Blinded by Sin
A Sermon on Psalm 8:3-4
Originally preached Nov. 17, 1957
Scripture
3When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;
4What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
Sermon Description
Why does humanity not see creation as God’s own handiwork? In this sermon on Psalm 8:3–4 titled “Blinded by Sin,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones addresses this important theological question and shows its significance for the Christian life. The reason that humanity can look at creation and believe it is anything other than the creation of God is because they are blinded by sin. All are born in sin and naturally opposed to God. So they reject God, not because of reason, but because of sinful prejudice. The psalmists teach this, but it is also seen in the New Testament through the life and ministry of Jesus when He performs great signs and wonders to the people. But in the end, the people still cry out for Him to be crucified, for they still did not believe that He was God’s Son. This is because of the sinful principle in all hearts. What is the answer to humanity’s blindness and hard-heartedness? The answer is only found in the grace of God in Jesus Christ. Only by God giving His Son and opening the eyes of sinners can anyone be saved. Salvation is wholly a gift of God wherein He gives salvation freely as a gift.
Sermon Breakdown
- The psalmist looked at the heavens and saw God. He saw God as the creator, the providential sustainer, and the redeemer.
- Unbelievers look at the same heavens but only see the visible and physical phenomena. They fail to see the invisible glory of God.
- Unbelievers fail to pursue the implications and conclusions of what they observe in creation. They have inadequate explanations like chance, accident, and evolution.
- Unbelievers are blinded by sin, pride in human achievement, and enmity towards God. This prevents them from seeing God's glory.
- God uses the simple faith of children and common people to put the unbelief of the sophisticated to shame. The learned are blinded by their prejudice and pride.
- The Pharisees looked at Jesus but only saw a man, not the Son of God. They were blinded by their sin and hatred of Jesus.
- Believers see the glory of God in creation and in Jesus Christ. They worship God as the eternal creator and redeemer.
- We must ask ourselves whether we see God's glory in creation and in Jesus Christ. If not, we are still in our sins and need to repent.
Sermon Q&A
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones on Seeing God in Creation: Questions and Answers
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones suggest about how sin affects our perception of God in creation?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, sin has a blinding effect that prevents people from seeing God in creation. He states, "The Bible says that what makes the difference is sin. That sin is something that has so afflicted men, that it has blinded him, prevented his seeing." Sin affects the "whole man" including body, mind, and spirit, distorting how we perceive reality. This blindness particularly affects our ability to see God in nature and to understand ourselves correctly.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones contrast the believer's view of the heavens with the unbeliever's view?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that the believer, like the psalmist, looks at the heavens and sees God's glory: "When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars which thou hast ordained," leading to worship and adoration. In contrast, the unbeliever merely sees "the heavens alone"—the physical phenomena, scientific facts, and perhaps marvels at human achievement in understanding them, but "he sees nothing beyond them." The believer sees God as creator and sustainer, while the unbeliever stops at the material level.
What does Lloyd-Jones identify as the two main causes for man's inability to see God in creation?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones identifies two main causes: pride and enmity against God. About pride, he says, "Man is proud of his intellect, proud of his understanding, proud of his knowledge," which blinds him to God. The second cause is "enmity against God," explaining that man "has this feeling within him that he is not going to recognize anybody or anything above himself." This prejudice against God makes it impossible for the unbeliever to see beyond the physical creation to its Creator.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones use the example of children in his sermon?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones references the psalm's phrase "Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength." He explains that children instinctively believe in God, showing that faith is natural rather than learned sophistication. He also references Jesus' encounter with children who recognized Him as the Son of David while the religious leaders rejected Him. Lloyd-Jones uses this to illustrate that spiritual truth is often revealed to the simple and humble but hidden from the "wise and prudent" because of their pride and prejudice.
What three aspects of God does Lloyd-Jones say we should see when looking at creation?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones says we should see: (1) God the Creator - "These are the marks of God's fingers... You're beyond it all. You're at the back of it all. You are the explanation of it all"; (2) God of Providence - the God who is "interested in us one by one" and "knows my circumstances"; and (3) God of Redemption - "God hath visited and redeemed his people" through Jesus Christ, who came to earth and died for our sins. These three aspects show the completeness of God's relationship with humanity.
How does Lloyd-Jones explain the concept that "beauty is in the eye of the beholder"?
Lloyd-Jones uses this proverb to explain how two people can look at the same thing but see completely different things. He says, "When a man gives us a report concerning something that he's seen... one of the most important things that he rarely does as he gives us his report, is to tell us a great deal about himself." He illustrates this with examples of different responses to music and flowers, explaining that our perception reveals our spiritual condition. The believer sees God's glory in creation while the unbeliever sees only the physical aspects.
What solution does Dr. Lloyd-Jones offer for those who cannot see God in creation?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones encourages those who feel spiritually blind to "run to God" and "ask him to have mercy." He urges, "Ask him to open your eyes by his holy spirit. Ask him to give you the vision." He assures his listeners that God will not refuse such a humble request, no matter how much they "may have sinned against him" or "blasphemed his name." The solution is to approach God "as a little child" to receive spiritual sight and the new birth that enables one to "see things that are invisible" and eternal.
Old Testament
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.