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Sermon #3154

The Spirit of Bondage

A Sermon on Romans 8:15

Originally preached Nov. 11, 1960

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Scripture

Romans 8:15 ESV KJV
For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” (ESV)

Sermon Description

It is safe to say all battle with seasons of fear and worry. Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones shows two things that Paul is confirming in Romans 8:15: all who are led to Christ are children of God and those who are children of God no longer have a spirit of bondage or fear. In this sermon on Romans 8:15 titled “The Spirit of Bondage,” Dr. Lloyd-Jones points out that this means the spirit of bondage and fear always precedes the spirit of adoption. How would a Christian be truly convicted of their sin and desperation if they first did not have a spirit which convicted them of their guilt? This guilt shows just how much all are in need of a Savior. Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that Christians may experience this spirit of bondage to different degrees, but it does not mean that one person has sinned more than the other. The amount of sin does not matter, but it is the realization of that sin that is necessary to bring about true salvation. The Holy Spirit, which dwells in all Christians, is a spirit of truth and always produces a sense of sin and sense of conviction. The Holy Spirit cannot truly lead to God without showing how holy and just Christ is. All Christians have experienced this and can praise God who sends the Holy Spirit.

Sermon Breakdown

  1. The spirit of bondage always precedes the spirit of adoption. No one can come to Christ without first experiencing the spirit of bondage.
  2. The degree to which the spirit of bondage is experienced can vary in intensity for different people. Not everyone experiences it to the same degree.
  3. Those brought up in Christian homes can also experience the spirit of bondage. It is not determined by the amount of sin in one's life but rather one's realization of sin.
  4. There is a danger of "mere beliefism" - simply believing facts about Jesus without true conviction of sin. This is common for those in Christian homes but is not true conversion.
  5. The Holy Spirit, as the Spirit of truth and holiness, always produces a sense of sin and conviction. He reveals God's holiness and our sinfulness.
  6. The experience of the saints and testimony from revivals shows that as people grow in grace, they become more aware of their sin and dependence on Christ.
  7. Concern over lack of assurance or love for God is itself evidence of the spirit of bondage. The unregenerate man has no such concern.
  8. We must examine ourselves to see if we have known the spirit of bondage. If not, we must seek God until we can say we know Him and are His children.
  9. Knowledge of God, not upbringing or amount of sin, determines sense of sin and forgiveness. The more we know God, the more we see our sin.
  10. We must seek God and knowledge of Him. Then we will know our sin and need for Christ.

Sermon Q&A

Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones on the Spirit of Bondage and Adoption

What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones mean by "the spirit of bondage again to fear" in Romans 8:15?

According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, "the spirit of bondage again to fear" refers to the work of the Holy Spirit in convicting us of sin. It is the Holy Spirit applying the law to us, bringing us to see that God's law is "good and holy and spiritual," and thereby revealing our own sinfulness, helplessness, and hopelessness. This work produces a genuine sense of fear and bondage as we recognize our true condition before a holy God.

Does the spirit of bondage always precede the spirit of adoption according to Lloyd-Jones?

Yes, Dr. Lloyd-Jones firmly asserts that the spirit of bondage always precedes the spirit of adoption. He explains that Romans 8:15 suggests this sequence with the phrase "you have not received again the spirit of bondage to fear," implying believers once had it but now have received something different. He quotes Puritan John Preston who stated, "If thou never hetz the spirit of bondage, certainly thou hast not yet received the spirit of the son," and argues that no one comes to Christ unless the law has been a "schoolmaster" to bring them to Him.

How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones address people who say they've never experienced the spirit of bondage?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones addresses this common claim by making several key points:

  1. He distinguishes between temporary alarm and true conviction of sin
  2. He warns against "mere beliefism" or intellectual assent without true conviction
  3. He argues that the Holy Spirit, being the Spirit of truth and holiness, always produces some sense of sin
  4. He notes that all saints testify to increased awareness of sin as they grow spiritually
  5. He points to revival experiences where even long-time Christians experience deeper conviction of sin
  6. He observes that those who claim never to have known the spirit of bondage often haven't truly known the spirit of adoption either

What about people raised in Christian homes - must they experience the spirit of bondage too?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones firmly maintains that even those raised in Christian homes must experience the spirit of bondage in some measure. He argues that:

  1. It's false reasoning to think upbringing determines conviction of sin - what matters is one's realization of sinfulness, not amount of sins committed
  2. Many raised in Christian environments may have "mere beliefism" rather than true faith
  3. The Holy Spirit always produces conviction when He works, regardless of upbringing
  4. What determines the sense of sin is not background but knowledge of God's holiness
  5. Even Isaiah, already a man of God, cried "Woe is me!" when confronted with God's holiness

Does Dr. Lloyd-Jones believe everyone must experience the same intensity of conviction?

No, Dr. Lloyd-Jones is careful to clarify that he is "not stressing the degree of intensity of this feeling." He explicitly states that the degree to which the spirit of bondage is experienced "may vary considerably in intensity." He uses John Bunyan's 18-month agony as an example but calls it "sheer nonsense" to suggest everyone must experience that level of conviction. What matters is having known something of this conviction "in some degree or another" - recognizing our sinfulness, unworthiness, helplessness, and need for deliverance.

How can someone know if they've experienced true conviction of sin?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones offers several indicators of true conviction:

  1. Even concern about lack of assurance or lack of love for God is itself "an expression of the spirit of bondage and of fear" since the unregenerate person is never concerned about these things
  2. True conviction makes spiritual matters "one of the chief things in your life, if not the chiefest thing"
  3. It won't leave you alone - you'll be "so unhappy that you'll be doing something about it"
  4. You will "give yourself no rest nor peace" until you find assurance
  5. You will ask God to "search me and try me" and reveal your true spiritual condition

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.