Spirit Baptism and Sanctification
A Sermon on John 1:26-33
Originally preached March 28, 1965
Scripture
26John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not; 27He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose. 28These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where …
Sermon Description
What is the relationship of the baptism of the Holy Spirit to the other things that the Holy Spirit supplies and how He acts and moves? Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones takes on the topic of sanctification and the baptism of the Holy Spirit and shows the ways in which they do, and do not, have a relation to each other. Being baptized by the Holy Spirit occurs for Christians when they are born again and are made new through saving faith in Jesus Christ. Thus, it is an instantaneous, one-time event. Sanctification, however, is a life-long process of being shaped into the image of Christ that starts at salvation, but does not end until that believer is brought face-to-face with the Lord after they die. In preaching this sermon from John 1:26–33 titled “Spirit Baptism and Sanctification,” Dr. Lloyd-Jones makes his argument as to why there is no direct correlation between baptism of the Holy Spirit and sanctification, specifically because the baptism of the Holy Spirit is mostly for boldness and power in witnessing. Although spiritual gifts at the church of Corinth were evident, Paul wrote a scathing letter to them because they were not pursuing the Lord, and thus were not progressing in their sanctification. Yet, despite all this, Dr. Lloyd-Jones presents his case for why there is a clear, indirect relationship. He unpacks this and more in this helpful sermon on baptism of the Holy Spirit and how it affects the day-to-day lives of the followers of Christ.
Sermon Breakdown
- The baptism of the Holy Spirit is primarily for power and witness, not sanctification.
- There is no direct connection between the baptism of the Holy Spirit and sanctification. They are two separate works of the Spirit.
- The case of the Corinthian church shows there is no direct connection. They had spiritual gifts but were lacking in sanctification and holiness.
- Sanctification is always presented in the New Testament through exhortation and appeal. The baptism of the Holy Spirit happens to us, we can't produce it.
- While there is no direct connection, there is an indirect connection. The baptism of the Holy Spirit promotes and encourages sanctification.
- The baptism of the Holy Spirit is like rain and sunshine on a garden, stimulating growth of the seed of divine life already planted at regeneration.
- We must test everything claiming to be of the Spirit by the fruit of the Spirit and other marks of sanctification. There is a consistency and wholeness to the work of the Spirit.
- The Corinthian Christians were saints, showing you don't have to be perfect to be a Christian. But their sins still needed to be addressed.
- We must warn those claiming spiritual experiences or gifts if we don't see clear evidence of sanctification in their lives.
Sermon Q&A
Questions about Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' Sermon on the Baptism of the Holy Spirit
What is the primary purpose of the baptism with the Holy Ghost according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, the primary purpose of the baptism with the Holy Ghost is not sanctification but rather power for witness and testimony. As he states in the sermon, "The primary business and object clearly of the baptism of the Holy Spirit is for power, for witness, for ministry." He references Jesus' own words in Acts 1:8: "But you shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost has come upon you and you shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and in Samaria, and unto the utmost parts of the earth." This baptism gives believers boldness, clarity of thought, and an absolute certainty regarding what they believe.
What is the relationship between the baptism of the Holy Spirit and sanctification?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that there is no direct connection between the baptism of the Holy Spirit and sanctification, but there is a definite indirect connection. He states, "The baptism with the Holy Ghost is the greatest possible encouragement of sanctification." While baptism with the Spirit doesn't automatically produce sanctification, it powerfully stimulates and promotes it. He uses the analogy of a garden where seed (representing new life in Christ) is already present and growing slowly, but when sunshine and rain (representing the baptism of the Spirit) come, growth accelerates dramatically. The baptism with the Spirit provides tremendous stimulus to the sanctification process that is already underway in every believer.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones distinguish between regeneration and the baptism with the Holy Spirit?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones clearly distinguishes between regeneration and the baptism with the Holy Spirit by explaining that "regeneration is unconscious, non-experimental" while "the baptism with the Holy Ghost is essentially experimental." By "experimental," he means experiential - something consciously experienced. He argues that those who claim baptism with the Holy Spirit happens automatically at regeneration are "not only denying the New Testament, but definitely quenching the spirit." He points to Pentecost as clear evidence that the baptism with the Holy Spirit is a powerful, conscious experience that is so evident that "the whole of Jerusalem knew that it had happened to the people."
What evidence does Dr. Lloyd-Jones use from the Corinthian church to prove his point about the baptism of the Holy Spirit?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones uses the example of the Corinthian church to demonstrate that there is no direct connection between the baptism of the Holy Spirit and sanctification. He points out that the Corinthian believers manifested spiritual gifts yet had serious moral failures. He states, "Here were people boasting about their gifts, manifesting them, a church excited about gifts but the apostle shows the condition, the spiritual state and condition of that church, and it was in many ways deplorable." He references 1 Corinthians 5 where Paul mentions a sin "which even the Gentiles wouldn't condone" occurring in the church. This proves that one can experience spiritual gifts while still struggling with sin.
What illustration does Dr. Lloyd-Jones use to explain the relationship between baptism with the Spirit and sanctification?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones uses the illustration of a garden in spring to explain the relationship between baptism with the Spirit and sanctification. He describes a gardener who has planted seeds (representing the new life in a regenerated Christian) that are growing very slowly, almost imperceptibly. The gardener becomes discouraged until a day comes with glorious sunshine and rain, causing rapid, visible growth. This represents how the baptism with the Holy Spirit acts on the already-present spiritual life in a believer. As he explains: "The moment a man is born again, the seed of divine life is in him... but you let a man like that be baptized with the Holy Ghost... and you see him springing up into life and vigor and activity, his sanctification, everything about him is stimulated in a most amazing and astonishing manner."
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones address confusion about spiritual experiences in the church?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones addresses confusion about spiritual experiences by emphasizing that we must test everything claiming to be of the Holy Spirit by examining the fruit it produces. He warns against those who claim great spiritual experiences but lack the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, etc.). He states, "We must always examine and check everything that claims to be of the Holy Spirit by the test of sanctification." He cautions that "gifts can be given by the devil" and "evil spirits can counterfeit in a terrifying manner some of the choicest manifestations" of the Holy Spirit. This balanced approach helps protect against both spiritual counterfeits and the dismissal of genuine spiritual experiences.
The Book of John
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.