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Sermon #5591

A New Life

A Sermon on Galatians 6:14

Originally preached Dec. 15, 1963

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Scripture

Galatians 6:14 ESV KJV
But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. (ESV)

Sermon Description

The cross of Jesus Christ must be central to the Christian’s beliefs about God. In this sermon on Galatians 6:14 titled “A New Life,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones helps the listener understand how Paul’s view of the cross changed how he saw himself and how it applies to lives today. First, those who are not saved see themselves from the world’s perspective—their identity is in their power, pedigree, wealth, intellect, or other similar titles or possessions. Ironically, it is the Lord who ultimately gives those things. Second, a worldview without Christ is incredibly self-centered. Christianity is the polar opposite because it effectively levels the playing field, showing that every single person is just as deserving of God’s wrath as the next person. Third, the cross is a completely new way of life—it changed everything for Paul. Not only does it show people a new way of living, but it also shows how to suffer. For anyone daunted with the idea of trying to follow Christ, Dr. Lloyd-Jones reminds them that they have the Lord’s example to follow in everything, allowing them to model their lives after the One who lived perfectly.

Sermon Breakdown

  1. The apostle Paul is surveying the wondrous cross.
  2. The cross is so vast, grand and glorious that all efforts to comprehend it will fail.
  3. Paul says everything is explained to him in terms of the cross. The cross is everything to him.
  4. Paul once hated the cross and persecuted the church. But now the cross is central to him.
  5. The cross gives Paul a new view of himself. He's no longer self-centered or living for himself.
  6. Without Christ, people view themselves according to the flesh - based on birth, status, abilities, etc. This leads to pride, self-centeredness and selfishness.
  7. The cross shows Paul he is a sinner, a failure and helpless without Christ. He can't save himself.
  8. The cross delivers Paul from himself. Christ died to purchase and redeem Paul. Paul now belongs to Christ.
  9. Paul now lives by faith in Christ who loved him and gave himself up for him. Paul lives for Christ, not himself.
  10. The cross gives Paul a new view of life and how to live. He is no longer under law but under grace.
  11. The cross shows Paul the true nature of sin and gives him new motives and power to live righteously.
  12. The cross teaches Paul how to suffer. He follows Christ's example of enduring suffering patiently and committing himself to God.
  13. The cross takes away the sting of death for Paul. Christ has conquered death, so Paul no longer fears it.
  14. The cross shows Paul how to die. For Paul, death means being with Christ which is far better. So he does not fear death.
  15. Everything comes from the cross - a new self view, how to live, how to suffer, how to die. The cross is everything.

Sermon Q&A

What is the Significance of the Cross in Christianity According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones?

What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones mean when he says the cross should be "central" to a Christian?

According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, the cross must be central to a Christian's life because everything in Christianity comes out of the cross. He explicitly states: "If the cross isn't central to you, my friend, you're not a Christian." He explains that merely admiring Jesus and his teaching doesn't make one a Christian—even those of other faiths can do that. Rather, the cross is crucial and central because it is the source of everything a Christian has, has become, and can hope for. The cross isn't merely the starting point of the Christian life but remains central throughout the entire Christian journey.

How does the cross give a Christian a new view of themselves according to the sermon?

The cross gives believers an entirely new view of themselves by:

  1. Showing them they are sinners in need of salvation
  2. Revealing they were spiritually dead before Christ
  3. Demonstrating they have been bought with a price (the blood of Christ)
  4. Liberating them from self-centeredness ("I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me")
  5. Giving them a new identity as belonging to Christ rather than themselves
  6. Freeing them from the tyranny of others' opinions ("With me it is a very small thing that I be judged of you")
  7. Delivering them from constant self-examination and self-preoccupation

As Lloyd-Jones puts it: "One of the most wonderful things that the cross of Christ does to a man who knows its meaning and understands what happened there is that it delivers him from himself."

How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones contrast the natural view of self with the Christian view?

According to Lloyd-Jones, the natural view of self is: - Self-centered and autonomous - Focused on birth, status, wealth, and natural abilities - Pride in one's pedigree, religion, or goodness - Self-conscious and constantly self-regarding - Selfish and wanting everything for oneself - Hypersensitive and easily offended - Self-protective and self-reliant - Leading to rivalries, bitterness, and insecurity

In contrast, the Christian view of self through the cross is: - Christ-centered ("I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me") - Recognizing oneself as a sinner bought with a price - Acknowledging one is not their own but belongs to Christ - Living for Christ rather than for self - Free from preoccupation with others' opinions - Free from constant self-examination - Secure in God's love and judgment alone - Leading to peace, freedom, and true joy

How does the cross teach a Christian to suffer according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?

According to Lloyd-Jones, the cross teaches Christians how to suffer by:

  1. Providing Christ as our supreme example - "leaving us an example, that we should follow his steps"
  2. Showing that Christ experienced every kind of suffering we might face: misunderstanding, injustice, betrayal, loneliness, and physical pain
  3. Demonstrating Christ's response to suffering - "when he was reviled, reviled not again"
  4. Assuring us that no experience can ever come to us that Christ hasn't already endured
  5. Teaching us to commit ourselves "to him that judgeth righteously" as Christ did
  6. Giving purpose to our suffering - to be conformed to Christ's image
  7. Showing that suffering isn't the final word - victory and resurrection follow

As Lloyd-Jones quotes: "In every pang that rends the heart, the man of sorrows has a part."

How does the cross teach a Christian to face death according to the sermon?

The cross teaches Christians to face death in several ways:

  1. It takes the "sting" out of death by dealing with sin, which is "the sting of death"
  2. It demonstrates Christ's victory over death and the grave
  3. It shows believers how to die by looking to "the joy that was set before" them
  4. It transforms death from something fearful into "gain" - "to die is gain"
  5. It assures Christians that death means being "with Christ, which is far better"
  6. It opens the way to heaven through Christ's sacrificial death
  7. It gives the promise of resurrection following Christ's pattern

Lloyd-Jones quotes Paul's triumphant view of death: "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be unto God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

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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.