What Does Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones Teach About the True Nature of Sin?

What is the main passage Dr. Lloyd-Jones is preaching from in this sermon?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones is preaching from Isaiah 1:5-6, which reads: "Why should ye be stricken anymore? Ye will revolt more and more. The whole head is sick and the whole heart faint from the sole of the foot, even unto the head. There is no soundness in it, but wounds and bruises and putrefying sores. They have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment."

Why does Dr. Lloyd-Jones say it's important to understand the depth of sin?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that understanding the depth of sin is essential because it allows us to correctly diagnose the cause of humanity's troubles. He states that "the essence of wisdom is to discover what's wrong and then to apply the appropriate remedy." Without properly understanding sin, we cannot accept the gospel solution. He compares it to medical diagnosis, saying we shouldn't "rush to do something before you know what's the matter."

How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones describe the universal nature of sin?

According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, sin affects everyone without exception - "from the sole of the foot even unto the head." He emphasizes that sin knows no social boundaries, saying "your upper ten are as sinful as your lowest ten." It affects all psychological types, all levels of intelligence, and all classes of society. He states firmly that "there is not a man, there is not a woman alive or has ever lived, but that is a sinner."

What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones say about how sin affects the whole person?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones teaches that sin affects the entire human being - body, mind, heart, will, soul, and spirit. He says: "When man fell, he fell as a whole. Every part of him fell." Sin doesn't just affect our conduct but corrupts our thinking, our emotions, and our desires. He quotes Romans 7:18 where Paul says "I know that in me, that is to say, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing."

What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones identify as common but false solutions to humanity's problems?

He identifies several false solutions that people propose: 1. Education and knowledge - believing our problems are due to ignorance 2. Psychological treatment - viewing human problems as merely mental illness 3. Evolution and time - believing humans will naturally improve over time 4. Reformative punishment - focusing on rehabilitation rather than acknowledging sin

How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones explain why punishment doesn't cure sin?

Lloyd-Jones explains that sin is so powerful it prevents us from learning even from punishment and suffering. He says: "Sin is such a terrible power that it makes us so incorrigible that suffering and teaching not only do not correct us and deliver us, they even aggravate our sin and make us sin all the more." He uses the example of someone suffering from a hangover who still returns to drinking, and nations that experience war yet continue preparing for more conflict.

According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, why does the law of God not solve the sin problem?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones, quoting Paul in Romans 7, explains that the law actually inflames sin rather than curing it. He states: "Man's nature is so sinful that even good, clean instruction will do him harm." The law, though holy and good, actually makes sin "exceeding sinful" because our corrupt nature rebels against restrictions. He explains that "by telling me not to do a thing, it inflamed my desire to do it."

What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones present as the only solution to the sin problem?

The only solution to sin, according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, is the power of God through the gospel of Jesus Christ. He states: "What man needs is not knowledge, it's not instruction, it's not information, it's not medical treatment, it's not psychotherapy, it's none of these things. What he needs is a new heart, a new nature." Only Christ can deliver us from sin's guilt and power by giving us a new nature that loves righteousness instead of darkness.

How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones connect understanding sin to the need for revival?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones argues that even Christians need to understand the depth of sin because it explains why they might be complacent in the face of moral collapse. He asks: "Why are God's people so silent and often so complacent at a time like this? Why is it that all God's people are not pleading with God to send revival in the church?" He suggests that only by realizing the true depth of sin will Christians recognize that "nothing but a mighty outpouring of God's spirit is adequate to deal with it."