Man and Dogma
A Sermon on Matthew 22:34-40
Originally preached Nov. 11, 1956
Scripture
34¶ But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together. 35Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, 36Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 37Jesus …
Sermon Description
What is the relationship between teaching and good deeds in the Bible? In this sermon on Matthew 22:34–40 titled “Man and Dogma,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones responds to those that say they do not want dogma, but only what is practical and what helps them love their neighbor. He shows the fallacy of this question because Biblical dogma, or teaching, is related to love of neighbor and good deeds. It is only once the sinful nature of humanity, the redemptive work of Christ, and the need for repentance is understood that anyone can understand why they must love their neighbor. Moralistic legalism exists when the teachings of Scripture are done away with in order to focus on morality. This creates a false Christianity that is devoid of the gospel and therefore devoid of any hope. The church must preach the whole counsel of God. This includes both the need for salvation from sins and the need to live in holiness and righteousness towards one’s neighbors. Love of neighbor and love of God are connected and make one whole. Christians must see that the teachings of Scripture are what compel them to love and serve others just as Christ did.
Sermon Breakdown
- The sermon begins by addressing a common attitude that doctrine and theology are unimportant compared to practical Christian living and loving one's neighbor. Dr. Lloyd-Jones argues this is a false dichotomy and that true Christian living depends on right belief and doctrine.
- Dr. Lloyd-Jones introduces Jesus' teaching in Matthew 22:34-40 on the two greatest commandments: loving God and loving your neighbor. He notes that loving God comes before loving your neighbor.
- Dr. Lloyd-Jones argues that God must come first because he is God, he is the creator, we are dependent on him, and we cannot escape him. If we do not put God first, there will be no peace.
- Dr. Lloyd-Jones argues that we cannot truly know ourselves or our neighbor without first knowing God. We tend to think too highly or too lowly of ourselves, but we are ignorant of our true nature apart from God.
- Dr. Lloyd-Jones outlines the biblical doctrine of man's sinfulness and fallenness. Because of sin, man is selfish, self-centered, governed by lusts and desires, and at enmity with God. This is why men cannot love each other.
- Dr. Lloyd-Jones proclaims the gospel of Jesus Christ as the only hope for men to be reconciled to God and enabled to love one another. Only through Christ can we get a new heart, a new nature, and God's love poured into our hearts.
- Dr. Lloyd-Jones gives the example of Jews and Gentiles coming together in love in the early church through the gospel. This demonstrated the power of the gospel to overcome divisions and enable love between enemies.
- Dr. Lloyd-Jones argues that without the doctrines of Christianity - the incarnation, atonement, resurrection, regeneration, etc. - there is no hope for men to love their neighbors. Doctrine is essential, not opposed to practical living.
- Dr. Lloyd-Jones calls the listeners to repent of their sin and selfishness, believe in Christ, and ask God for a new heart and new life so they can love their neighbors.
Sermon Q&A
What Does Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones Say About Loving Your Neighbor?
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones respond to those who say they don't need doctrine but just want to know how to love their neighbors?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones addresses those who claim they "don't want dogmas" but only want practical advice on loving their neighbors. He argues this position is fundamentally flawed because practice cannot be divorced from theory. Just as one wouldn't hire an untrained secretary or factory worker, we cannot properly love our neighbors without proper theological understanding. He states: "If you don't accept this dogmatic teaching, you will never love your neighbor. But if you do accept it, you'll find yourself loving your neighbor."
What order does Jesus establish for loving in Matthew 22:34-40?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones' analysis of this passage, Jesus establishes a crucial three-part order: "First, love God. Second, love yourself. Third, love your neighbor." He emphasizes that "the neighbor is number three, not number one." The Lord's teaching in Matthew 22:34-40 shows that loving God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength must come first, followed by loving your neighbor as yourself. This order is non-negotiable and forms the foundation of all biblical teaching on human relationships.
Why does Dr. Lloyd-Jones say we must start with God before addressing human problems?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones provides several reasons we must start with God: 1. Because God is God and deserves primary honor 2. Because He is the creator and sustainer of the world 3. Because we are utterly dependent upon Him 4. Because we cannot escape from His judgment on sin 5. Because "man only discovers the truth about himself when he's in the right relationship to God"
He states: "The world is as it is this evening because it forgets God and there is no hope for it, and it'll never learn how to love its neighbor until it starts with God."
What is the biblical diagnosis of human nature according to the sermon?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that man is fundamentally ignorant about himself, being "as ignorant about himself as he is of God." The biblical diagnosis is that: 1. Man was created in God's image but fell through rebellion 2. Man has become self-centered, setting himself up as his own god 3. Man is governed by desires and lusts rather than reason 4. Man is contradictory, having a memory of what he once was but dragged down by sin 5. Man cannot love his neighbor because he doesn't know the truth about himself
As Lloyd-Jones puts it: "The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. A man will never know himself because he's always concerned to protect and to defend himself."
How does the gospel actually enable us to love our neighbors according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?
According to Lloyd-Jones, the gospel enables us to love our neighbors by:
- Putting us right with God first through Christ's atonement
- Showing us the truth about ourselves as sinners, removing our pride
- Helping us see others in the same light - as fellow sinners in need of grace
- Giving us a new heart through regeneration
- Pouring God's own love into our hearts
He explains: "As he loved us in spite of our sin, he enables us to love others in spite of their sin." The preacher points to how the gospel brought Jews and Gentiles together in the early church as evidence that this transformation is real. He concludes: "Man is so vile, he's so desperately selfish... He must be made anew. He must be given a new heart. And it is God in Jesus Christ alone who can give it him."
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.