Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones on Tribulation and Christian Hope Questions

How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones describe the Christian's proper reaction to tribulation?

According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, the Christian's reaction to tribulation is not merely to "put up with it" or to be "happy in spite of it." Rather, Christians are called to "glory in tribulations" (Romans 5:3). As he explains, "We glory on account of them, because of them." Christianity is not stoicism, which merely bears troubles with courage without breaking down. The Christian response is active and positive - to exalt, glory, and boast in tribulations because of what we know about God's purposes in them.

What does Lloyd-Jones identify as the "acid test" of Christian faith?

Lloyd-Jones identifies "the way we react to the trials and the troubles and the tribulations of our lives in this world" as the "acid test" of Christian faith. He calls it "the most thorough going, more delicate, more sensitive" test of our profession of Christianity. This test differentiates true faith from mere emotional experiences, psychological responses, or intellectual belief ("believism" or "fideism"). When trials come, those with merely emotional experiences or intellectual assent often fall away, while true faith endures and grows stronger.

How does tribulation work toward spiritual growth according to Romans 5:3-5?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains the progression in Romans 5:3-5, where "tribulation worketh patience, and patience, experience, and experience, hope." This is a divine process where: 1. Tribulation produces patience (steadfastness, constancy, endurance) 2. Patience leads to experience (proof, trial, approvedness) - showing we are truly Christian 3. Experience strengthens hope - making us more certain of our salvation and God's promises

This process occurs because trials drive us back to Christ, help us know ourselves better, give us a truer view of the Christian life, and prove God's love for us and our love for Him.

How does Lloyd-Jones differentiate between true Christianity and false cults regarding suffering?

Lloyd-Jones points out that false cults "give themselves away at the very outset by promising far too much" - claiming that if you become a Christian, you'll never have troubles again. In contrast, true biblical Christianity acknowledges that "in the world you shall have tribulations" (John 16:33). While cults fail people in moments of crisis, genuine faith provides resources to face and grow through difficulties. The New Testament never promises freedom from trouble; rather, it suggests Christians may face more trials than others, but with divine purpose behind them.

What does Lloyd-Jones mean when he says Christian hope is both "the parent and child of patience"?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains this paradoxical relationship: "We start with the hope. There's the parent, and it's because we've got that hope that we are able to be patient in the endurance of the tribulations. So the hope is the parent of the patience." However, "the patience in turn leads to a yet firmer grasp of the hope." Initially, hope produces patience to endure trials. Then that very patience strengthens and deepens our hope, making it "larger, deeper, bigger, more certain, and more solid." This creates a spiritual growth cycle where hope and patience mutually reinforce each other.

How do trials serve as proof of God's love according to the sermon?

Lloyd-Jones explains that trials prove God's love because "whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth" (Hebrews 12). The Christian should see trials as evidence that "God is interested in me." Like a loving parent who disciplines their child for their benefit, God uses trials to perfect believers. Lloyd-Jones states, "The very fact that God is trying us ought to be to us a proof in and of itself that we are God's children." He adds that trials are like a refining fire that purifies gold, burning away impurities to leave only what is genuine and precious.

What is the biblical view of suffering contrasted with popular misconceptions?

According to Lloyd-Jones, the popular misconception is that Christianity means an end to troubles. However, the biblical view is that Christians will face tribulations in this world. He quotes numerous Scripture passages including John 16:33, Acts 14:22, and James 1:2-12 to demonstrate this consistent teaching. Far from suggesting Christians avoid troubles, the Bible indicates that trials serve divine purposes - testing faith, producing endurance, proving genuineness, and leading to greater hope. Lloyd-Jones warns that "the Christian who is not experiencing some kind of trial or chastisement had better seriously examine himself again."