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Sermon #5600

The True Christian

A Sermon on Philippians 3:3

Originally preached May 6, 1962

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Scripture

Philippians 3:3 ESV KJV
For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh— (ESV)

Sermon Description

What does it mean to be a Christian? People who have been in church for any length of time may believe this question is something that doesn’t need to be addressed. But even Paul writes about this, saying that it is good for Christians to be reminded of the core truths of the gospel. In this sermon on Philippians 3:3 titled “The True Christian,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones reviews one of the most central parts of Scripture—what it means to be a follower of Christ. First, to be a Christian, one must believe in God. This, too, can seem like an obvious statement, yet according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, it must be said. One can worship religion without worshipping God. True worship is worship in the Spirit. Second, the true Christian has no confidence in human effort, experience, or heritage in order to find justification before God. In and of themselves, they are hopeless to earn their way to a right relationship with God. All are entirely dependent on God’s free gift of salvation to be made right with God. Third, the true Christian rejoices. Dr. Lloyd-Jones presses the urgency that no one rejoice in Christ unless they believe in the Scriptural account of Jesus and trust His salvation.

Sermon Breakdown

  1. The passage under consideration is Philippians 3:3.
  2. Paul gives a definition of what it means to be a Christian in this verse.

  3. Paul lists three characteristics of a Christian:

  4. Worship God in the spirit: This means worship is not merely formal or external. It is personal, based on a desire for God, thoughtful, and vital.

  5. Have no confidence in the flesh: This means not relying on one's nationality, birth, church membership, good deeds, or morality for salvation. Salvation is through faith in Christ alone.

  6. Rejoice in Christ Jesus: This means believing in Christ, trusting in his atoning work, boasting in Christ's work rather than one's own merit, and proclaiming Christ to others.

  7. Many today believe one can be a Christian without believing in God or Christ. But Christianity must be defined, and according to the Bible, belief in and worship of God and faith in Christ are essential.

  8. Mere formal religion or good deeds are not enough. One must worship God sincerely and trust in Christ's atoning work alone for salvation.
  9. Rejoicing in Christ means boasting in him, not in one's own merit or good works. It means proclaiming the gospel to others.

Sermon Q&A

What Did Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones Consider the Essential Marks of a True Christian?

In his sermon on Philippians 3:3, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones outlines three essential characteristics that define a true Christian. These core elements help distinguish authentic Christianity from mere religious observance or cultural association.

What are the three essential marks of a true Christian according to Lloyd-Jones?

According to Lloyd-Jones, the true Christian is characterized by three essential marks from Philippians 3:3:

  1. They worship God in the spirit - True Christian worship is not merely formal, external, or mechanical. It's deeply personal, thoughtful, and involves a genuine desire to commune with God.

  2. They have no confidence in the flesh - Christians place no reliance on their nationality, birth, parentage, church membership, baptism, or moral achievements for salvation.

  3. They rejoice in Christ Jesus - Christians make their "boast" exclusively in Christ, trusting wholly in Him and His work for salvation rather than in themselves.

Why did Lloyd-Jones believe it was important to define Christianity clearly?

Lloyd-Jones emphasized the importance of defining Christianity for two primary reasons:

  1. For the safety of souls - "The whole safety of our souls in time and in eternity depends upon the fact that we are Christians." Our eternal destiny hangs on whether we are truly in Christ.

  2. To combat confusion - Just as Paul addressed false teachers like the "circumcision party" who were troubling the Philippian church, Lloyd-Jones pointed to the confusion in his own day about what makes someone a Christian.

What did Lloyd-Jones mean by "worshipping God in the spirit"?

When discussing worship "in the spirit," Lloyd-Jones explained that true worship:

  • Is not confined to buildings, places, times, or rituals
  • Is not done merely out of habit, custom, or duty
  • Is personal and based on a real desire to know God
  • Is thoughtful, concentrated, living, and vital
  • Has warmth and glow, with the whole personality engaged
  • Can be done anywhere, not just in religious settings

Why did Lloyd-Jones say Christians must "have no confidence in the flesh"?

Lloyd-Jones explained that having "no confidence in the flesh" means refusing to rely on:

  • Nationality or country of birth ("I'm not a Christian because I'm born in Great Britain")
  • Family heritage or saintly parents ("You can't ride into heaven on the back of a saintly father or mother")
  • Religious rituals like circumcision, christening, or baptism
  • Church membership ("I don't rely on my church membership. That's the flesh.")
  • Good deeds, morality, or the sins one hasn't committed

As he stated: "If ever a man had had a right to be confident in the flesh... it was this apostle Paul. Here was a man who, it seems to us, had every reason for boasting of what he'd been and done. He says it's refuse and dung. I have no confidence in the flesh."

What does it mean to "rejoice in Christ Jesus"?

According to Lloyd-Jones, to rejoice in Christ Jesus means:

  1. Believing the truth about Him - His person, divinity, incarnation, teachings, and works
  2. Trusting in Him as the means of salvation - "I've nothing else I can trust, just as I am without one plea, but that thy blood was shed for me"
  3. Making your boast entirely in Him - "You don't talk about yourself. You talk about him the whole time."
  4. Desiring that others know Him - "Don't you want everybody to know about him? That's what it means to rejoice in him."

This exclusive reliance on Christ is the heart of true Christianity according to Lloyd-Jones.

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.