Ignorance: Prejudice and Fog in the Mind
A Sermon on 1 Timothy 1:12-13
Scripture
12And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; 13Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.
Sermon Description
Why do some people reject Christ? The truth of the gospel seems so sure, and yet many still turn from it. Why? In this sermon on 1 Timothy 1:12–13 titled “Ignorance: Prejudice and Fog in the Mind,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones takes to Scripture to explain why people reject the gospel. One of the greatest missionaries of all time was the apostle Paul. Yet in 1 Timothy 1:12–13, he makes a startling admission—he had at one point been a great blasphemer of God and persecutor of Christians. And yet, God eventually saved him. People today say that they are not Christians because of their high intellect— they say that Christianity is for the weak-minded, and that they do not need it since they have a high intellectual understanding. Yet, many great Christians throughout history have shown this to be false simply because they were of towering intellect themselves. Augustine and Paul himself are just two out of a vast number of those who were brilliant and yet followed Jesus. Paul writes that the real reason for rejection is unbelief and ignorance that bring prejudice against the gospel and blind people to its truths. What exactly is this unbelief and ignorance about? Listen as Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains the real reason for unbelief and how Christians can effectively engage it today.
Sermon Breakdown
- The apostle Paul describes himself as formerly a blasphemer, persecutor and injurious person who acted ignorantly in unbelief.
- Paul cites his transformation from persecutor of the church to apostle as evidence that one's standing before God is not determined by intellect or knowledge.
- Common explanations for unbelief today - intellect, knowledge, psychology - are shown to be fallacious by Paul's example. His intellect, knowledge and psychology remained constant before and after his conversion.
- The true explanation for unbelief is a state of blindness produced by the devil that fills us with prejudices, causing us to dismiss the truth.
- Prejudice means pre-judging, coming to a verdict before considering the evidence. This was Paul's condition before his conversion.
- Paul was appallingly ignorant of the law of God, though he thought himself knowledgeable. He did not realize the law must be kept in its entirety, that possession of the law is not enough, that the spirit of the law matters more than the letter, and that the law's purpose is to lead us to worship God.
- Paul was ignorant of the true nature of sin. He thought of sin as isolated acts, not realizing it is a power that holds us captive and even twists the law to inflame sinful desires.
- Paul was ignorant of his terrible danger as a sinner under God's condemnation facing eternal punishment. Like many today, he thought himself righteous through his own morality and good works.
- Paul was ignorant of the mercy, grace, love and compassion of God. Like the Pharisee in Jesus' parable, he saw no need for these as he thought himself righteous. He did not know the depth of God's love in sending Jesus to die for sinners like himself.
- It is ignorance of our sin, danger and God's grace - not intellect or knowledge - that keeps people from becoming Christians. Recognizing our sin and God's love leads to salvation.
Sermon Q&A
What Does Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones Say About Why People Are Not Christians?
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones addresses the question of why people are not Christians in his sermon based on 1 Timothy 1:12-13. According to his analysis, people reject Christianity not for the reasons they commonly claim, but due to spiritual conditions affecting their perception of truth.
Why does Paul say he persecuted Christians before his conversion?
In 1 Timothy 1:13, Paul states he "was before a blasphemer and a persecutor and injurious. But I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief." Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that Paul identifies his problem wasn't intellectual ability but a spiritual condition of "unbelief" that blinded him to the truth of Christianity.
What common modern excuses for rejecting Christianity does Lloyd-Jones refute?
Lloyd-Jones refutes three common excuses people give for not believing:
- Superior intelligence or reason - He points to Paul as a mastermind of the centuries who had the same intellect before and after conversion
- Modern scientific knowledge - He explains that scientific advances don't actually address the fundamental spiritual questions
- Psychological temperament - He rejects the idea that some people simply have a "religious temperament" while others don't
What is the real reason people don't believe in Christianity according to Lloyd-Jones?
According to Lloyd-Jones, the real reason is a spiritual condition of "unbelief" that manifests in several ways:
- Prejudice - Rejecting Christianity before examining the evidence
- Ignorance of the true nature of God's law - Thinking external obedience is enough
- Ignorance about sin's power - Not understanding sin as an internal power that enslaves
- Ignorance of one's danger before God - Not recognizing one's guilt and condemnation
- Ignorance of God's mercy and grace - Not understanding God's love and forgiveness
How does Lloyd-Jones illustrate the concept of spiritual blindness?
Lloyd-Jones uses the illustration of a mist or fog: "It's as if a man were in a mist. There's nothing wrong with his eyes. There's nothing wrong in his power of seeing. But if he's enshrouded in the mist, he won't be able to see anything." He shares a personal example of trying to see Scotland from Northern Ireland but being unable to because of fog, though his eyesight was fine.
What does Lloyd-Jones say about Paul's ignorance of the law?
Despite being a Pharisee and expert in the law, Paul was ignorant of: - The fact that mere possession of the law means nothing without obedience - That breaking one part of the law means breaking the whole law - That the spirit of the law (heart attitude) matters more than the letter - That the ultimate purpose of the law is to love God with all one's heart
How does Lloyd-Jones view the solution to humanity's moral problems?
Lloyd-Jones rejects the modern notion that education alone can solve moral problems. He argues that simply educating people about immorality can actually inflame passions rather than control them. The real issue is the human heart that needs divine transformation: "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me."
Itinerant Preaching
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.