A Body of Truth
A Sermon on Colossians 1:3-7
Originally preached Oct. 14, 1962
Scripture
3We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, 4Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints, 5For the hope which is laid up for you in …
Sermon Description
In this sermon on Colossians 1:3–7 titled “A Body of Truth,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones focuses on a fundamental question: What is Christianity? Paul writes to the early church in Colossae, congratulating them on their love for God’s people. He also affirms the gospel they heard from Epaphras, a fellow servant of God and a friend of Paul’s. The church in Colossae, Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains, was not so different from the other early churches in the New Testament. It was most likely a collection of new believers, united by the gospel, meeting in a home to discuss and study the Old Testament. This, Dr. Lloyd-Jones says, is what Christianity is about. It is not about catching a feeling, as if Christianity were a disease. He says the core of Christianity is the gospel. Dr. Lloyd-Jones says it is about understanding and explains that Christ came for the redemption of sin, and whoever believes in Him has eternal life. Although Christians may argue among themselves, this incredible doctrine should remain central. In closing, he invites those who have yet to receive this salvation to accept God’s grace.
Sermon Breakdown
- Christianity is not primarily about emotions or will but about truth and doctrine. It is a message that comes to the mind and understanding.
- The gospel is a word, a teaching, a body of doctrine that can be learned and known. It is not a vague feeling or spirit.
- The early church recognized the importance of doctrine and truth by developing creeds to correct false teachings. Creeds define the faith and allow us to identify heresy.
- The gospel is the apostolic teaching found in Scripture. We cannot add or subtract from it. It is the unchanging truth about the unchanging God and unchanging man.
- The gospel is the truth about the grace of God shown to undeserving sinners in Jesus Christ. It starts with God, not us or our problems. We must understand our sin and guilt before God to understand grace.
- The gospel is that Jesus died for our sins according to the Scriptures, was buried, rose again on the third day according to the Scriptures, and appeared to many. This is the message the apostles preached.
- We cannot know more about God or Christ than the apostles. We are dependent on their teaching in Scripture. The passage of time does not change the truth.
- The gospel calls us to believe in Jesus Christ. When we do, we are saved and become children of God with the hope of heaven.
Other Sermons
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.