The Witness of the Spirit
A Sermon on Romans 8:16
Originally preached Jan. 20, 1961
Scripture
16The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
Sermon Description
When Satan tempts the Christian to despair or tells them that they are not a child of God, they can turn to the word of God and find an abundance of assurance based upon the promises of the Scriptures. In this sermon on Roman 8:16 titled “The Witness of the Spirit,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones does not discount the amount of assurance found by going to the Bible. He argues, however, that there is an even greater level of assurance that the believer can have. In Romans 8:16, the apostle Paul mentions the witness of the Spirit. This witness of the Spirit, says Dr. Lloyd-Jones, is the same as the baptism of the Spirit, or the sealing of the Spirit, found elsewhere in Scripture. While every Christian has the Spirit of adoption and is a child of God, not all have the witness of the Spirit. This is a second blessing that comes upon a believer for the purpose of assurance. Moreover, it illumines the believer’s understanding with respect to salvation. In essence, it is a special way the love of God is poured out on a particular believer in the quietness of the heart. Listen as Dr. Lloyd-Jones gives an extended teaching on the witness of the Spirit and breaks down the Scriptures in order to gain insight and understanding to this special work of the Holy Spirit.
Sermon Breakdown
- The verse being discussed is Romans 8:16 - "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God."
- This verse should not be interpreted as merely an exposition of verse 15. It is saying something much more special and wonderful.
- To properly interpret this verse, we must follow two principles:
- Interpret scripture with scripture by looking for parallel statements
- Consider how church history and the experiences of believers can shed light on the meaning
- Parallel statements that help us understand this verse include:
- John 7:37-39 - Promise of the Spirit being given and believers having "rivers of living water" flow from them
- Romans 5:5 - "The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us."
- Acts 2 - The coming of the Spirit at Pentecost and the change in the disciples
- Revelation 2:17 - Promise of the "hidden manna" and "white stone" with a "new name" given to believers
- Revelation 2:28 - Promise of the "morning star" given to believers
- Revelation 3:12 - Promise of believers being given the "name of my God" and "my new name"
- The experiences of revival and certain believers throughout church history also shed light on this verse. During times of revival, many believers received an assurance of salvation they never had before.
- The meaning of this verse is that the Spirit himself bears witness to our spirits in a direct and immediate way that we are children of God. This is the highest form of assurance and is part of the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
- This witness of the Spirit is different from and goes beyond the "spirit of adoption" in verse 15. It is God telling us of his love for us through the Spirit.
- Characteristics of this witness of the Spirit:
- It gives an absolute certainty of our sonship
- It is not merely a heightening of our understanding of the truth or a prompting toward sanctification
- It is a secret and personal revelation from God
- It is the highest form of assurance and certainty of salvation possible
- It is not a deduction or the result of our reasoning but is given directly by the Spirit
- Results of this witness of the Spirit:
- Greater understanding of the truth
- Greater love for God
- Desire to please God and obey his commands
- Power and boldness to witness for Christ
- Possible accompanying gifts of the Spirit (though not always)
- How this witness is given:
- We cannot predict when or how it will be given as it is under the sovereign control of the Spirit
- It does not come through an audible voice but through an inner witness
- It often comes through Scripture - either in reading or a verse coming to mind
- It can come through preaching as a word is applied directly by the Spirit
- It does not always come through the Word but can be an inner consciousness imparted by the Spirit apart from the Word
- Examples of it coming apart from the Word can be seen in the early church before the NT was completed and in the experiences of certain believers
Sermon Q&A
Understanding the Witness of the Holy Spirit According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones
What does Romans 8:16 mean when it says "the Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit"?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, Romans 8:16 describes a direct and immediate witness of the Holy Spirit Himself to believers, confirming their adoption as children of God. This is not merely an extension of the previous verses but represents a distinct spiritual experience. The Spirit personally and directly testifies to our spirits, giving us absolute assurance of our relationship with God beyond what our own spirit's testimony can provide.
How is the witness of the Holy Spirit different from other forms of Christian assurance?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones identifies three levels of Christian assurance: 1. The lowest form: Deductive assurance from Scripture (believing what the Bible says about salvation) 2. The second level: Self-examination using biblical tests (love for fellow believers, desire for holiness) 3. The third level: The spirit of adoption (our spirit crying "Abba, Father" from Romans 8:15) 4. The highest form: The direct witness of the Holy Spirit Himself (Romans 8:16)
This highest form is not something we do, but something done to us—it's entirely the action of the Holy Spirit and gives absolute certainty beyond any other form of assurance.
How does the Holy Spirit communicate this witness to believers?
The Holy Spirit communicates His witness in various ways: - Often through Scripture reading when a passage suddenly speaks personally to someone - Through a remembered Scripture verse brought suddenly to mind - Sometimes during preaching when a word or statement strikes directly to the heart - Sometimes without any words at all, as a direct impression on the spirit
Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that this witness cannot be controlled, predicted, or manufactured. It comes according to the Holy Spirit's sovereign will and timing, yet when it comes, it is as definite and unmistakable as an audible voice.
What is the relationship between this witness and the baptism of the Holy Spirit?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones teaches that this witness of the Spirit is the most essential part of the baptism with the Holy Spirit. He connects it to: - Jesus' promise in John 7:37-39 about rivers of living water - The "love of God shed abroad in our hearts" (Romans 5:5) - The experiences of believers at Pentecost (Acts 2) and subsequent outpourings - The "sealing of the Spirit" mentioned in 2 Corinthians 1:22 and Ephesians 1:13, 4:30
He distinguishes this from the "earnest of the Spirit," explaining that the sealing assures us we are God's children, while the earnest gives us a foretaste of our inheritance.
What are the effects of experiencing this witness of the Holy Spirit?
When believers experience this witness: - They receive absolute certainty of their salvation - They gain greater understanding and clarity about spiritual truths - Their love for God increases in response to His love - They develop a stronger desire to please God and keep His commandments - They receive power and boldness to witness for Christ - They may (but not always) receive spiritual gifts
Dr. Lloyd-Jones illustrates this with Thomas Goodwin's analogy of a father walking with his son, then suddenly picking him up, embracing him and showering him with affection—not changing the relationship, but dramatically intensifying the experience of it.
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.