Who is man?
A Sermon on 2 Timothy 1:12
Originally preached May 3, 1964
Scripture
12For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.
Sermon Description
In this sermon on 2 Timothy 1:12 titled “Who Is Man?” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones tackles deep questions about life from a Scriptural perspective. He shares the good news that one’s existence is not a result of random chance. It has a purpose, and God is in charge. God’s revelation in the Bible shows that humanity is different from animals because they were created with a soul. Dr. Lloyd-Jones presents some common views of humanity today, reminding that people were created to do far more than eat, drink, and fulfill their lusts. Many today chase these activities in hopes that they can be made happy. Yet Dr. Lloyd-Jones teaches that happiness was never designed to be tied to circumstances — one can find temporary pleasure, but they cannot find lasting happiness. Happiness is dependent upon a relationship with God. Yet, sin separates people from Him. No one can do anything of their own accord — the Bible tells that no one can earn their way to God. Yet, He sent His sinless Son Jesus Christ to die for sins and rise from the dead so that all who put their faith in His sacrifice can be saved.
Sermon Breakdown
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The sermon is based on 2 Timothy 1:12 - "For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day."
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The sermon begins by providing context for the verse by reading 2 Timothy 1:6-14.
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Dr. Lloyd-Jones notes that this assertion by Paul shows that the Christian message enables people to live triumphantly despite difficult circumstances.
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Dr. Lloyd-Jones asks how we can live like Paul and be "more than conquerors." He says we must understand what enabled Paul to say "nevertheless."
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Paul's ability to say "nevertheless" came from his faith in the gospel and knowledge of the Lord of the gospel. So we must understand the gospel and who God is.
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Dr. Lloyd-Jones says Christianity has nothing to offer those who don't believe its message. We must accept the biblical message to receive its benefits.
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Dr. Lloyd-Jones asks what the gospel message is and says we can only know it through the Bible. He says there is only one gospel, not a new modern one.
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Dr. Lloyd-Jones says the gospel starts by explaining the world - it was created by God, not an accident. God controls and sustains the world and has a plan for it.
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The next question is what is man. Dr. Lloyd-Jones discusses various theories of man, including that he is just an animal. But these do not satisfy us or account for the contradictions in human nature.
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The Bible says man was made in God's image with an intellectual, moral, and religious nature. Man has a soul, spirit, and body. The soul and spirit make him human.
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Man was meant to rule over creation as God's representative and live for God's glory. Man's happiness depends on his relationship with God, not circumstances.
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But man rebelled against God, lost his relationship with God, and became self-centered. So the world is now in disorder and man is unhappy. This is the only adequate explanation for the state of the world.
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Dr. Lloyd-Jones asks what man's destiny is. If he is just an animal, death is the end. But man has an eternal soul that will be judged by God. There are only two eternal possibilities: bliss or misery.
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In light of these truths, what hope is there? Man cannot save himself through his efforts and world religions are hopeless. The only hope is through Jesus, who can deliver us from ourselves and give us rest.
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When we realize we cannot save ourselves, we must cry out to Jesus. He will give us life, enable us to face death triumphantly, and allow us to say "nevertheless" in all circumstances.
Sermon Q&A
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones Sermon Questions and Answers
What is the biblical view of man according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, the biblical view of man is that he is created in the image and likeness of God, making him distinct from animals. Man has both a physical body and an immortal soul. As Lloyd-Jones explains: "Man created in the image of God. A living soul, capacity for God and for eternity. More than animal, here he is. This is the essence of men. This is what makes men men." He describes man as having an "intellectual and a moral and a religious nature" with the capacity for self-examination and a sense of the eternal that animals don't possess.
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones identify as "that which I have committed unto him" in 2 Timothy 1:12?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones identifies "that which I have committed unto him" as the soul. He states: "The apostle says, I'm in prison, but I'm not ashamed and I'm not troubled. I'm not distressed. Why? Well, because I have committed my soul and its safekeeping into the hands of Christ and I know he'll keep it safe. Whatever men may do to me. My soul is safe. The soul that which I have committed unto him." This commitment of the soul to Christ is what gives Paul confidence despite his imprisonment.
Why does Dr. Lloyd-Jones believe modern people are so unhappy and troubled?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones believes modern people are unhappy because they've lost sight of what man truly is and are seeking happiness in the wrong places. He explains: "I'm not surprised that the modern world is as it is, in trouble and perplexity, full of despair and of hopelessness. Modern men doesn't know what man is." He argues that people mistakenly think circumstances determine happiness, saying: "They think, if only we could banish bombs, if only we could put an end to war... if only we all had plenty of money... then we should be perfectly happy." Instead, he asserts: "Man's happiness depends upon one thing only... his relationship to God."
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones identify as the fundamental problem with mankind?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones identifies the fundamental problem as man's rebellion against God and subsequent fall. He explains: "Man was made in the image and likeness of God. But he rebelled against him. He became inflated with his own importance. He wanted to be as God, so he deliberately defied God and broke his commandments and went his own way." This rebellion has led to man losing "the face of God" and becoming "egocentric." As a result, man has lost his proper balance: "Men today is no longer governed by his spirit and his rational soul. What's he governed by? He's governed by lust and desire."
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones describe the contradiction in human nature?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones describes man as a walking contradiction, saying: "Look at men from one angle and you'll say he's great, he's noble, he's wonderful. But then you take another look at him and you say that he's small, he is vile, he is igno[ble], he's ugly." He points to the 20th century as evidence of this contradiction, noting how it displayed both "phenomenal achievements" in science and also produced "Buchenfeld and other concentration camps" and "the two most devastating wars that the world has ever known." This contradiction exists because man is both made in God's image but fallen through sin.
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones believe is the only hope for mankind?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones believes the only hope for mankind is salvation through Jesus Christ. He states: "There is only hope for men when realizing the truth about himself and his final impotence and incompetence, he just cries out unto the Lord just where he is." He quotes Jesus's words: "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" and "I am come, that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly." Lloyd-Jones emphasizes: "This is the only hope, my friends, that God hasn't abandoned the world. But God so loved the world... that he gave his only begotten son."
Why does Dr. Lloyd-Jones argue that Christianity is practical rather than theoretical?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones argues that Christianity is intensely practical because it enables people to truly live and overcome life's challenges. He states: "The christian message is a message that is offered to us to enable us to live. This isn't something theoretical, not just some philosophy up in the sky somewhere. There's nothing in the whole world that is more practical than this christian message." He points to Paul's testimony in prison as evidence, showing how Christianity enabled him to say "nevertheless, I am not ashamed" despite his circumstances, demonstrating that the gospel provides power "to become more than conquerors."
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones mean when he says man has "lost his balance"?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that originally man was created with a proper balance between body, soul, and spirit, with the spirit and rational soul controlling the body's instincts. However, after the fall: "Men no longer knows God... His spirits were dead and so they've lost their balance. Men today is no longer governed by his spirit and his rational soul. What's he governed by? He's governed by lust and desire." This loss of balance means "he's upside down. The body's controlling the lust, the passions, the desires, and even glories in it. And so he's crucifying and has killed that which is highest in him, which is his rational soul and his spirit."
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones explain why all human efforts to create utopia have failed?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that human efforts to create utopia always fail because man cannot save himself—the problem lies within human nature itself. He states: "The whole story of civilization is the story of the effort of men to put his world right. Man's always been seeking for that elusive happiness that he never finds." These efforts fail because "it doesn't lie in men himself to save himself. He's done his utmost, and it's been a magnificent failure, but it's a failure." The fundamental issue is that "the heart of men is desperately wicked and deceitful," and no human system can fix this internal problem.
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones identify as the chief end of man?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones quotes the Westminster Shorter Catechism to identify man's purpose: "The chief end of men is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever. That is what man was meant to do." He explains that man "was meant to be God's representative in this world" and "to live to the glory of God." This understanding of man's purpose is fundamental to grasping why humanity experiences so much unhappiness—we are living contrary to our created purpose and seeking fulfillment in things that cannot ultimately satisfy.
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.