Understanding the True Nature of the Christian Church: Questions and Answers

What is the main reason why Dr. Lloyd-Jones believes Christians need to study the doctrine of the church?

According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, Christians need to study the doctrine of the church because many problems in Christianity stem from a misunderstanding of what the church really is. He states: "I think this is one of the great causes of our present troubles, that we have not made it our business to do what we are trying to do here tonight and tomorrow night." He argues that the New Testament itself pays great attention to this topic, particularly in the epistles, and many troubles in the early church (such as those in Corinth) were due to believers not understanding the nature of the Christian church. Additionally, the current confusion and decline in the church's effectiveness can be attributed to a lack of clarity about the church's identity and purpose.

What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones identify as the primary issue with the ecumenical movement?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones identifies that the primary issue with the ecumenical movement is its emphasis on unity at the expense of doctrine and biblical truth. He explains that the movement starts "with things as they are" and then attempts to modify existing structures through compromise, stating: "Start with the position as it is, and then proceed to do the best you can with that situation, modifying it here, modifying it there." He argues that this approach leads to a "common denominator" Christianity where each group "gives a little and takes a little" rather than thoroughly re-examining the whole situation based on New Testament principles. Lloyd-Jones believes this method fails to address the fundamental question of what the church truly is according to Scripture.

How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones suggest Christians should approach the study of the church?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones suggests that Christians should approach the study of the church by going back to the New Testament itself rather than starting with the current denominational structures. He states: "Let's for the moment forget things as they are, and let's go back to the New Testament and discover how the Church began." He emphasizes that this approach should be undertaken with a spirit of humility, unity, and openness to biblical truth, warning: "If our spirits go wrong, well then, in a sense, it would have been almost better for us not to have discussed the subject at all." He also cautions against three approaches: defending the status quo, merely modifying existing denominations, or relying solely on church history without Scripture as the primary guide.

According to the sermon, what characterizes the people who make up the true church?

According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, the people who make up the true church are characterized by having experienced a complete transformation or spiritual rebirth. He emphasizes that church members are not merely people who decided to join an institution or who were raised in a religious tradition. Rather, they are "people who are completely changed" and "the term that is used of them is that they're so different that there is no analogy that is adequate to describe it save that of a rebirth, that they're born again." Lloyd-Jones describes these people as having experienced conviction of sin, repentance, faith in Christ, and a willingness to publicly identify with Christ through baptism despite potential persecution. They are "people who are called by God" rather than those who merely made their own decision to join.

What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones identify as the origin of the Christian church?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones identifies the origin of the Christian church as the apostolic preaching empowered by the Holy Spirit. He states that "the Church is built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets" who were specifically called and commissioned by Christ to be His witnesses. Lloyd-Jones explains that the church came into being "as the result of the preaching and the witness-bearing of these men" who, after being filled with the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, proclaimed the message about Christ. This preaching led to the conviction, conversion, and gathering of believers, as seen in Acts 2 where 3,000 people were added to the church after Peter's sermon. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that this was God's action throughout—God sent His Son, raised Him, sent the Holy Spirit, and called people through the preaching.

Why does Dr. Lloyd-Jones argue that true church unity must be based on New Testament principles rather than denominational compromise?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones argues that true church unity must be based on New Testament principles rather than denominational compromise because institutions "tend to produce the exact opposite of themselves" over time, drifting from their original purpose. He states that merely modifying existing church structures through compromise often fails to produce satisfactory results because people are "too tied by the existing situation." Instead, Lloyd-Jones asserts that the only legitimate approach is to "discover how the church began" in the New Testament and ensure any developments align with those biblical principles. He warns: "We must not admit nor accept any development which in any way contradicts the basic teaching of the New Testament." Lloyd-Jones believes that this approach has characterized "every period of revival and true reformation" when "the spirit of God has been moving."

What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones identify as the fundamental problem with viewing church membership as simply joining an institution?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones identifies the fundamental problem with viewing church membership as simply joining an institution as being entirely contrary to the New Testament pattern. He asks: "Can a man be truly a member of the Christian church in the New Testament sense, if he's never had a conviction of sin? If he just decides to join an institution, I would suggest that that's entirely unscriptural." According to Lloyd-Jones, the biblical pattern shows that church members are not people who "just decided that they'd rather like to join this institution" or who joined "as you join a club, or a society." Instead, they are people who have been spiritually transformed, experienced conviction of sin, repented, believed in Christ, and publicly identified with Him. Their membership is not based on their decision but on God's calling.

How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones describe the relationship between apostolic authority and the founding of the church?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones describes the apostolic authority as foundational to the church, stating that "the Church is built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets." He emphasizes that the apostles were specially appointed by Christ Himself to establish the church, citing Paul who described himself as "a called Apostle" who did not appoint himself nor was appointed by men. Lloyd-Jones explains that "the Lord Jesus Christ gave a commission to these special men to go out and to preach, and to testify, and to witness, and to establish Christian churches," giving them unique authority. He argues that this apostolic foundation provides the only legitimate basis for understanding the church: "What we want to know is, what did the Apostles teach? What was their teaching? We've got to go back to that... This is our only basis, and this is our only authority."

What historical pattern does Dr. Lloyd-Jones identify regarding church revivals and reformation?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones identifies a consistent historical pattern regarding church revivals and reformation: they always involve a return to New Testament principles about the church. He states: "In every period of revival and of true reformation, men at any rate have always tried to do this." He explains that "every true revival and spiritual awakening is in a sense nothing but a return to the book of the acts of the apostles. It's a kind of reproduction of that which happened at the beginning." When describing how the church should approach its current challenges, Lloyd-Jones notes that "some of the saintliest and most godly men the church has ever known have tried to do the same thing" by returning to New Testament principles. For Lloyd-Jones, this consistent pattern throughout church history validates his approach of focusing on the New Testament as the primary guide for understanding the church.