What Does it Mean to be Delivered from the Power of Darkness According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?

What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones mean by "the power of darkness" in Colossians 1:13?

According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, "the power of darkness" refers to the dominion and grip of Satan over mankind. He explains that all people by nature are under this power, which is not simply a psychological condition but an actual spiritual bondage. The word "power" is significant because it indicates that this is not a legitimate kingdom but a usurped authority. It is a disorderly, capricious, contradictory, and tyrannical power that keeps humanity in slavery. Dr. Lloyd-Jones states: "Man by nature is in the power and grip of the power of darkness... It's not something in the psyche. This isn't fate... Man is not free."

Why does Dr. Lloyd-Jones believe the world doesn't understand its true condition?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that people don't understand their condition because the power of darkness keeps them in ignorance. He says: "The main trouble with men at this very moment is that he is not clear about himself, his own state and condition." This darkness affects the mind, creating confusion and intellectual fog. People remain ignorant about God, about themselves, about death and judgment, and about the gospel. As he puts it: "If our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost, in whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not." This blindness explains why people don't naturally thank God for salvation.

How did humanity come under the power of darkness according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?

According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, humanity came under the power of darkness through the Fall in Genesis 3. He explains that God created a perfect world, but the devil, a fallen angel who had rebelled against God, tempted Adam and Eve. When they yielded to the temptation, they put themselves under Satan's power. As Dr. Lloyd-Jones states: "God makes his perfect creation, creates men and puts him in it... The devil comes in, who is more subtle than anybody else, and he tempts and he puts this doubt into the mind... they listened to him, and they fell. And, of course, the result of that was they put themselves under his power."

How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones explain Jesus Christ's victory over the power of darkness?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that Christ alone could defeat the power of darkness because He was both God and man - "a second Adam." He conquered the devil in His personal life, resisting temptation in the wilderness. He demonstrated His authority by casting out demons during His ministry. Most importantly, through His death on the cross and resurrection, He decisively defeated Satan. As Dr. Lloyd-Jones states: "And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made an open shower of them, triumphing over them in his cross." The resurrection proves this victory, as Christ conquered death, which was under the devil's power.

What happens when a person is delivered from the power of darkness?

When a person is delivered from the power of darkness, they are not just taken out of Satan's kingdom but are also "translated into the kingdom of his dear son." This translation brings numerous benefits: freedom from bondage, light instead of darkness, knowledge instead of ignorance, order instead of chaos, and truth instead of deception. Most importantly, believers are joined to Christ and receive His strength and power. Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains: "We are put in Christ. We are the body, he is the head. We belong to him, and all his strength and power becomes ours." In this new position, believers can successfully resist the devil, who will flee from them.

How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones contrast worldly solutions to humanity's problems with God's solution?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones points out that worldly solutions to humanity's problems - including evolutionary optimism, blaming a few "bad people," or psychological treatments - all fail because they don't address the real problem of spiritual bondage. He critiques psychological approaches by quoting Jung's admission: "We know nothing of men, far too little." Dr. Lloyd-Jones says these solutions leave us "with nothing but despair." By contrast, God's solution in Christ actually addresses the root problem by delivering us from the power of darkness. He states: "There is only one power. It is the power of the son of God, the new man, the second Adam, the last man, the son of God come in the flesh. He has the power, and he can deliver you."

Why does Dr. Lloyd-Jones believe understanding our condition is so important for salvation?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that understanding our true condition under the power of darkness is essential for appreciating salvation. He states: "My dear friend, if you are not thanking God at this moment, it's because you never realized your bondage." People don't seek deliverance if they don't recognize they're enslaved. Without this realization, people misunderstand the nature of Christianity and what it offers. He argues that once you truly see your bondage and what Christ has done to deliver you, gratitude is the inevitable response: "The moment you know what it is, well, you thank God for it. It's inevitable. Everybody in the Bible thanks God for it."

What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones teach about the security of believers who have been delivered?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones teaches that believers who have been delivered from the power of darkness and translated into Christ's kingdom are eternally secure. He states: "When you were translated out of the power of darkness into the kingdom of God's dear son, you are put into a realm where the devil can never get you back into his power again." While believers may occasionally listen to Satan's temptations, they will never be back under his absolute power. Dr. Lloyd-Jones quotes 1 John to support this: "We know that whosoever is born of God does not go on sinning, but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not."

How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones describe the characteristics of the "power of darkness"?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones describes the power of darkness as disorderly, chaotic, capricious, and contradictory - unlike God's kingdom which is orderly and peaceful. He says it's "like the troubled sea when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt." The darkness affects every aspect of human life: "Dark in the mind, dark in the heart, dark in the will, dark in its consequences, dark in everything." This power creates confusion and fear, making the world "miserable and unhappy and desperate." It keeps people ignorant about God, about themselves, about death and judgment, and about the gospel, with Satan deliberately blinding people to the truth.