The Atoning Work of Christ
A Sermon on Ephesians 5:2
Scripture
2And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.
Sermon Description
Christians often talk about the atoning death of Christ when in conversation about spiritual things. It is often mentioned regarding its relation to salvation. However, is it possible that it could mean even more? What is the impact it is supposed to have on the rest of one’s life? In this sermon on Ephesians 5:2 titled “The Atoning Work of Christ,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones instructs on how this verse and Christ’s atonement apply to the lives of believers even after they are saved. The Scriptures are never satisfied with a mere general statement about the love of God— as this verse demonstrates, God’s love is specifically written about in the Bible because the specific acts of God demonstrate His love. A person’s conduct is determined by their doctrine. Dr. Lloyd-Jones reminds that “as a man thinks, so is he.” Thus, one’s view of the doctrine of Christ’s atonement will have consequences for the Christian walk. In Christ’s atonement, one gains a clear example of the love of God. Dr. Lloyd-Jones points out that the measure to which one understands God’s love will be the measure to which they show it to others. Paul specifically exhorts loving others as Christ loved them, and Christ loved them completely and unconditionally. Thus, His death on the sinner’s behalf has massive implications for how Christians live after they are saved because if they truly understand what He has done for them, they will share His love in word and deed with others.
Sermon Breakdown
- Christ's love is not vague or general. It is clearly defined in Scripture.
- Our conduct is determined by our doctrine and beliefs. How we think influences how we act.
- The measure of our understanding of Christ's love is how much we manifest that love in our own lives.
- Scripture never leaves God's love as something abstract or theoretical. It gives us the doctrinal definition of Christ's love.
- Christ's love is demonstrated in His voluntary sacrifice of Himself on our behalf. He willingly gave Himself up as an offering and sacrifice to God for us.
- Christ's sacrifice was substitutionary and penal. He took our place and bore the punishment for our sins.
- We cannot truly understand Christ's love apart from believing in the substitutionary and penal doctrine of the atonement.
- Christ's love is demonstrated in that He sacrificed Himself for us while we were still sinners, ungodly, and enemies of God. He did not consider Himself or His own interests.
- We are to walk in love toward others just as Christ loved us by sacrificing Himself for us. We are to love even our enemies and those who persecute us.
The Book of Ephesians
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.