What it Means to be a Christian
A Sermon on 1 Peter 1:8
Scripture
8Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
Sermon Description
What is the single most important thing in life? In this sermon on 1 Peter 1:8 titled “What it Means to be a Christian,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones reminds the listener that the most fundamental part of everyone’s life is their relationship with Jesus. With so much false teaching being popularized today, many people misunderstand what it means to be a Christian. Some say they are followers of Jesus because they were baptized as infants, while others claim the name of Jesus because their parents were believers. However, in this sermon, Dr. Lloyd-Jones shows that a true relationship with Jesus has three basic characteristics. First, a Christian believes in Jesus— not just accepting historical facts about Him, but also believing in Him for salvation and submitting their life to following Jesus. Second, a true believer loves Jesus because Christians cannot believe in what He has done for them without being filled with love and thankfulness. Finally, Dr. Lloyd-Jones teaches, a true Christian rejoices in Jesus and His victory over death. Listen to this sermon as Dr. Lloyd-Jones teaches about what a thriving relationship with Jesus looks like and how anyone can have it today.
Sermon Breakdown
- The Christian is defined by their relationship to Jesus Christ.
- Many people have vague or incorrect ideas about what constitutes a Christian. Some think it is based on nationality, family, baptism, good works, or idealistic views. But Christianity is centered on Christ.
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There are three aspects of a Christian's relationship with Christ:
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Believing in Him: Realizing you are a sinner in need of a savior and trusting in Christ's atoning work on the cross. Not just believing facts about Christ but trusting in Him alone for salvation.
- Loving Him: Spending time with Him, pleasing Him, sacrificing for Him. Loving Christ is shown through obedience to His commands.
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Rejoicing in Him: Finding unspeakable joy and glory in Christ for who He is and what He has done. Not rejoicing in self or circumstances but rejoicing in the person of Christ.
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These qualities were true of ordinary Christians, not just apostles or church leaders. They apply to all Christians.
- We do not need to see Christ physically to have this relationship with Him. We have His Word and Spirit. We must seek Him through prayer, Scripture reading, and obedience.
- The church and world desperately need Christians who know Christ in this way.
Sermon Q&A
Questions and Answers from Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' Sermon on 1 Peter 1:8
What is the primary defining characteristic of a Christian according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, the primary defining characteristic of a Christian is one's relationship to Jesus Christ. As he states, "Christianity is Christ, and there is no such thing as being Christian except in terms of our relationship to this blessed person. Without him, there is no Christianity at all." This relationship takes three main forms: believing in Him, loving Him, and rejoicing in Him with joy unspeakable and full of glory.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones differentiate between merely believing things "about" Jesus versus believing "in" Jesus?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that believing in Jesus is different from merely believing facts about Him. He says, "He doesn't merely believe certain things about Him. He doesn't merely believe that Jesus was a great man or a great teacher, a great moral example or anything like that...He believes on the Lord Jesus Christ. He says, 'I rest my faith on Him alone who died for my transgressions to atone.'" True belief means trusting yourself and the salvation of your soul entirely to Christ and what He has done on your behalf.
What are the three main aspects of a Christian's relationship with Christ mentioned in the sermon?
The three main aspects of a Christian's relationship with Christ, based on 1 Peter 1:8, are: 1) Believing in Him - trusting Him completely for salvation; 2) Loving Him - shown by obedience and desire to please Him; and 3) Rejoicing in Him with "joy unspeakable and full of glory" - experiencing a profound, spiritual joy that transcends ordinary happiness.
Why does Dr. Lloyd-Jones say that love for Christ is a more demanding test than belief?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that love for Christ is a more demanding test because "it searches us in the depths." While intellectual belief may be easier to claim, love must express itself in action. He states, "The danger against which we all of necessity have to fight always is the danger of some intellectual belief, the danger of some vague believism of merely saying that we believe in Him. But the apostle's argument is this—you can't really believe in him without loving him."
How does a Christian demonstrate love for Christ according to the sermon?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, Christians demonstrate love for Christ by: 1) Wanting to spend time with Him; 2) Desiring to please Him; 3) Keeping His commandments not as a burden but as a delight; 4) Being willing to sacrifice for Him without counting the cost. He explains, "Love always shows itself and expresses itself... Love always wants to spend as much time as it can with the object of its love."
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones mean by "joy unspeakable and full of glory"?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that this joy is "inexpressible" - beyond language to adequately describe. He quotes Philip Doddridge as saying it means "the joy which the true Christian has in his Lord is the joy of a man who's had some glimpse of the glory." It's not an ordinary human happiness but "a deep, profound joy" that comes from the glory of God. It's spiritual in nature, not fleshly or carnal, and is based on what Christ has done for us.
Why is it significant that the first Christians Peter wrote to had never seen Jesus?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes this point to counter excuses that modern Christians might make. He notes, "whom, having not seen ye love, these people, had no more seen him with the naked eye than you and I have. There is no excuse for us at all." The fact that these ordinary believers loved and rejoiced in Christ without having seen Him physically demonstrates that physical sight is not necessary for genuine faith, love, and joy in Christ.
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones identify as the greatest need in the church today?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones identifies the greatest need of the church as "to be filled with people like this" - Christians who truly believe in Christ, love Him, and rejoice in Him with deep spiritual joy. He states, "What we need is not formal religion, not formal Christians. No. When the Church is filled with people like this, she'll be on fire, she'll be alive and she'll attract the masses of the people as she has done in every period of revival and of reawakening."
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones respond to the excuse that modern Christians cannot love Christ as deeply because they haven't seen Him?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones counters this excuse by pointing out that the Christians Peter wrote to had never physically seen Jesus either. He reminds listeners of Jesus' words to Thomas: "Blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed." He states that physical sight is unnecessary because we have "everything that's necessary in the Word of God and the Holy Spirit." He encourages believers to seek Christ in Scripture and pray for the Holy Spirit to make Him real to them.
What daily prayer of Hudson Taylor does Dr. Lloyd-Jones recommend for believers?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones shares Hudson Taylor's daily prayer: "Lord Jesus, make thyself to me a living, bright reality, more present to faith's vision keen than any outward object seen, more near, more intimately nigh than e'en the sweetest earthly tie." He presents this as the kind of prayer that can help Christians experience Christ as more real than physical objects and closer than the dearest human relationships.
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.