The Vital Principle
A Sermon on Justification by Faith Alone from Romans 11:18-22
Originally preached Feb. 19, 1965
Scripture
18Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. 19Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in. 20Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be …
Sermon Description
The history of Christianity has witnessed the decline of many churches. In this sermon on Romans 11:18-22, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones attributes such declines to the drift away from true Christianity's vital principle, justification by faith alone. Dr. Lloyd-Jones urges listeners to learn the lessons from history and guard themselves and their churches against falling back into a system of justification by works. Regarding the churches that hold firm to the principle of justification by faith alone, be prepared to be persecuted by those who don’t. This tendency has been borne out in church history as evidenced by the persecution inflicted on the true church by the Jews and the also the apostate church. Please note that in a rare departure from customary practice, the original editor of the MLJ Trust recordings decided to include the tail end of the last hymn prior to the commencement of the sermon. This was presumably in order to make sense of Dr Lloyd-Jones's opening admonition to his congregation as to the quality of their singing on that particular Friday evening at Westminster chapel!
Sermon Breakdown
- There is always a tendency for God's people and the church to decline and fall away from the truth. This is because we are not yet perfect and sanctification is a process.
- The cause of decline is always forgetting first principles. The first principle is justification by faith alone. When this is forgotten, problems arise.
- Those who fall away from the truth always persecute those who hold to it. The Jews persecuted the early Christians. The apostate church has always persecuted the true church.
- We must always apply the Bible and its teachings. We should never approach the Bible in a detached or theoretical manner. The Bible is meant to speak to us and influence us.
- The history in the Bible illustrates eternal principles. We should see ourselves in the examples of the Jews, Pharisees and others. The Bible is always contemporary.
- There is always a struggle between the spirit and the form. The form must express the spirit but there is a danger of the form killing the spirit. This has happened many times in church history.
- The supreme example of decline is the nation of Israel. They rejected and crucified their Messiah. This has been repeated in church history many times.
- The cause of decline in Israel and the church is always forgetting justification by faith alone. They began to rely on their own works, deeds and organizations.
- God often delays in acting against those who have declined from the truth. He is patient and gives further opportunities to repent. But judgment eventually comes.
- The modern ecumenical movement shows the same errors as Israel. It relies on the external organization and tradition, not belief in the truth. This is a repetition of Israel's sin.
- We cannot know when God may act in judgment against the apostate church. But his principles of judgment still operate. The apostate church will eventually be "spewed out".
- The way of safety is constant self-examination, fear of falling away, and holding to first principles. We are only responsible for our own time, not the future.
- We must have nothing to do with an apostate church that has departed from first principles and relies on tradition and organization. To do so is to partake in its sin.
Sermon Q&A
Questions and Answers about Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' Sermon on Romans 11:18-22
What is the main warning Dr. Lloyd-Jones gives about how we should approach Bible study?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones warns against approaching the Bible in a detached or theoretical manner. He states that "there is nothing against which we should guard ourselves so much as a mere detached academic and theoretical interest" in Scripture. Instead, we should always approach the Bible with the understanding that it is meant to speak to us personally and to be applied to our lives. The Bible is to be preached, not merely lectured about, and its teaching is always to be applied.
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, why is the history in the Bible important for Christians today?
The history in the Bible is important because it illustrates great spiritual principles that are permanent and eternal. Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains, "That is why the Bible never dates. That's why it's never out of date...That is why the Bible is always contemporary." The principles taught through biblical history remain relevant because God doesn't change, and human nature doesn't change. As he puts it, "these principles which are taught in the history of things which happened so long ago are as applicable and as relevant and as true tonight as they have ever been."
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones identify as the constant tension in church history?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones identifies the constant tension between "the spirit and the form" in church history. He explains that while the spirit must have a form (some organization), there is always a danger that "the form tends to cripple the spirit." He describes this as "one of the greatest fights and struggles that ever goes on," where the challenge is "how to prevent the organization from throttling and killing the spirit." This tension has played out repeatedly throughout church history.
What is the first principle that causes decline in God's people according to the sermon?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, the first principle is that "there seems to be always a tendency in the church, or if you like, in God's people, in the olive tree... to decline and to fall away from the truth." This happens because believers are not yet perfect, sanctification is a process, and people are "dull and slow of hearing." He quotes Dean Inge's insight that "every institution tends to produce its opposite," explaining how movements often gradually transform into the opposite of what they were at their beginning.
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones identify as the primary cause of spiritual decline?
The primary cause of spiritual decline is forgetting first and original principles. Specifically, the church falls away from the fundamental principle of justification by faith alone. He states, "All the troubles in the church ultimately are due to the fact that we fall away from justification by faith only. We begin to take pride in the fact that we are Jews, or pride in the fact that we are Gentiles, our good deeds and works and our church and this and that. We've lost it. It's all a question of losing a grip of the first principle."
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones describe the "principle of delay" in God's judgment?
The principle of delay refers to how God doesn't always act immediately when people or churches go astray. Using examples like the parable of the fig tree and God's patience with the Jews before judgment fell, Lloyd-Jones explains that God often waits, gives multiple opportunities, and shows extraordinary patience before executing judgment. This delay in judgment can confuse people who expect immediate consequences, but it demonstrates God's mercy and longsuffering nature.
What criticism does Dr. Lloyd-Jones make of the modern ecumenical movement?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones criticizes the modern ecumenical movement for assuming that the external organization and historical continuity of the church guarantees its spiritual legitimacy. He argues that this movement makes the same error as the Jews in Jesus' time by saying, "We are the people of God" based on lineage rather than faith. The movement, he says, has put "organization before the truth, tradition before the truth" and has forgotten the principle of justification by faith alone that brought the church into being.
How should Christians examine themselves according to the sermon?
Christians should engage in constant self-examination, not relying on doctrinal soundness or spiritual gifts as guarantees of spiritual health. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes Romans 11:22: "Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God... toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness, otherwise thou also shalt be cut off." He warns, "Let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed, lest he fall" and urges believers to be careful not to become hard in spirit even while maintaining correct doctrine. Christians should continually check themselves against the original principles of faith.
What historical examples does Dr. Lloyd-Jones give of churches that have disappeared?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones mentions several historical examples of churches that have disappeared or drastically changed: the churches in Asia mentioned in the New Testament (Ephesus, Laodicea, etc.), the great churches of North Africa (including Augustine's church at Hippo), and local examples like villages in Wales where mighty revivals occurred but later became spiritually dead. He uses these as warnings that even thriving churches can decline and disappear when they depart from original principles.
What is Dr. Lloyd-Jones' conclusion about a Christian's duty toward an apostate church?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones concludes that Christians "have nothing to do with a church which is guilty of repeating the fatal error and sin of the Jewish nation." He states, "A church which has departed from [its founding principle] is no longer a church. And for us to be associated with such a body is to partake of its sin, and to be partly responsible for its apostasy." He calls believers to separate from organizations that have abandoned the truth, regardless of their historical claims or traditions.
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.