Vain Regrets
A Sermon on 1 Corinthians 15:8-10
Scripture
8And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. 9For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10But by the grace of …
Sermon Description
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones believes that meditating upon past failures is a waste of time. “If you can't do anything about a thing,” he argues, “stop thinking about it.” The Apostle Paul was a man whose past was filled with sin and his energies were devoted to harm and destroy the Christian message. Yet, with all of his past sin, Paul does not find misery in the present. His past does not affect his new identity in Jesus Christ. In this sermon on 1 Corinthians 15:8–10, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones wants Christians to know that they certainly were what they once were, but now they are what they are now. The Christian must study Scripture, know who they are, and be prepared for these spiritual attacks, knowing that bemoaning the past can cripple in the present. Listen as Dr. Lloyd-Jones encourages Christians to ruthlessly fight against this condition so that they do not behave like a fool. The fool focuses on self and seeks to change what he cannot control. The Godly man, on the other hand, is more interested in Christ, and less interested in the self.
Sermon Breakdown
- It is common for Christians to suffer from spiritual depression by looking back at their past sins or wasted time before coming to faith.
- While it is right to regret past sins and wasted time, it is wrong to become miserable and dejected over it. We must distinguish between legitimate regret and wrongful misery.
- It is foolish and irrational to become miserable over things in the past that cannot be changed. It wastes time and energy and prevents us from serving God now.
- We should not worry about things that cannot be affected or changed. Vague regrets over the past should be dismissed.
- Being preoccupied with the past leads to failure in the present. We must not let the past hinder what we can do now.
- If we truly regret wasted time in the past, we should make up for it by working hard in the present. We should not just sit around feeling sorry for ourselves.
- Common sense tells us not to cry over spilt milk. Christians should apply common sense and not be more foolish than unbelievers.
- What matters most is not what we once were but what we are now in Christ. We should focus on our present state rather than our past.
- The time we came to faith is unimportant. What matters is that we are now in the kingdom of God. We should enjoy the present rather than regret the past.
- The mode or manner of our conversion does not matter. What matters is that we are now converted.
- Being preoccupied with regret over the past shows we are still focused on ourselves rather than on God and others. We need to deny ourselves and follow Christ.
- The reason people become preoccupied with the past is because they are not sufficiently occupied with God in the present. We must gaze upon Christ and learn of Him.
- In God's kingdom, what matters most is not the length of our service but our heart attitude and desire to please Him. God looks at the heart, not just outward actions.
- God's grace is sufficient and covers all our past, present and future. We must stop thinking in a fleshly, temporal manner and see things from the perspective of grace.
- No matter how late in life we come to faith, we should serve God wholeheartedly now. We do not know how God may choose to prosper our service. He can restore the years the locust has eaten.
Sermon Q&A
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones on Spiritual Depression: Questions and Answers
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones identify as a major cause of spiritual depression related to time?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, a major cause of spiritual depression is when Christians are crippled in the present by looking back to the past, particularly regretting "that they've wasted so much time, wasted so many long years, and have been so slow to become Christian at all." They frequently use the phrase "if only" when thinking about their past, regretting missed opportunities for service and growth in their Christian life.
Why does Dr. Lloyd-Jones say the condition of Christians affects evangelism?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that "what accounts for the fact that the masses are outside is the condition of those who are inside." When Christians appear dejected and depressed, they "grossly and grievously misrepresent the gospel of redeeming grace." He argues that if non-Christians saw Christians "living a life of joy and of happiness and of triumph, they would crowd after them and be anxious to discover the secret of their successful living."
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones suggest dealing with regrets about wasted time?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones provides several approaches to deal with regrets about wasted time: 1. Recognize it's "a sheer waste of time and energy" to be miserable about things you cannot change 2. Understand that dwelling on the past causes failure in the present 3. If you genuinely regret wasted time, "make up for it in the present" as Paul did 4. Focus on what you are now, not what you once were ("by the grace of God, I am what I am") 5. Remember it's not when you entered God's kingdom that matters, but the fact that you're in it
What scripture does Dr. Lloyd-Jones use as his main text for this sermon?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones uses 1 Corinthians 15:8-10 as his main text: "And last of all, he was seen of me also as of one born out of due time. For I am the least of the apostles. That am not me to be called an apostle because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain, but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me."
What parable does Dr. Lloyd-Jones reference to show God's view of time and service?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones references the parable of the laborers in the vineyard from Matthew 20, where workers who came at different times of the day all received the same wage. He uses this to illustrate that in God's kingdom, "what matters is not the length of your service but your attitude towards him and your desire to please him." The parable shows that God "doesn't count service as other people do" and that many "that are last shall be first and the first last."
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, what Old Testament promise offers hope for those who feel they wasted years?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones quotes Joel 2:25, "I will restore the years that the locust hath eaten," as a powerful promise for those who feel they've wasted years. He explains that God "can give us a crop in one year that'll make up for ten" and that "in the divine alchemy of his marvelous grace, you may yet have the greatest surprise of your life" as God restores what seems lost.
What is the role of common sense in dealing with spiritual depression according to Lloyd-Jones?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones argues that Christians should use common sense to combat spiritual depression. He states, "The Christian is a man who can do everything that the unbeliever does, but more than that." He explains that "if you can conquer the devil at that level, conquer him at that level" and that "it is right and legitimate" for Christians to apply common sense. He considers it foolish and irrational to worry about things we cannot change.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones describe Paul's attitude toward his late entrance into Christ's service?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones points out that while Paul regretted being "the last of the apostles" and describes himself as "one born out of due time" (an ectopic birth), he didn't let this paralyze him. Instead of spending "the rest of his life sitting in a corner," Paul was struck by "this amazing grace that ever brought him in at all" and said, "there's no time to lose." Paul "pressed into it with his tremendous zeal and passed them all" in his service, laboring "more abundantly than they all."
Spiritual Depression
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.