Faith, Not Works

Romans 9:30-33 — Paul is grieving over the standing of the Jews because in the church there are more believing Gentiles than Jews. This fact probably rattled most Jews to the core. The Gentiles, who had not sought after righteousness and lived immoral lives, had received a righteousness by faith. However, the Jews, who were actively pursuing the law and its commands, had not received righteousness. So why is it that God’s chosen people were outside of the church? In this sermon on Romans 9:30–33 titled “Faith, not Works,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones says that the law demands absolute perfection and if any one statute were broken then there would be no account of righteousness. Paul points out that the gospel of the Lord is for all people and salvation is purely the work of Christ alone. Each person is responsible for their rejection of the gospel but they are not responsible for their acceptance of the gospel. The Bible teaches that election alone accounts for the saved, but non-election does not count for those who are lost. All are in Adam so they are all without excuse, both Jews and Gentiles.

Romans 9:25-29 — In order to help the Jews truly understand the peril they were in, Paul uses the Jewish people’s own Scripture to argue against their pride. The Jews were very prideful about the fact that they had the Scriptures, but they were also blinded to the message that was in the Scripture. In Romans 9:25–29, Paul is speaking directly to the Jews about their standing as God’s chosen people. In this sermon on Romans 9:25–29 titled “Rejection of the Jews,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones notes that the Jews received promises, but they also received threats. They did not realize that the promises they received from God were conditional and His warnings against them were true, because God’s words are always true. The words of the prophets that Paul quotes have both an immediate implication and a remote application. God would indeed carry out destruction on the Jewish people and Paul cries out for them on their behalf. Some Jews thought God would not seek destruction on them because it had been so long, but God does not always act immediately on his warnings. Dr. Lloyd-Jones reminds that salvation, to the Jew and the Gentile, is purely the work of God and we are saved by his loving mercy. The Jews should be thankful that even a remnant of them were saved.

Romans 9:25-26 — The Old Testament Scriptures testify that salvation is for Jews as well as the Gentiles. Surprisingly, many Jews needed to be convinced of this in the first century. In this sermon on Romans 9:25–26 titled “Jew and Gentile,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones calls attention to the apostle Paul’s method. He builds his case using reason, logic, and Scripture. It is clear, says Dr. Lloyd-Jones, that Paul is trying to be winsome and persuasive towards his fellow Jews. Nevertheless, the great apostle refutes the idea that it is by physical birth or lineage that one can be called a child of the living God. Paul turns to the Scriptures to show how no one should be surprised at this. Dr. Lloyd-Jones engages the issue of Paul’s citation of Hosea. He combats skeptics of the doctrine of inspiration who question the legitimacy of Paul’s application of Hosea to the Gentiles. As Paul is led by the Holy Spirit to write Scripture himself, he states the same essential truth in a slightly different form than Hosea does. However, since it is the same Holy Spirit that inspired both, Christians can have confidence Paul is applying Scripture appropriately. Listen as Dr. Lloyd-Jones helps the listener understand how the apostle Paul correctly handles Holy Scripture in this passage.

Romans 9:19-24 — Romans 9:19–24 can sometimes be troubling to Christians. Paul’s talk of predestination, election, and God’s wrath against sinners can plunge them into discussions that challenge their intellect and instincts of the justice of God. Perhaps lost in the rigors of grappling with such important matters is the doxology which deep theology elicits in the apostle Paul –– “the riches of His glory.” In this sermon on Romans 9:19–24 titled “God’s Glory Revealed (2),” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones teaches that the glory of God is on display and shares how the Bible reveals its many aspects. While God’s glory is primarily revealed in the person of Christ and the sending of the Holy Spirit, it is often forgotten how according to Paul, the riches of God’s glory is also seen in His children. The Christian should ask themselves if they are captivated by the wonder of God’s preparing beforehand vessels of His mercy and if they find satisfaction that results in praise when reflecting upon God’s sovereign choosing and calling of sinners. They also can challenge themselves to the adoration of the riches of God’s glory like the apostle Paul. Listen as Dr. Lloyd-Jones helps focus the listener’s attention on the awesome majesty of salvation that is revealed in Scripture.

Romans 9:19-24 — God has every right to immediately and eternally punish sin. Humanity has been warned for centuries to turn from sin and submit to Christ. While God restrains His wrath, He will not allow His voice to be ignored forever. In this sermon on Roman 9:19–24 titled “God’s Glory Revealed (1),” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones lays out a four-fold case to explain God’s patience with sinful people. That case includes (1) the compassion of God that does not take pleasure in punishment; (2) the fact that humanity is utterly inexcusable because of the opportunities God has given; (3) the reality that when God’s wrath is revealed, it will be all the more striking; and (4) the patience and wrath of God reveal His character in ways nothing else can. The wrath of God protects His holiness, but it was His wrath that was poured out on Jesus Christ when He took humanity’s punishment for sin. That gift of salvation makes known the riches of His glory and is the most magnificent thing God does. Even the miracle of creation pales in comparison to the miracle of salvation. The fact that God would even choose to associate with humanity is staggering to Dr. Lloyd-Jones as he explains how the entire Trinity is involved in the salvation plan: it is the Father’s will to save, the Son who was executed and rose from the grave, and the Spirit who seals salvation and continues to apply the work of sanctification to the Christian’s life. This is the work God delights to do, yet it is also the work from which humanity runs. Today is the day of salvation, to stop running from God and turn to Him in humble confession of sin, believing in the finished work of Jesus Christ.

Romans 9:19-24 — Why does God allow evil to exist? Many see the presence and reality of evil as something God should extinguish. In this sermon on Roman 9:19–24 titled “God’s Wrath,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones says that what fails to be seen is that evil is not an external force acting upon humanity, but an internal reality within people. To extinguish evil would be to extinguish humanity. The holiness of God will not tolerate anything sinful in His presence and His wrath is completely justified to protect His glory. That protection should immediately send every sinner to hell; however, it is God’s grace and mercy that restrains His wrath. As seen in the example of Pharaoh, God endures sinners for a time so that His kindness may be on display and people brought to salvation (Romans 2:4). However, His kindness is not to be abused and His patience and longsuffering are not to be ignored. Though for a time He may endure sinners as Christ did with Judas, that patience did not save him and it only prolonged the time until his punishment. That is the lesson of the Old Testament – that God waits, longing for people to repent. However He will not delay punishment forever and when it does arrive, it will be without recourse. The lesson to humanity today is to repent while there is time and while the longsuffering of God endures their sin. Be reconciled to God today and embrace the forgiveness only available through Jesus Christ.

Romans 9:19-24 — Who is really in charge? Is a person free to do whatever they want? Is God really guiding everything to happen the way He wants? How can one understand the sovereignty of God and the responsibility of humanity? Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones sheds some much needed light on this difficult subject as he preaches this sermon on Romans 9:19–24 titled “Holy God, Fallen Man.” The apostle Paul warns creation not to fight against the one who has both the authority and ability to exercise His power. In the same way that a potter has the right over the clay, God has the right to do what He desires. He alone decides what to make from the same raw materials, each person for a different purpose. Just as He chose to make both Jacob and Esau, He also chose to love Jacob and hate Esau. However, as Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains, God never created anything evil nor forces anyone to sin, as he quotes from James 1. But because of Adam’s choice to sin, human nature is fallen and sin is an instinct. So who then is responsible for salvation? The world offers hopeless, fatalistic answers that are contingent on heritage, context, and childhood experiences. While God is responsible for salvation, people remain responsible for their damnation. God offers hope since He sets His claim on His people and gives them His mercy in salvation through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ as the sin payment.

Romans 9:18-24 — Who is responsible for a hard heart? Is it something one does or something God does to them? In this sermon on Romans 9:18–24 titled “Who Art Thou, O Man?” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones introduces the challenging subject of God’s sovereignty and humanity’s responsibility. Scripture speaks of God’s sovereign choice first of the nation of Israel and then of individuals within that nation such as Jacob over Esau. Yet a person’s decision to reject God is also seen. How can God allow such rebellion to exist? Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that in many cases, it is so that God’s power may be seen in how He handles evil. Yet some may ask, how can God find fault with people since He is sovereign? The question is valid since even Paul incorporates it in this passage, yet before it can be addressed, Dr. Lloyd-Jones encourages examination of motive so that one does not question God from a place of arrogance or indignation. A person’s spirit must be contrite, knowing that their understanding is limited. He encourages careful consideration of who one is and to follow the pathway of Moses before he walked on holy ground or of Isaiah who cautiously and humbly responded to God’s glory.

Romans 9:17-18 — Does God purposefully harden people’s hearts? This statement causes great offense. In this sermon on Romans 9:17–18 titled “Hardening of Pharaoh’s Heart,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains the meaning behind Paul’s statements and the conclusions that can be drawn from it. Paul says that God raised up Pharaoh into this situation for His specific purposes and then God hardened Pharaoh’s heart. God did this so that he could display His power through Pharaoh. Dr. Lloyd-Jones reminds that when one comes across a difficult passage, they should compare it with other similar passages. He then gives several examples in the Old and New Testaments that show God hardening people’s hearts. So how does God do this? Several factors that result in a hardening of the heart include God removing his restraining influence, by showing His mercy, by initiating desires that were already in a person, and by using Satan. God never creates sin or causes an evil position of the heart; He only aggravates what is already inside of a person. In this passage of Romans, Paul speaks of how God used Pharaoh to create the result of his plan. In this, Pharaoh chose to harden his own heart in addition to God also hardening his heart.

Romans 9:14-18 — What is the great mystery of salvation? According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones in this sermon on Romans 9:14–18 titled “God’s Mercy,” it is not why every sinner is not saved, but why any are saved. This is because as the apostle Paul says, God does not have to give mercy to anyone but He chooses to because He is a gracious God. There is no doubt that this is a hard teaching to grasp; this is seen in the fact that many wise and godly Christians have rejected it. Yet God’s word is clear that from start to finish, salvation is a free and gracious gift from God. For if God had to give salvation to everyone, how would it be all of grace? As the Scripture teaches, God gives mercy to whom He wills to give mercy and He hardens whom He wills to harden. This truth is seen in the Lord Jesus’s parable of the workers in the vineyard. Here it is seen that God is not obligated to give mercy to all, yet He chooses to give some in order that His name might glorified. What should be one’s response to this teaching? This great doctrine should cause the Christian to forsake all hope in themselves and look to Jesus who alone can save.