Martyn Lloyd-jones Sermon Podcast

Romans 8:17 — Does the Christian rejoice that they are a child of God and an heir to the coming glory? Through his sermon on Romans 8:17 titled “Heirs According to the Promise,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones joyfully proclaims that every time that Paul references the Spirit being a seal, he also mentions that the Spirit is the guarantor of the fact that believers are heirs with Christ. This fact is great assurance and certainty of the Christian faith: if Christians are children of God, then they are also His heirs. Paul once again demonstrates that believers have union with Christ; it is absolute and cannot end. Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones expresses that only Christians have this kind of hope. The inheritance of glory for Christians was set before the beginning of time in God. This is a great promise and is shown often throughout Scripture. All believers are joint heirs with Christ and should be looking toward the coming of their Savior.

Romans 8:16 — In his sermon on Romans 8:16 titled “Seeking the Spirit,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones expands upon an important Christian phenomenon: spiritual confirmation. Reading from Romans 8:16, he reminds how “the Spirit Himself” testifies with the believer’s spirit after being saved, inducting him or her into God’s family. However, should that believer then seek additional spiritual confirmation or more of the Spirit? In short, Dr. Lloyd-Jones says they should seek but a person should be careful of the methods in asking for more of the Spirit. Dr. Lloyd-Jones warns Christians to avoid groups that claim they can administer the Spirit by staying in a room until He comes or laying hands on an individual. This is not how Scripture describes receiving more of the Spirit, and only apostles could give the Spirit by laying on hands, he says. God distributes the Spirit in a more Biblical way. Dr. Lloyd-Jones points to Christ’s encouraging descriptions of God as a loving father; if knocked on, the door will be opened;

Romans 8:16 — In his sermon on Romans 8:16 titled “The Spirit and Sanctification,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones answers an important question: what does it mean to be sanctified and how does the process of sanctification come about? Dr. Lloyd-Jones reminds the listener that sanctification comes after salvation and after the Christian’s spirit has been testified by the Spirit of God. This moment in the believer's life is when they become part of God’s family, just as He set apart the Jews in the Old Testament. Dr. Lloyd-Jones gives a sturdy definition of sanctification as the process in which a Christian progressively becomes cleansed of sin. This definition raises another question, he says: When is a believer sanctified? Some parties claim the process is instantaneous, occurring right after a person is saved. No, Dr. Lloyd-Jones says. There is a difference between justification and sanctification. For if all believers were sanctified at the moment of faith, what purpose does the instruction of the Bible serve? In c

Romans 8:16 — What does one do with excesses related to the Holy Spirit? Many Christians are wary of any emphasis on the experience of the Spirit. In this sermon on Romans 8:16 titled “The True and the False,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones has been working out the doctrine of Spirit baptism and recognizes many will be fearful of such talk. He warns his listeners, however, that they must not fall prey to quenching the Spirit simply because there are potential excesses. Doubling down, Dr. Lloyd-Jones says that those who minimize the experience of the Spirit’s work are perhaps guilty of quenching both revival and evangelism. What is his alternative? He acknowledges that any time there is an outpouring of the Spirit, counterfeits will follow. Satan will take advantage of this opportunity and convince Christians to focus on the experience rather than God. Dr. Lloyd-Jones’s solution is not to deny the Spirit’s work, but to discern the true from the false. Christians should watch for holiness to follow those who claim a sp

Romans 8:16 — Continuing his sermon series on the Holy Spirit, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones answers an important theological question: does the sealing of the Spirit actually exist? The short answer, he says, is yes. In his sermon on Romans 8:16 titled “The Witness of History,” he combs through historical accounts of Christian thinkers, pastors, and theologians who have experienced God’s sealing of the Spirit to give evidence for this Christian phenomenon. Many of the names are recognizable as Dr. Lloyd-Jones quotes these famed Christians through the centuries. He reads the works of George Whitefield, Jonathan Edwards, John Wesley, D. L. Moody, Charles Spurgeon, and many more. He remarks on how astonishingly similar are these accounts of God’s sealing of the Spirit. These theologians write about being overwhelmed by emotions, a profound sense of peacefulness, and a life-changing understanding. Dr. Martyn Lloyd Jones explains that the sealing of the Spirit is an emotional understanding of a Christian’s salvation tha

Romans 8:16 — When is a Christian sealed by the Holy Spirit? Through the teachings of Jesus Christ and the New Testament writers, the Christian knows that salvation comes by trusting in Christ’s sacrifice on the cross for the forgiveness of sins. But when is a believer confirmed by the Holy Spirit and what is this experience like? In this sermon on Romans 8:16 titled “Nature of the Spirit’s Witness,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones dives into these questions, quoting examples from the Bible and Christian theologians. He says that not all believers undergo the feeling of being sealed by the Spirit. Some believers do not feel that singular moment where they experience a period of spiritual elation or a time of intense connection to God. Dr. Lloyd-Jones says these moments are not necessary for a person to be a Christian. After all, the disciples were believers before the Spirit came upon them at Pentecost. In his sermon, Dr. Lloyd-Jones teaches that the sealing of the Spirit is a tool used by God to prepare Christians wh

Romans 8:16 — When does the believer receive the Holy Spirit? Is it at the moment of adoption into the body of Christ through faith or is it sometime later? Often after accepting the gift of salvation, one may not feel the flooding nature of spiritual baptism. Others may feel the Spirit immediately. In this sermon on Romans 8:16 titled “Faith and Experience,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones comments on this phenomenon in this message of assurance and unity. The sermon also surveys other examples in the New Testament where the Spirit is received. He provides context into the sealing of the Spirit, as well as context into the translation of the word. He answers the question: Who baptizes with the Spirit? Dr. Lloyd-Jones elaborates on what rights a believer has, both before and after receiving the Spirit. He delves into the wide scope of Puritan writers, as well as other Christian perspectives, concerning this theological argument in order to further expand this topic and solidify its interpretation. Listen as the power

Romans 8:16 — When Satan tempts the Christian to despair or tells them that they are not a child of God, they can turn to the word of God and find an abundance of assurance based upon the promises of the Scriptures. In this sermon on Roman 8:16 titled “The Witness of the Spirit,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones does not discount the amount of assurance found by going to the Bible. He argues, however, that there is an even greater level of assurance that the believer can have. In Romans 8:16, the apostle Paul mentions the witness of the Spirit. This witness of the Spirit, says Dr. Lloyd-Jones, is the same as the baptism of the Spirit, or the sealing of the Spirit, found elsewhere in Scripture. While every Christian has the Spirit of adoption and is a child of God, not all have the witness of the Spirit. This is a second blessing that comes upon a believer for the purpose of assurance. Moreover, it illumines the believer’s understanding with respect to salvation. In essence, it is a special way the love of God is poured

Romans 8:16 — What does it mean to say that the Spirit bears witness? Listen to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones in this sermon on Romans 8:16 titled “Sealing with the Spirit.” Paul began assuring the Christian in their salvation by saying in Romans 8:16 that they are led by the Spirit of God, which makes them children of God. Secondly, he adds that Christians would know something of the spirit of bondage and fear. Paul is now explaining that the Holy Spirit testifies with the Christian’s spirit. There are multitudes of commentaries that discuss varying views on the definition of this verse and Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones spends much of this sermon discussing the views and applications of this verse. He does want to make one thing clear: all Christians are sons of God and all Christians are children of God. Those that say there are distinctions or groupings among Christians have not properly translated what Paul is saying here. When Paul refers to Christians as “sons,” he means this in a legal sense. When Paul refers to Chr

Romans 8:15 — Since Christians do not actively “take” the Spirit, but passively receive the sovereign Spirit, what are they to do? As Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones pursues this question in this sermon on Romans 8:15 titled “Spirit Baptism and Fullness,” he sets the context of the passage. He notes that Spirit baptism is an extra – a plus. It is an additional assurance children of God experience. In other words, it is not something every believer who has the Spirit of adoption experiences. Nevertheless, it is something all should desire. In Romans 8:15, the apostle Paul elaborates on Spirit baptism, or being filled with the Spirit. Dr. Lloyd-Jones encourages all Christians to genuinely seek the fullness of the Spirit, but not by trying to “seize” the Spirit. Furthermore, Christians cannot pretend they can take it by someone laying hands on them. How does one get it then? Dr. Lloyd-Jones teaches that it is through obedience and prayer. In the end, however, Christians rest knowing the Holy Spirit is sovereign. If indee

Romans 8:15 — Within certain streams of popular Bible teaching, the sovereignty of the Holy Spirit is significantly diminished. Some have emphasized the responsibility to “take” the Holy Spirit by faith. In other words, God wants to give the Spirit, one just needs to “lay hold of” Him. In this sermon on Romans 8:15 titled “Knowing You Have Received,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones finds this teaching unbiblical and troubling. In order to refute this defective teaching, he patiently works through all the New Testament references to the word “receive” and draws proper theological conclusions about the Holy Spirit and faith. Dr. Lloyd-Jones reminds that as the blessed third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit is a sovereign Lord. One must never talk as if they control Him. Nor should they, he warns, think they can simply use “faith” to “lay hold of” or “take” the Spirit. As Paul teaches in Romans 8:15, the Christian merely “receives” the Spirit of adoption. This is the consensus of the Scriptural witness. Watch how D

Romans 8:15 — Is assurance essential for salvation? Can one doubt their salvation and still be truly saved? In this sermon on Romans 8:15 titled “The Spirit of Adoption,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones answers that assurance is not essential for salvation. It is possible for those who have truly been born again and who trust in the Gospel to doubt if they have been saved. This is because they are saved by the work of Christ, not our act of believing. It is not as if faith is a great work that earns the Christian favor with God. Scripture tells that faith itself is a gift from God in order that the Christian might be saved. Salvation is received by God enabling them to believe in the gospel. This is a great hope to all who are plagued by doubts of God’s love for them. Salvation is a gift of God, but not all who are saved are assured of their salvation. As Christians grow in love of God and neighbor and to understand God more and more, all Christians can have a stronger assurance of salvation. All believers can know th

Romans 8:15 — What is real knowledge of God? As Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones follows the apostle Paul’s teaching on the adoption as sons of God, he gives special attention to the Christian’s true emotional and effective knowledge of the truth. The Holy Spirit leads the Christian from a spirit of bondage and fear to this Spirit of adoption, which is marked by the deep cry, “Abba, Father.” In this sermon on Romans 8:15 titled “Sons of God,” Dr. Lloyd-Jones further explores this teaching as it relates to assurance. Similar to someone in love, one may not be able to express it intellectually, but they are certainly aware that it is true. Likewise the child of God knows he or she is a child of God. This, says Dr. Lloyd-Jones, is the proof of adoption. Practically, then, God is not off in the distance nor is He difficult to approach. The Christian may approach Him in a familiar way, even a spontaneous manner. Listen carefully to this sermon on Romans 8:15 as Dr. Lloyd-Jones talks about the delight, joy, peace, and rest o

Romans 8:15 — While the spirit of bondage and fear is a work of the Holy Spirit, it has a specific and limited role in the life of the Christian. It is to awaken the person to their desperate condition. However, as Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones argues in this sermon on Romans 8:15 titled “Freedom from Fear,” the spirit of bondage and fear cannot coexist with the spirit of adoption. The former is always replaced by the latter. But how can Dr. Lloyd-Jones claim this when the New Testament has much to say about fear in the Christian life? Are there not numerous examples where Christians experience what could be called a spirit of bondage and fear? Are these examples that prove the spirit of adoption does not replace the spirit of fear? Dr. Lloyd-Jones walks through objections to his understanding of the apostle Paul, detailing how his understanding of Romans 8:15 is compatible with the rest of Scripture. In so doing, he engages a number of pastorally pressing concerns such as depression in the Christian life, demonic a

Romans 8:15 — It is safe to say all battle with seasons of fear and worry. Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones shows two things that Paul is confirming in Romans 8:15: all who are led to Christ are children of God and those who are children of God no longer have a spirit of bondage or fear. In this sermon on Romans 8:15 titled “The Spirit of Bondage,” Dr. Lloyd-Jones points out that this means the spirit of bondage and fear always precedes the spirit of adoption. How would a Christian be truly convicted of their sin and desperation if they first did not have a spirit which convicted them of their guilt? This guilt shows just how much all are in need of a Savior. Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that Christians may experience this spirit of bondage to different degrees, but it does not mean that one person has sinned more than the other. The amount of sin does not matter, but it is the realization of that sin that is necessary to bring about true salvation. The Holy Spirit, which dwells in all Christians, is a spirit of truth and

Romans 8:14-15 — As the apostle Paul recounts his autobiography, conviction from the law of God seems absent from his former life in Judaism. What is to be made of this? How is it that the apostle knew God’s law so well as a Pharisee and yet never felt condemned by the law? In this sermon on Romans 8:14–15 titled “The Spirit and the Law,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones expounds the nuances of various viewpoints as he defends his interpretation. In the end, Dr. Lloyd-Jones highlights the peculiar work of the Holy Spirit. Before the Spirit brings liberty, He brings a spirit of bondage and of fear, as the apostle Paul wrote. In other words, the Holy Spirit brings the Christian down and shows them their need. It is not until the Holy Spirit brings fear, condemnation, and conviction through the law of God that anyone will find the joy of repentance. This spirit of bondage always precedes the Spirit of adoption. Moreover, the spirit of bondage, says Dr. Lloyd-Jones, is great evidence of assurance of salvation. Listen as Dr

Romans 8:14 — What comfort is there for the believer in knowing the Holy Spirit yearns for their sanctification? What privilege do believers have knowing that the Holy Spirit is so concerned for them? This is one reminder by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones in his sermon on Romans 8:14 titled “The Spiritual Outlook.” In this message, he explores further what the apostle Paul means by being “led by the Spirit of God.” As the Spirit operates on the mind, heart, and will of the Christian, He gives full and final emancipation from sin. But how may a person know whether the Spirit is leading them? Dr. Lloyd-Jones supplies guidance on this vital question. In short, the Spirit leads Christians to a total new outlook on life; a spiritual outlook. Does the Christian desire God’s glory? What about love for the people of God? How do they respond sin? Do they actively engage in the mortification of the deeds of the body? The Spirit always leads in the direction of the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Listen as Dr. Lloyd-Jones bot

Romans 8:14 — Critics sometimes claim that the Holy Spirit does violence against human will when He leads people to salvation. Since the apostle Paul teaches that the assurance of adoption is based upon this sovereign work of the Spirit, is it then true that the Spirit is culpable of such violence? In this sermon from Romans 8:14 titled “Leading and Guidance,” the answer given by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones is a resounding no. By parsing out the language of the Scriptures, he demonstrates that the Spirit’s leading is not a violent power, but a persuasive power. Moreover, the guidance of the Spirit cannot be segregated from the testimony of truth found in the Scriptures. The Spirit’s work of leading and guiding in sanctification is then directly tied to both the Bible and the saving work of Jesus Christ. Regardless of what any person may say about a vision or an experience, if the teaching cannot be found or reconciled with the Scriptures, Dr. Lloyd-Jones says that it is a false teaching. Romans 8:14 is a brilliant

Romans 8:14 — What is the doctrine of sonship? How might Christians practically deny this important doctrine? How may they be sure they are children of God? In this sermon on Romans 8:14 titled “The Father’s Children,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones examines the teaching of sonship in various ways. The New Testament takes keen interest in sonship, as Dr. Lloyd-Jones says, because it is the great motive for sanctified living. Christians glory in the truth that the Father has taken special care in them as His children. However, they may practically deny their sonship in their prayer life if they are convinced it is more spiritual to offer distant or cold prayers because of God’s holiness and majesty. Dr. Lloyd-Jones cautions against this extreme by appealing to the adoption as His children. With full assurance, he says, Christians can offer prayer to God because His presence is always with His children. Since they are led by the Holy Spirit into this relationship with the Father, they can be sure of their adoption. No

Romans 8:14 — Does the Christian ever long for Heaven? How often do they think of glorification? Christians often discuss sanctification and do not realize that it is only a part of the process for the end goal of glorification. Glorification can be understood because of the assurance in Christ Jesus. In this sermon on Romans 8:14 titled “Sons of the Living God,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones says the theme of Romans 8 is not sanctification, but rather the assurance of a Christian’s salvation. It is the absolute security of the final perseverance of all who have been justified by Jesus Christ. As Paul works through this chapter to Romans, he has been outlining several reasons for this assurance. In Romans 8:14, he come to the assurance in terms of sonship with God, which Dr. Lloyd-Jones argues is also the theme of the whole of Scripture. Because glorification is the final goal for all Christians, God would never allow something to prohibit His people from getting there. Dr. Lloyd-Jones discusses four points: not all