways: - The Christian minds "the things of the spirit" while the non-Christian minds "the things of the flesh" - The Christian has life while the non-Christian is in a state of spiritual death - The Christian's works are living works while the non-Christian's works are "dead works" - The Christian has an internal fountain of life within them while the non-Christian has religion superimposed from outside - The Christian knows God personally while the non-Christian may only know about God conceptually

What is the significance of "life" in the Christian experience according to this sermon?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones presents "life" as the central element of Christian experience. He states that "this is rarely the key to the understanding of the whole" epistle. This spiritual life is what distinguishes a Christian from a non-Christian. It's not merely believing facts about Jesus, but having His very life within you. This life manifests as: - A spontaneous desire for spiritual things (like a baby desiring milk) - An awareness of God's presence - An affinity for spiritual truths - A warmth and genuineness in spiritual activities - A continual growth and development (never static) - A knowledge of God that is personal, not merely conceptual

Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that "the Christian is not merely a man who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ... The real thing to say about the Christian is that he is alive."

How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones explain the concept of regeneration?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones teaches that regeneration is foundational to Christianity. It means being "born again" or "quickened" from spiritual death to spiritual life. He states that "there is a sense in which their doctrine of regeneration is absolutely foundational." This regeneration isn't something we do but something done to us by God's Spirit. It means becoming "partakers of the divine nature" and having Christ's life within us. The regenerated person has new spiritual life that produces fruit naturally from within, rather than having religious activities artificially attached from without. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that misunderstanding regeneration leads to wrong views of evangelism and salvation.

What analogy does Dr. Lloyd-Jones use to illustrate the difference between genuine Christian faith and mere religious activity?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones uses several powerful analogies:

  1. A living tree versus a Christmas tree: "The difference between the non-Christian and the Christian is between the difference between a Christmas tree onto which you hang presents and a live tree that bears fruit." The Christmas tree has ornaments placed on it externally, while the living tree produces fruit from its internal life.

  2. A fountain versus a trough: "The Christian's life is like a fountain, not like a trough, not like a system." A system requires water to be added from outside, but a fountain bubbles up from an internal source that can't be exhausted.

  3. A real flower versus an artificial flower: The artificial flower may look perfect but is dead, while a living flower may be drooping but can revive, develop, and blossom because it has life within it.

These analogies all illustrate that true Christianity flows from within as a result of new life, not religious duties imposed from without.

How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones explain what happens with a backslider?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that a backslider is still a Christian who possesses spiritual life but is behaving badly. The key distinction is that "the backslider, however grievously may be sinning, is still a child of God. This seed of life is in him." He provides several indicators of this continuing spiritual life:

  1. "The backslider always returns"
  2. "The backslider always repents with a godly repentance"
  3. "The backslider is miserable in his sin"
  4. He "has not gone back to the outlook of the world"
  5. He does everything "under condemnation"
  6. He "knows that he's going contrary to his nature"

Lloyd-Jones states that the backslider "touches depths of misery that no one else can know in this life" precisely because the spiritual life within him is contradicting his sinful behavior.

What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones identify as the key verse or passage for understanding Romans chapters 5-8?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones identifies Romans 5:10 as the key verse for understanding chapters 5-8: "For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his son, much more being reconciled, we shall be saved in his life." He states that "this is rarely the key to the understanding of the whole" and "the whole secret of what he's telling us in this 8th chapter." The idea that Christians are "in the life of Christ" forms "the basis of assurance" and "the basis of final certainty." Lloyd-Jones traces this theme of life throughout Romans 5-8 to show that it's a central concept in Paul's theology.

How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones describe the experience of having spiritual life?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones describes the experience of spiritual life as:

  1. Having something inside you rather than outside you: "The Christian knows that the thing is inside him."

  2. Feeling held by something rather than holding onto something: "The man who is trying to be a Christian is trying to hold on to something. The man who is a Christian feels he is being held by something."

  3. Having a spontaneous desire for spiritual things: Like "newborn babes desire the sincere milk of the word."

  4. Experiencing a personal knowledge of God: "The Christian is a man... who has some degree of a knowledge of God. God is not an abstract conception to the Christian."

  5. Having an awareness of communion with God: "He knows that he belongs to God."

  6. Possessing assurance of salvation: "Neither death, nor life... shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

This experience may vary in intensity but is present in all true Christians.

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.