The Fear of Death
A Sermon on 2 Timothy 1:10
Originally preached April 10, 1955
Scripture
10But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:
Sermon Description
This sermon calls to those who have a tendency to feel down or discouraged about life. It is for those who look around at the world and wonder what good can possibly come from all the evil that seems to run so rampant today. In this sermon, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones preaches from 2 Timothy 1:10, and offers the believer some practical encouragement drawn from Paul’s letter. Timothy, like many believers today, had a tendency for being down, especially with the anticipated death of Paul, his beloved friend and mentor. Knowing this, Paul wrote this encouraging letter to Timothy. His remedy for Timothy’s sadness is to remind him of the gospel. It’s easy to think that things have only been going poorly in the world during this lifetime. However, this evil has been occurring since the beginning of time, and it’s crucial to remember that God has been acting from even before that time. The Christian’s hope and rest is in the gospel because God is in control of it all and through Christ who has cancelled out the effects of sin and death. Christians are those who have been made alive unto God, and thus, can look at this world knowing that there is a perfect world awaiting followers of Jesus upon their deaths. This is the hope that Paul imparted to Timothy and that Dr. Lloyd-Jones wants to give to the listener.
Sermon Breakdown
- The apostle Paul wrote this letter to encourage Timothy who was feeling discouraged and depressed.
- Paul does not offer Timothy direct sympathy or general exhortation. Instead, he reminds Timothy of the gospel.
- Paul says Timothy's feelings are because he has forgotten the gospel. If a Christian is depressed, it is because they have forgotten the gospel.
- Paul reminds Timothy of the glory of redemption and the gospel. He takes Timothy back to eternity before the world began when God planned salvation.
- God planned salvation before the world began. He knew each individual Christian before the world began.
- God saved us and called us according to his purpose, not our works. Salvation is by grace alone.
- God not only saved us but called us to a holy calling, a new life. Justification and sanctification cannot be separated.
- Paul wants to impress upon Timothy that God's plan, though conceived before the world began, was manifested in Jesus Christ.
- Jesus Christ abolished death. A better translation is that he "frustrated" or "nullified" death. He dismantled the power of death.
- Death entered the world through sin. It leads to spiritual death, physical death, and corruption.
- Jesus defeated death by dying for our sins and satisfying the law of God. He took the sting out of death.
- For Christians, death becomes like sleep while the spirit goes to be with Christ. The body will be resurrected.
- Jesus brought life and incorruption to light through the gospel. He proved resurrection by rising incorruptible from the dead.
- Our salvation includes the redemption and glorification of our bodies. We will spend eternity with God in our glorified bodies.
- No matter what happens in the world, nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. Our spirits are already glorified in him.
Sermon Q&A
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones Sermon Questions and Answers: Abolishing Death Through Christ
What does Paul mean when he says Christ has "abolished death"?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, the word "abolished" is a misleading translation. The original meaning is better understood as "rendered nugatory," "frustrated," "quashed," "dismantled," "disempowered," "nullified," or "put out of gear." Christ hasn't eliminated death entirely (as Christians still physically die), but He has rendered death inoperative or powerless for believers. As Lloyd-Jones explains: "The machine is still there, though it isn't in gear, but it's not operative. It's doing nothing. It's been nullified."
What is the "sting of death" according to the sermon?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that "the sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law." Death is terrifying because of sin and the judgment that follows. He states: "I'm conscious that I'm unworthy, that I'm sinful... I say I don't believe in a future life, and yet I'm afraid there may be one, and that I will have to answer for my life and for my sin." Christ removed this sting by fulfilling the law and taking the punishment for sin, allowing believers to say, "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?"
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones explain the relationship between sin and death?
Lloyd-Jones teaches that death came into the world as a direct result of sin. He states: "Death came into the world as the result of sin. There's no other explanation of it. It was never intended to be in this world at the beginning." When humans sinned against God, the consequence was spiritual death (separation from God) followed by physical death and corruption. As he explains: "The moment men sinned, he died spiritually. The separation between God and men came in."
What does it mean that Christ has "brought life and immortality to light through the gospel"?
According to Lloyd-Jones, the better translation is "brought life and incorruption to light." Christ has not only shown that spiritual life continues after physical death but has demonstrated in His resurrection that the body will be raised without corruption. Lloyd-Jones explains: "He literally arose out of the grave in his body. The same body, the physical body, yes, and without corruption." This reveals that believers will not just have spiritual existence after death but will receive glorified, incorruptible bodies like Christ's.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones address Timothy's depression in the sermon?
Lloyd-Jones points out that Paul doesn't offer Timothy direct sympathy or general encouragement. Instead, he reminds Timothy of the objective truths of the gospel. As Lloyd-Jones puts it: "What the apostle is saying to Timothy is just this, that he feels as he does because he's forgotten the gospel... A Christian cannot be depressed and downcast if he remembers the gospel." Paul redirects Timothy's focus from his immediate problems to the eternal truths of God's redemptive plan established "before the world began."
What will happen to believers' bodies according to the sermon?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones teaches that believers will receive glorified, incorruptible bodies like Christ's. He quotes Philippians 3, where Paul says Christ "shall change our vile body, this body of my humiliation, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body." Lloyd-Jones explains: "Your body is going to be redeemed, the corruption is going to be taken out. It'll no longer putrefy, it will no longer decay. It will be a body glorified, perfect and entire, which will last to all eternity."
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones address fear and anxiety about world problems?
Lloyd-Jones suggests that the answer to being depressed or discouraged by world events is to look at Christ and remember the gospel. He states: "If the world today is tending to oppress you and to get you down, if anything is depressing you and discouraging you, the answer is look at him." He even says: "What if the hydrogen bomb or the cobalt bomb? What then? What's going to happen to us? I don't know. And will you misunderstand me if I say I don't care? Because whatever happens, I know that nothing can separate me from him."
What is the "essence of Christian living" according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?
Lloyd-Jones states that "the very essence of christian living" is focusing on the objective truths of the gospel rather than our subjective feelings. He explains: "Our ultimate trouble, all of us, is our subjectivity. We start with ourselves and we end with ourselves, and we relate everything that happens to ourselves... The gospel's answer to all our troubles is its own objectivity, its own great statements of fact and of truth and of history."
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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.