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Sermon #3069

The Holy Spirit and Assurance

A Sermon on Romans 5:5

Originally preached Dec. 13, 1957

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Scripture

Romans 5:5 ESV KJV
and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. (ESV)

Sermon Description

Once saved, always saved. But what happens when one doubts their salvation and how do they regain assurance? The greatest assurance of all is that the love of God has been spread into the hearts of His people. This act is done by the work of the Holy Spirit. In the sermon “The Holy Spirit and Assurance” from Romans 5:5, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones points out that this is the first time the Holy Spirit is referenced in terms of salvation and he makes a few points concerning what this means. The Holy Spirit is given to all Christians without exception and He dwells in their bodies. Some might ask how this is a guarantee of salvation. Dr. Lloyd-Jones reminds that any good work that Christ has begun will not go unfinished. The seal of the Holy Spirit is a guarantee that Christians are finally fit to enter the glory He has prepared for them. The second part of the sermon explains how someone would know that the Holy Spirit has been given to them.

Sermon Breakdown

  1. The sermon begins by introducing Romans 5:5 which states "And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us."

  2. Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that this verse is connected to the previous verses where Paul establishes the certainty of salvation.

  3. Paul makes several statements about salvation and assurance in Romans 5:1-5 and then elaborates on them in the following verses. Dr. Lloyd-Jones notes that this is Paul's common method.

  4. In this verse, Paul introduces the doctrine of the Holy Spirit for the first time in Romans. Dr. Lloyd-Jones notes that the Holy Spirit is mentioned here but not fully explained until Romans 8.

  5. The Holy Spirit is given to all Christians without exception according to Romans 8:9. The Holy Spirit dwells within all believers.

  6. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit guarantees the finality of salvation. It shows that God has begun a work in us that He will complete (Philippians 1:6). It proves we have been born again with a new nature that can receive the Holy Spirit. The new life we have been given guarantees we will be perfected.

  7. The Holy Spirit within us guarantees we will continue in the faith and stay close to God (Philippians 2:12-13). The Holy Spirit works in us to will and to act according to God's good purpose.

  8. The Holy Spirit guarantees our growth. He reveals truth to us (1 Corinthians 2:10) and enlightens our minds (Ephesians 1:17-18). He is our teacher (1 John 2:27).

  9. The Holy Spirit within us guarantees we will become fit to enter God's glory. He sanctifies us and makes us holy so we can dwell with God.

  10. We can know the Holy Spirit has been given to us if we can confess Jesus as Lord (1 Corinthians 12:3). This confession includes believing in Christ's deity, incarnation, and atoning work. Only by the Spirit can we make this confession.

  11. Other signs the Spirit is within us include: believing the teachings of 1 John, manifesting the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), longing to know Christ more, and finding God's commands not burdensome (1 John 5:3).

  12. The sermon concludes by reflecting on how the Trinity is actively working for our salvation. We have peace with God the Father, through Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit is given to us. We should respond with faith, hope, and love.

Sermon Q&A

What is the Significance of the Holy Spirit Being Given to Christians According to Lloyd-Jones?

What does Lloyd-Jones say is the main focus of Romans 5:5 in context?

According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Romans 5:5 is part of the apostle Paul's larger argument about the certainty and assurance of salvation. He emphasizes that this verse should not be taken out of context but understood as part of Paul's proof of the security of those who are justified by faith. Lloyd-Jones states, "The apostle in this paragraph, in this chapter, in these first five verses, is proving and establishing the certainty of our salvation. Any man who is justified by faith and who knows that is a man who can be certain and assured of his salvation."

How does Lloyd-Jones distinguish between different types of assurance?

Lloyd-Jones distinguishes between the highest form of assurance (the love of God shed abroad in our hearts) and another type of assurance that comes from knowing the Holy Spirit has been given to us. He says, "There is an assurance short of that... It is an assurance, but it isn't that. That is the supreme, the final assurance." The presence of the Holy Spirit within believers provides a foundational assurance even if they haven't experienced the highest manifestation of God's love that some saints have known.

According to Lloyd-Jones, why is the Holy Spirit's indwelling a guarantee of salvation?

Lloyd-Jones presents several reasons why the Holy Spirit's indwelling guarantees salvation:

  1. It proves God has started working in us: "Surely that is in itself proof positive that God has started to work in us, that he's concerned about us... If the Holy Ghost is in you, well, you know that God is concerned about you. He started working in you. And if God starts, God will continue."

  2. It proves our rebirth: "This is the proof of our rebirth. This is the work of the spirit. And you cannot say of a man that the Holy Spirit dwells within him unless he's been born again."

  3. It ensures we'll be kept in the faith: "The presence of the Holy Spirit within us is a guarantee in another respect, that we shall continue and be kept in the faith and in touch with God."

  4. It guarantees our growth: "He guarantees my growth... He does it, of course, by revealing the truth."

  5. It guarantees our final fitness for glory: "The dwelling of the Holy Ghost within us is a guarantee of our becoming finally fit to enter into that glory that he has prepared for us."

How can a person know that the Holy Spirit has been given to them?

Lloyd-Jones provides several practical tests to determine if the Holy Spirit has been given to you:

  1. Confessing Jesus as Lord: "If you believe that Jesus is the son of God and that he died for your sins on Calvary's hill... If you can say 'my hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness'... the Holy Ghost is in you."

  2. Loving the brethren: "If you can say honestly tonight that you'd sooner be here in a company of God's people than in the greatest palace on earth... you've got the Holy Spirit in you."

  3. Not finding God's commandments grievous: "John says that if the Holy Spirit is in us, his commandments are not grievous unto us... The Christian says his commandments are not grievous. Why? Because he's got a spirit within him that makes him hunger and thirst after righteousness."

  4. Desiring to know Christ better: "Do you long to know the Lord Jesus Christ better? Do you long to love him more? If you do, the Holy Spirit is in you."

  5. Manifesting the fruit of the Spirit: "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, goodness, meekness, faith, gentleness, and temperance. Are they in you? Are they manifested at all? If they're there, it is good, presumptive evidence that the Holy Spirit is in you."

What is significant about Paul introducing the Holy Spirit in Romans 5:5?

Lloyd-Jones highlights that this verse marks the first introduction of the doctrine of the Holy Spirit in Romans, which is important for proper interpretation of later chapters: "Here, you see, he introduces the doctrine of the Holy Spirit for the first time in this great epistle, and we shall find that he doesn't come back and deal with that really fully until you get to chapter eight." He notes that many interpreters incorrectly claim the Spirit isn't mentioned until chapter 8, but this earlier reference is crucial for understanding Paul's logical progression in the letter.

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.