Martyn Lloyd-jones Sermon Podcast

How the people of God relate to kings, emperors, magistrates, and the state in general has long been a topic in the Christian church. Persecution by the state, unjust laws, along with the emergence of new political ideologies, often lead to a re-evaluation on the topic. Can the Christian say with confidence that there is a biblical view on the relationship between the Christian and the state? If so, what principles should guide them? What are the implications for a hot-button issue like capital punishment? In this sermon from Romans 13:1–7 titled “Christian and the State (2),” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones continues to examine Paul’s message as he tackles this confusing topic by providing biblical and theological principles as guidance. Within what Dr. Lloyd-Jones calls the two “extremes” – always maintaining the status quo or anarchy – and paves a way forward that holds together the Christian call to be subject to the state, the limits of being subject to the state, a nuanced understanding of liberty of conscience,

In today’s media-driven culture, the public can witness firsthand the mess of politicians and politics on social media, cable television, and in print media. Cynically, many Christians might find it necessary to simply retreat out of political concerns and government altogether. Perhaps the Christian could justify a retreat from politics by positing the need to focus exclusively on spiritual matters. In this sermon on Romans 13:1–7 titled “Christian and the State (1),” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones seeks to answer such objections. He engages these ideas and other radical ones that call for Christians to abandon concern for the state, government, or politics altogether. In answering critics, Dr. Lloyd-Jones provides a positive Christian view of the state by looking at Romans 13:1–7 and the implications of the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Christians understand that the origin of government is not in human evolution but arose from God Himself. Moreover, the Christian knows human nature and how easily sin and evil can dete

How are Christians supposed to read the Bible? If there are many different views on what the Bible says, how are they to know the right interpretation? The answer is that they must read the Bible as one work of God. In the sermon on Romans 13:1–7 titled “Subject to Government,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones shares that this is because the only way to understand Scripture properly is by taking a holistic approach to everything that God has revealed. Christians should not use philosophy to create doctrine but doctrine is to come from the text. With all these things in mind, Dr. Lloyd-Jones seeks to expound the biblical view of government. He says that the submission to authorities and powers that the apostle Paul speaks of is not slavish servitude, but godly submission to the authorities that God has ordained for their good and the good of all people. In this attitude, Christians are to seek to live in peace with all those around them in a way that brings honor to Christ and his gospel. God in his providence has put m

What are the Christian’s duties and responsibilities to government and the state? In this sermon on Romans 13:1–7 titled “Relationships,” this is the perplexing question that Dr. Lloyd-Jones seeks to address. While Christians are citizens of heaven and the kingdom of God, they still live on Earth and are subject to the earthly authorities. When believers disobey the government or refuse to honor earthly powers on the basis of their new citizenship in the kingdom of God, they bring dishonor to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Christians must seek to be faithful to God by obeying his commandments rather than humanity’s, but they also are to live at peace with all. Many Christians have misunderstood this teaching and brought contempt to the name of Christ. Paul says that the government is a minister of God to bring about righteousness. When the government commands what is not contrary to Scripture, Christians should obey and live as good citizens. Natural relations are not destroyed by a believer’s new relationship w

The Christian must ask themselves if they truly love those who desire to do them wrong and if it is enough to not return evil with evil. According to the apostle Paul in Romans 12:20–21, God requires much more from Christians. The return of evil with good raises the Christian perspective far above secular morality. It lifts it to the supernatural. How do Christians achieve such a supernatural response? In this sermon on Romans 12:20–21 titled “Overcoming Evil,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explores this question and others in his exposition of Romans. In addition to discerning the meaning of Paul’s citation of Proverbs 25:21–22, Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains why the principle of returning evil with good is essential. Dr. Lloyd-Jones puts Paul’s words in the broader context of the Bible’s teaching on spiritual warfare. Instead of overcoming evil by doing positive good, Christians allow themselves to be overcome by evil by retaliating. The key is to think of themselves less and put the situation in the proper perspective,

While some popular streams of so-called Christianity claim that becoming a Christian means a care-free life, the New Testament is clear that Christians are likely to have more troubles. In this passage, the apostle Paul assumes Christians faithfully living in this fallen world will inevitably encounter evil against them. In this sermon on Romans 12:19–20 titled “God’s Wrath, Not Man’s,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones expounds Paul’s teaching on the topic. Negatively, Christians are to respond to evil by not avenging. Positively, they are to give place to God’s wrath. But what do these things mean? Why should the Christian never seek personal vengeance and does this teaching support Christian pacifism? What about questions about the wrath of God and how are Christians to understand imprecatory prayers in light of this teaching regarding personal vengeance? In all these complex questions, Dr. Lloyd-Jones brings the Scriptures to bear in a cohesive manner by allowing Scripture to interpret Scripture. Listen to this thou

Biblical ethics are supernatural ethics. The call of the Lord Jesus Christ upon His followers is different from humanity’s own fallen instinct. Christ’s call is a fundamentally other worldly way of life – it is what James calls wisdom from above. When Christians encounter evil against them, the natural instinct is retaliation. A person cannot carry out the injunctions given by the apostle Paul in this passage. In this sermon on Romans 12:17–18 titled “Be Different,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones says the story of humanity is one of hitting back and retaliation. People scoff at turning the other cheek as it is viewed as a weakness. While Dr. Lloyd-Jones encourages Christians not to retaliate, the Scriptures raise one’s thoughts beyond just the negative. When the Christian encounters evil against them, their response is to put the evil action against them in the larger context of their entire Christian outlook. Dr. Lloyd-Jones reminds that Christians do not act on instinct but instead should consider the gospel, Chris

In this sermon on Romans 12:16 titled “Wisdom and Knowledge,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones teaches on the importance of being of the same mind. Christians are to bless those who persecute them, rejoice with those who rejoice, and are to be of the same mind in agreement with one another. Two things threaten to destroy harmony – haughtiness in minding high things and being wise in one’s own eyes. Christians should learn about the folly of intellectual pride and look at the history of the Christian church to see how important it is to guard against this sin. This sin is the abuse of one of God’s greatest gift to humanity — the intellect. There is a difference between knowledge and wisdom: one is merely gathering and acquiring factual information, while the other is the power and capacity to apply it. The greater the scholar, the more humble the person. A little knowledge is most dangerous and while love builds one up, knowledge merely puffs up. Christians should consider the humility and meekness of the Son of God and

Is it harder to rejoice with those who rejoice or weep with those who weep? In this sermon on Romans 12:15–16 titled “Practical Christianity (2),” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones looks at how Christians are called to respond to one another. The problem of every human being, without exception, is the problem of pride and self. All struggle with envy and jealousy. The Christian is called to not settle for being able to hide this sin but learn to replace it by rejoicing with another over their success. No one can do this for themselves. The gospel of salvation in Christ is the only thing that can deliver one from the self and unify them with the body of believers. Christians cannot divide doctrine and practice and should look at the story of the Christian church, being called to have a common mind and think like one another. Christians are encouraged to know what it means to be knit together in love. They are to look at the example of Christ washing the feet of men and preach the gospel to the poorest. Nothing is more in

In this sermon on Romans 12:14–15 titled “Practical Christianity (1),” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones looks at the application for the doctrine Paul has been laying down and how theory moves into practical daily living: “The glory of God in His great salvation is involved in this [daily living].” Learn that the best form of evangelism is Christian people manifesting the Christian life, not only the proclamation by word of mouth. Dr. Lloyd-Jones shares that “a mere theoretical Christianity is useless” and a contradiction. The Scriptures are intensely practical and Christians are called to have patience with unbelievers. Moreover, Dr. Lloyd-Jones teaches that one’s attitude towards persecution must be positive as the endurance of persecution in its various forms tests the reality of their Christianity in a thorough manner. Only a Christian can bless (and not curse) those who persecute them. Christians are called to remember what they were and how God reacted to them, showing them total grace. The sinner must be separat

In this sermon on Romans 12:13 titled “Fellowship of the Saints,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones challenges the listeners to show hospitality. Preaching from Romans 12:13, one of the first things he clarifies is the true Pauline meaning of hospitality. In the book of Romans (and in other places in Scripture), the biblical meaning for hospitality is “loving strangers.” This means that when the biblical authors command believers to show hospitality, their command is one of evangelism rather than only fellowship with the saints. An important element of the Christian existence paired with hospitality is indeed contributing to the needs of the saints. Separate from hospitality but similar, Dr. Lloyd-Jones preaches that contributing to the needs of the saints shows the love of God within the hearts of Christians. A privilege that God has given His believers is that they may share in their suffering instead of enduring alone. Other Christians should be a welcome and wonderful sight for believers because of the burden and th

The Christian should ask themselves if they are “fervent in spirit” and learn to look at their total view of life in this world as Christian people. There is nothing so fatal for the Christian than to misunderstand his or her life in this present world. “The only way a Christian can rejoice is in the life of this hope [Christ].” How are they then to live in this present world? “We must never allow tribulation to do us any harm at all.” In this sermon on Romans 12:12 titled “Patient in Tribulation,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones asks, “Is your reaction one of grumbling or of patient endurance in the midst of tribulation?” The Christian ought to expect trouble to come their way. Nothing teaches the believer better than tribulations: weakness, pride, and selfishness is brought out in trials. Dr. Lloyd-Jones teaches that these trials yield the fruit of righteousness. Prayer results from tribulation and one ought to quickly seek this refuge. Christians are in the fight of faith; not against the things of this world, but

In this sermon on Romans 12:11­–12 titled “Serving the Lord,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones preaches about the importance of serving the Lord with zeal. The Christian may be tempted to do things half-heartedly as they go from task to task. Dr. Lloyd-Jones preaches that this approach is second to demon possession in that the Christian has allowed the devil to influence their actions. Slothfulness, he expresses, can manifest itself in doing something half-heartedly. This lazy form of action is one way in which the devil corrupts God’s good creation. Similar to the body and mind, exercise of the Spirit is what promotes its health within the believer. The Christian must continually fan the flames of the Spirit within them. Before long, the sluggish Christian can become the diseased Christian who falls into sin easily and becomes entangled by it. Dr. Lloyd-Jones also preaches that when the Christian feels lethargic or sluggish, they must meditate on, read, and study the actions of God in His people. God will bring to fru

What does slothfulness and self-importance share in common? The antidote to both is a heart that understands that Christians are not their own but belong to God. The antidote to both pride and laziness is the great hope the Christian have in the Lord Jesus Christ. In this sermon on Romans 12:11 titled “Stir Yourselves,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explores the question of slothfulness and he confronts the fundamental question on what it means to serve the Lord. Dr. Lloyd-Jones reminds the Christian of their fundamental identity. Christians are slaves of the Lord Jesus Christ and have been bought with a price. As slaves to the Lord, their service is not their personal cause but it is the Lord’s ministry. It is fundamentally not their honor involved as they serve, but the honor of the Lord Jesus Christ. This slavery to the Lord is a privilege and Dr. Lloyd-Jones reminds the Christian that they are co-workers with God. As those involved in God’s work, they cultivate a particular outlook of hope on this life. This is

Becoming a Christian means becoming part of a family. The Christian family is not a natural family but a supernatural one. When one is born again, they see that the same is true for other Christians. The apostle Paul teaches Christians that they are to love brothers and sisters in the faith as though they were brothers and sisters in blood. In this sermon on Romans 12:9–11 titled “Sermon on Love, Part 2,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones warns that this love is not phony love. It is not based upon positive circumstances and not the same as merely “liking” each member of the body of Christ. It is an innate or instinctive love as one has for blood family. There is a strong chance, warns Dr. Lloyd-Jones, a Christian will not have instinctive affections for other Christians. What are they to do? They cannot base their love on feelings since feelings are fickle. He exhorts the Christian to begin with doctrine. The Christian works out their doctrine of regeneration and the teaching of Scripture regarding the household of God

In this sermon on Romans 12:9–21 titled “Sermon on Love, Part 1,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones teaches that the believer must always proceed from doctrine to application and the two great principles must characterize and govern the Christian life. The apostle Paul is concerned with the practicalities of the Christian life, both in how the Christian acts and reacts. The listener will see their absolute need for the salvation of Christ and respond in presenting themselves as a sacrifice. Love is the fulfilling of the law and it sums up the whole of the law — these two must never be contrasted. “We should be animated in our living with the same kind of love by which God loves us,” Dr. Lloyd-Jones says. Love is totalitarian, not sentimental and weak. God should not be loved merely in word, but also in deed. Learn of the love of the atonement that commands one’s love of God and neighbor. The Christian must keep the law with the Spirit; otherwise they will fall into dissimulation. “The law is an expression of God’s being

Human traditions are often blinded to the clear teaching of Scripture. Traditionalism is a danger Christians must avoid because it is a prejudice they are all subject to. Perhaps no area of the Christian life is more prone to traditionalism than worship. Whether as an individual or entire denomination, one can easily read their prejudices back into Scripture. In this sermon on Romans 12:6–8 titled “Worship, the Old and the New,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones calls Bible-believing Christians to examine their traditions. He asks them to consider the general impression of the New Testament as they read about the early church engaging in worship. Seeking to counter the resurgence among evangelicals towards a liturgical form, Dr. Lloyd-Jones answers the liturgical arguments by drawing attention to passages such as Romans 12:6–8. While there is continuity between Old Testament worship – with its emphasis on prescribed forms – there is discontinuity as well. Of course, this difference is not one in kind but in degree. More

Liturgical forms of worship in free churches were on the rise during the ministry of Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones. This tendency hasn’t slowed and continues to this day as evangelicals have a renewed interest in read prayers, prayer books, responsive readings, and vestments. In this sermon on Romans 12:6–8 titled “Worship, Ancient and Modern,” Dr. Lloyd-Jones asks pressing questions of this movement. When one reads the descriptions of early church life, do they see themselves? Do they find these liturgical elements in Scripture and in what sense is the New Testament teaching binding on worship forms? While the liturgical practice of a prayer book and prescribed prayers each week is often argued on the basis of the Lord’s Prayer, Dr. Lloyd-Jones challenges this interpretation of the Lord’s Prayer. But Dr. Lloyd-Jones’s critique of the liturgical movement also takes the listener through church history in order to give a historical context for its development. While Dr. Lloyd-Jones acknowledges that both Martin Luther

Do the practices of the early church have anything to say to the contemporary church? How can one explain the obvious difference between what is read in the pages of Scripture regarding the church and the present manifestation of so many contemporary church models? As those invested in the authority and sufficiency of God’s word, evangelicals must be willing to set aside prejudices and look at Scripture with fresh eyes and seek to conform to the picture and pattern found in the New Testament. This is the conviction of Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones. In this sermon on Romans 12:6–8 titled “Lessons from Church History,” he elaborates on the glimpses of early church life and asks pressing questions about the development of church governance over the past two centuries. Dr. Lloyd-Jones provides an overview and explanation on the accumulation of power by the bishops throughout church history. He also tackles the reactions to centralized power by radical free church groups after the Reformation. The key in all these matter

Why does God give different spiritual gifts to each Christian? In this sermon on Romans 12:6–8 titled “Lessons From the Early Church,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones tells that God equips His church in order to strengthen and build it up to accomplish the task of preaching the gospel and disciplining all nations in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It is seen in the early church that many of the early believers had different roles and purposes in bringing about the kingdom of God – some as apostles, some as prophets, and others as evangelists. The prophets and the apostles form the foundation from which the whole church was to be built. They wrote Scripture and spoke the very words of God as God’s emissaries to his people. They were often the ones to lay hands on others so that they would receive the power and the giftings of the Holy Spirit, displaying the apostles’ power and authority. Furthermore, some have the specific gift of leading and teaching. These men are called elders, shepherds, overseers, an