Sermons of Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Why are Christians elected to salvation? In this sermon on Ephesians 1:4 titled “Holy and…Before Him in Love,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explores this doctrine that believers are chosen by God to be holy. Echoing the apostle John, Paul says the purpose of God in Christ for His people is to undo, remove, and rectify completely the effects of sin and the fall. By making His people holy and without blame before Him, Christ destroys the work of the devil. The ability to be in the presence of God and communion with Him is the goal for Christians. In Christ, the believer has a new love and affection for God. Salvation is nothing less than a new relationship with God whereby the Christian can stand before Him in His presence. If this is the end for which God has chosen His people, they must be concerned with preaching holiness to others. Holiness is not an addition to be added after someone is saved. Because they have been chosen, God will make them holy.

The doctrine of election requires a reverent approach and the listener is on holy ground concerning this topic. Christians have often done great injustice in an argumentative style. From this sermon on being chosen by God from Ephesians 1:4 titled “Chosen in Him,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explores this crucial doctrine, and like the apostle Paul, he simply states this doctrine without arguing for it. The Bible is uninterested in giving a philosophical explanation and, according to Romans 9, reproves the Christian when they begin to argue against God’s sovereign choice in election. Listen as Dr. Lloyd-Jones explores this doctrine throughout Scripture, including John 6, 15, 17; 2 Thessalonians 2:13–14; and 1 Peter 1:2. It is wise, says Dr. Lloyd-Jones, to look to authorities in church history, great Christian theologians, evangelists, and preachers who have held fast to God’s sovereign choice. Even with his strong defense of the Reformed position, he asks if one is saved by their position on this important question. Happily Dr. Lloyd-Jones answers, “no.” But, he argues, there is great comfort, security, and joy bound up with knowing God has set His love upon His children before the foundation of the world.

When a person is saved, a profound change occurs and they are taken from one realm to another. The non-Christian only knows the earthly realm. But the Christian knows two realms: earthly and heavenly. In this sermon on Ephesians 1:3 titled “In Heavenly Places,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones expounds the mystery of Paul’s words, showing that in Christ, the Christian has heavenly citizenship. The consequence of this teaching is far-reaching. This makes the Christian an enigma to others and to themselves. They wrestle with sin like others do but do not enjoy it. There are social consequences as well. While the world places its confidence in the perfectibility of humanity and hope for a better future through education, government, and culture, the Christian is engaged in such matters, but their hope is firmly set on the heavenly places, in their afterlife with Christ. Their faith is on the sure ground of the return of Christ and the eternal home where the Savior is, seated in the heavenlies. No one can change their nature; it is only done through faith in God's only Son.

How does one come to enjoy spiritual blessings? What are the spiritual blessings in Ephesians 1? In this sermon on Ephesians 1:3 titled “All Spiritual Blessings…,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones focuses on two themes. He insists that the Christian only enjoys blessings through Christ. While acknowledging God gives common grace to everyone, the Holy Spirit gives unique grace that only Christians enjoy. Dr. Lloyd-Jones connects Paul’s words in Ephesians to his other letter to the Colossians (1:19; 2:3), showing the absolute necessity of going to God through Christ, the mediator. A second blessing Christians enjoy through Christ is that His grace flows through the Holy Spirit. The sovereign work of the Spirit quickens, convicts, enables, and keeps the Christian. Dr. Lloyd-Jones recaptures the “other-worldly” nature of the Christian’s blessings by criticizing movements that insist that blessings are of this world. The Christian, says Dr. Lloyd-Jones, does not deny or despise the world, but this is different from setting their affections upon it. If they do not keep an appropriate distance, they forget that this is a fallen world and that their citizenship is in heaven.

The words of Scripture allow a glimpse into the eternal plan of the Trinity. Theologians have called this the Covenant of Redemption where humanity can be redeemed from their sin and reconciled to God. In this sermon on Ephesians 1:3 titled “The Everlasting Covenant,” this central theme of Ephesians comes alive as Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones warns, laments, and challenges Christians to understand the great theme of redemption. The believer’s greatest need is to understand doctrine. What is at stake is not intellectual curiosity, but worship. The truth about redemption, argues Dr. Lloyd-Jones, leads to adoration, worship, and praise. When one dwells upon the redemptive work of each person, they grow in their worship of God. When a Christian understands more, the more worship they experience. For the Christian, worship is always Trinitarian. One must not only praise the Father, but also the Son and the Holy Spirit. The Christian must not stop at worshiping only the Son, but also the Father and the Holy Spirit. They cannot focus exclusively on the Holy Spirit to the neglect of the Father and Son but must adore the blessed Trinity.