Sermons of Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Romans 10:3 — What was the main trouble with the Jews that Paul is speaking about in Romans 10:3? It is that they did not have a complete and full knowledge of the truth of God. In this sermon on Romans 10:3 titled “Knowledge of the Truth,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones says that a precise knowledge of the truth is essential to salvation and Paul is praying and longing for the salvation of the Jews because they lack this knowledge. The Jews may have been nice people and very zealous, but this cannot be mistaken for true Christian faith. Truth cannot be based in subjective terms because the gospel is truly objective. The Pharisees had misinterpreted the Old Testament teaching about the righteousness of God and the righteousness that He demands. This was ignorance on their part. Ignorance means that there is not full knowledge and the Jews were ignorant of the full knowledge of God. This stood in between them and their salvation. Dr. Lloyd-Jones urges the listener to have a precise knowledge because ignorant knowledge is the enemy. Without true knowledge, one will be lost, damned, and outside the kingdom of God.

Romans 10:1-2 — Is the Christian zealous for God? If so, is it a true or false sense of zeal? Paul points out that the church does have a zeal for God, but that it is not based on knowledge. In a sermon on Romans 10:1–2 titled “Trust and Zeal,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones outlines the differences between true and false zeal in the Christian life. First, he outlines several tests that can apply to a person’s zeal to determine if it is a false sense of zeal. A few of these arguments include a zeal that has been imposed rather than genuine; a focus on actions rather than just being oneself; a likeness to frivolity and the flesh; and a focus on self and one’s own power rather than the Lord’s. On the other hand, a few arguments for true zeal include a zeal that is put on by the Lord; a result of true knowledge; zeal that is not showy but deep; and a result of genuine behavior. At the end, Dr. Lloyd-Jones charges believers to ensure they have true zeal for the sake of those who are lost. He challenges those who have heard the gospel and know the truth to be zealous and concerned for those who have not heard.

Romans 10:1-21 — Doctrine and practice must not be separated. This seemingly simple truth has a great impact on how Christians live and seek to obey Christ. In this sermon on Romans 10:1–21 titled “Doctrine and Practice,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones expounds on the apostle Paul’s doctrine of the Christian life in all its glory and weightiness. Out of the great truths of justification by faith, predestination, and perseverance comes a view of the life that is grounded in the person and work of Christ. Christians must seek to trust God and His providence. They must be faithful to the command to evangelize and seek to love their neighbors as themselves. They must also be aware of the danger to intellectualize Christianity at the expense of practice. Some say things such as, “If God is sovereign, why pray?” or “If God elects, why evangelize?” However, Dr. Lloyd-Jones warns not to try to use vain logic to understand God, but rather read Scripture faithfully and submit to all of God’s teaching. How then does doctrine relate to practice? The answer is that doctrine informs how God desires His people to live as new creatures in Christ Jesus.

Romans 9:1-33 — In this sermon on Romans 9:1–33 titled “Learning the Lesson,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones gives a bird’s eye view of the entire chapter to show what can be learned. He says that contrary to what many believe, the Old Testament is not done away with or made obsolete for Christians. This can be known because the apostle Paul uses many Old Testament references and examples to explain the nature of the church, the Christian life, and salvation in Christ. Just as God chose the people in Israel in the Old Testament and passed by others, so also in the New Testament God calls out a people, the church, for His own purposes. Paul explains that being a Jew does not mean that one is a Christian, for not all who are born of Israel are true Israel. It is only those that God calls that are truly the children of God. This sermon presents many of the hard truths of Scripture, but it also shows how these hard truths are some of the most comforting. All of God’s truth is good news for those that love Him and who have put their trust in Jesus Christ.

Romans 9:30-33 — Why is Jesus Christ a stumbling stone? In this sermon on Romans 9:30-33 titled “A Rock of Offence,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains what this statement means and how it impacts one’s life. The apostle Paul says that Jesus is a stumbling block to His fellow and beloved Jewish brethren. This is because many of them still seek to justify themselves by the law. Because they seek to justify themselves, they stumble at the teachings of Jesus when He says that He has fulfilled the law and that He is the only way to know God. One’s relationship to God is entirely dependent on whether they know God or not. What does all this mean for today? This teaches that it is only Jesus that saves and all other attempts to make one’s self right, whether it is through the works of the law or any other way, is hopeless. How then can humanity be saved? The answer is found in trusting Jesus Christ and believing that He has been sent from God and died for humanity’s sin. It is to believe that Jesus is the Son of God that has come to take away the sin of the world and that He is the only savior from God.