Sermons of Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

What guides and keeps a church unified? How can the church encourage unity among its members? In this sermon on Romans 12:5-6 titled “Character of Unity,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains there are two elements to preserving the unity of a church. There is a spiritual unity that can only be brought about the Spirit of God and there is a necessary fundamental agreement of doctrine. While agreeing in the area of doctrine, it is also important to remember that the church body was created for a specific purpose. It ought to function in a living and active way together as many members of one body. The church must be using her gifts otherwise she is failing as a church. Dr. Lloyd-Jones cautions the listener to beware of their church falling into two extremes when it comes to being active: on one hand, activism or over busyness tires the body and wears out its members. On the other hand, hyper-paralysis, where the individual members are only worried about themselves, causes the church to be perpetually inactive and unhealthy. The activity of the church must be consistent and in conformity with the mind of the head, which is Christ Jesus, as he instructs in Scripture.

The modern ecumenical movement has made a profound impact on the contemporary Christian understanding of unity. But what overlap, if any, does this movement have with biblical unity? In this sermon on Romans 12:4–5 titled “One Body,” Dr. Lloyd-Jones reminds that an essential point for evangelical Christians to remember is the inevitability of the unity of the church. Because the church is a spiritual society called the body of Christ, there will necessarily be true unity. Striving to maintain visible unity is a necessity because evangelical Christians believe what the Bible says. Still, says Dr. Lloyd-Jones, the character of the church’s unity is spiritual – it cannot be manufactured by people as it is the supernatural result of the creative work of the Holy Spirit. Only when a person is born again and baptized into the body of Christ can genuine Christian unity occur. This along with the error of separating unity from the whole person – in a particular a person’s mind through doctrine – is the biggest error of the ecumenical movement. While some Christians rally around the claim “doctrine divides,” Dr. Lloyd-Jones offers a pointed biblical challenge saying there cannot be true unity by suppressing thought and denying a person’s ability to think about truth. Evangelical Christians need to hear afresh this important message on Christian unity, doctrine, and the ecumenical moment.

In this sermon on Romans 12:3–5 titled “The Body of Christ,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones teaches the principle that everything is of grace. This principle ought to cause one to think soberly, not more highly. Consider the nature and parts of the human body and see this applied towards one’s position in the Christian church. A body has an organic unity that is vital. No one can put themselves into the body of Christ; only the Lord can add to the church. There is great variety and unity in the body. There is a different function for each member and this must not be forgotten. Christians must not envy one another for the positions each is granted. Some parts are not spoke of, but are essential to the working of the whole of the body. If one thinks of their gifts as independent, they should remember that their gifts are not for themselves but that they are a part of the whole and serve the whole. All are subservient to the head and they don't decide what they want to do but Christ does. The listener is encouraged to be ready to obey His every command and be at His service, standing amazed that they have any place in this body at all.

Spiritual gifts have been a matter of controversy in the church since the beginning of Christianity. How quickly the body of Christ forgets the sovereignty of the Holy Spirit in the distribution of the gifts. From this error arises all manner of sin and abuse of gifts given by God. In sermon on Romans 12:3–5 titled “Gifts in the Church,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones addresses two particular follies the church falls into when it forgets the sovereignty of the Spirit and the diversity of the gifts. On the one hand, he says, the Christian thinks more highly of themselves than they ought. Following the apostle Paul, he demonstrates how the Scriptures teach humility and particularly the most profound demonstrations of humility in the example of the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul’s call for the church to think is key as this connects with his previous teaching on the renewal of the mind. On the other hand, Christians can underestimate the importance of any gift. There are two equal dangers, warns Dr. Lloyd-Jones, to overestimate a gift, becoming puffed up, or to despise another gift and thus denigrate the Spirit’s work. Listen as Dr. Lloyd-Jones teaches on the gifts in the church, a topic in which Christians consistently need clarity and direction.

In this sermon on Roman 12:3 titled “All By Grace,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones teaches that grace is God’s undeserved favor. The distinctiveness of Christianity is that it is grace that begins the Christian life and it is grace that carries the Christian through life. This is true of general grace that makes one a Christian, but also grace that gives spiritual gifts. Dr. Lloyd-Jones says it is this view of God’s grace that helps balance the apostle Paul’s statement about his authority while maintaining a counter-cultural view of humility. Paul can easily appeal to himself as an example to follow because he acknowledges his apostolic office is entirely undeserved grace given by the Spirit. Dr. Lloyd-Jones connects Paul’s teaching in this passage to other key passages in the New Testament regarding spiritual gifts and authority in the church. The contrast between the world’s view of ethics, as well as the Roman Catholic view of papal authority, stand in strong contrast to the testimony of Scripture, says Dr. Lloyd-Jones. Listen as recommends the apostle Paul’s teaching on grace and reaffirms the Christian position that all is by grace.