Man Under Sin

Romans 3:20 — Imagine that a person was on trial for a crime that they had committed. The odds are all stacked against them and they were pronounced guilty. The law rightly condemns them as guilty. However, when the judge is set to announce the punishment, the judge says that they are free. This is how Paul explains justification. It is a legal term and a declaration that Christ no longer condemns the sinner and now regards them as righteous. In this sermon from Romans 3:20 titled “Justification Explained,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains that it is not that Christians are righteous; it is a removal of sin and a pronouncement from the Lord that He considers them righteous. Paul understands that the Jews had fallen into a trap, thinking that they were able to be justified by the law that they were given. However, God gave the law to show how truly sinful everyone is and how they are in need of a Savior. Dr. Lloyd-Jones further illustrates how the word justification is used throughout Scripture and how the Roman Catholics defined the word. He makes interesting points of how the modern day Christian generally does not understand the definition of many key words used throughout Scripture. Dr. Lloyd-Jones also examines the difference between justification and sanctification.

Romans 3:18-20 — Why does one sin? What drives them to chase after everything that dishonors God? The underlying answer is quoted from Psalm 36 in this Romans passage: “There is no fear of God before their eyes” (Romans 3:18). In this sermon from Romans 3:18–20 titled “The Fear of the Lord,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains fear as reverential awe, a desire to worship God, an understanding that God is the judge of all the earth, and a fear of punishment. The unsaved do not fear the eternal punishment of the holy God. In this passage, Paul also points out that the very law in which the Jews boast has also condemned them. All guilty under sin. Paul has stressed this repeatedly in recent passages and Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that it is because every mouth needs to be stopped. Scripture shows the standard that all must live up to and that standard shows how humans are truly vile. That alone should silence all arguing and excuses. Dr. Lloyd-Jones asks the listener to examine the heart and mouth and ask if they are still doubting or arguing against the almighty God or has their mouth been stopped by His righteousness and grace? Thanks be to God who by His Son saves from sin.

Romans 3:10-12 — The word of God is a terrifying mirror to those who are not saved. No one is innocent as all have sinned, Jews and Gentiles alike. Paul quotes the Psalms to prove his point: “There is no one righteous, not even one” (Romans 3:10). The Jews had access to the Old Testament, yet they were tragically blind in regards to their own Scriptures and Paul reminds them of what God has stated multiple times. All are under the guilt of sin and all have been born into sin through Adam. In the sermon from Romans 3:10–12 titled “Man Under Sin,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones points out that it is essential to understand this before one can truly understand the gospel. A person must understand how truly sinful and deceitful human nature is. This will lead to evangelism, showing people their need for salvation by convicting them first of their sin. Paul continues in giving a greater description of sin and how it distorts their view of the world, humankind, and God. Even if the Jews attempted to argue that they were not under condemnation, Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that Paul was attempting to thwart all arguments by providing adequate evidence.

Romans 3:9-20 — Is there anyone without sin? What characterizes human nature apart from God? Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones outlines Romans 3:9¬-20 as Paul explains human characteristics when they are apart from God. First, there is none righteous apart from God, as He is the only way to salvation. No one fully understands spiritual truth or divine things because their mind has only a secular nature. They lack much understanding when it comes to sin, the wrath of God, true happiness, and their own eternal understanding. Humanity is so lost in its understanding that it naturally strays from God. Dr. Lloyd-Jones illustrates how these natural inclinations are manifested in human behavior, where sin starts in the heart and then to progresses to mouths and feet. While human instinct is to run from God, Dr. Lloyd-Jones shows the absolute necessity of God’s way of salvation.

Romans 3:3 — If God forgives sin, then why stop? That is the question asked of the preacher since Paul wrote the book of Romans. In the sermon from Romans 3:3 titled “The Faith of God Without Effect?”, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones outlines three arguments that explain how critical repentance is to true saving faith and how that faith leads believers away from a life of entrenched sin. Dr. Lloyd-Jones, preaching about the faithfulness of God, asks: “Did Israel’s unfaithfulness do away with all of the value they had because they had the oracles of God? If the failure of the Jews makes God look more glorious, then why does God punish them? If our sin makes God’s grace and mercy that much greater, then would it not make sense to sin even more?” As Dr. Lloyd-Jones answers these critical arguments, he also reminds the listener that when they test a view of the Lord and His word, they should ask if that view glorifies God. If the answer causes one to question or doubt God in all His faithfulness, righteousness and power, then the view is wrong.

Romans 3:1-2 — Is there any advantage to being a Jew? The apostle Paul understands this questioning might come up after all he has said about their guilt. However, his point was to prove that the whole world was condemned by sin before God. In this sermon from Romans 3:1–2 titled “Stewards of the Mysteries,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains Paul’s words that showed that Jews do have one advantage: they were given the divine oracles of God. They were entrusted with the living revelation of God’s word and were tasked with keeping it safe and spreading the truth to others. Dr. Lloyd-Jones argues that there is no higher privilege for any human than to be spoken to directly by God. God spoke to Moses by giving him the Ten Commandments and Moses brought them to God’s chosen people, the Jews. To have this kind of knowledge should lead to repentance and to seek salvation from God. In the same manner, does the Christian understand what kind of advantage it is for them to have an open Bible? They have the living Word of God in front of them and are entrusted to keep the truth and share it with others.

Romans 2:17-24 — There is no difference between the Jews and Gentiles. No one is saved based on heritage or works. But with this sermon on Romans 2:17-24 about wrath and condemnation, the Jews were hypocritically stirring up excuses of why they were not subject to the judgement Paul was preaching. Paul carefully eliminated any excuse and showed how no one is righteous and all will be subject to wrath. Preaching on hypocrisy, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones exposes the conduct of a hypocrite: complacent, never examining themselves, preaching to others but not themselves, and criticizing others but not themselves. It is not enough to hear God’s word; one must also apply the truth and be humbled by it. This will produce an inward change. In the second half of the message, Dr. Lloyd-Jones discusses the Jews’ last resort excuse of circumcision. Paul carefully outlined that those who rely on this outward sign are missing the point that God only cares about the inward sign of true change and repentance. Circumcision is pointless unless it also comes with a changed heart. Let the Christian not rely on nationality, outward signs, or misguided truths but always be in humble adoration of a Lord that provided a way for salvation from wrath.

Romans 2:13-15 — There are a few people in the Old Testament that were considered righteous but had never heard the gospel. How can this be? In the sermon titled “None Righteous,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains Romans 2:13–15 where Paul is careful to point out that they were not considered justified by the law, since no one can keep the law, but that they were a kind of people who knew the commandments of God and followed ordinances given by God. Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that these individuals understood that the ordinances given by God were the only way to approach the Lord and have their sins forgiven. They were not “good” pagans or “noble” philosophers, nor were they like so many who were not only hearers of the word. These Old Testament saints were doers of the word, whose faith was not in the law but in the Giver of the law. Philosophies, knowledge, and good works do nothing in the eyes of Christ if He is not truly known. Paul elaborates this in the second section of the passage by openly expressing how many Jews were guilty of hypocrisy. All are condemned and subject to God’s wrath, even the Jews who were given the law of the Lord. The Jews who relied on their possession of the law for salvation were severely misguided.

Romans 2:13-15 — Do unsaved people know God's law? Is it fair to judge Gentiles based on a law the Jews received but they did not? Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains how Paul anticipates that question and shows the universal guilt of all men for disobeying God's commandments. He explains that God has “written the law in their hearts” ¬– the conscience – and even so, all people can be judged according to their moral consciousness. The conscience is an individual’s sense of right and wrong, mostly telling us when something is wrong and condemning us for doing wrong things. Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that even though Paul is answering potential questions on salvation, he is not explicitly talking about salvation in this passage. He is, however, talking about those who are under wrath and condemnation. Paul is also very explicit that no one can be justified by living up to the law or by living up to the conscience of their heart because no one can live up to either standard.

Romans 2:11-16 — When the day of judgement comes, will the Jews have preferred treatment since they are God’s chosen people? In this sermon titled “The Judgment Throne of Christ” from Romans 2:11–16, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones proclaims that no one will have any possible argument or excuse concerning the day of wrath. God is always just and His judgement is always according to truth. Dr. Lloyd-Jones unfolds this passage, pointing out that Paul has divided humankind into two groups: those who are under the law and those who are without the law. These two groups are the Jews and the Gentiles, respectively. Paul points out that Jews, who were given the law, will be judged by the law. This will be a higher and more severe standard of judgement since having the law means they had more opportunity. This shows how God is impartial and His judgement is fair. In the same manner, those who have heard the gospel and have been able to grow in grace and maturity in the Lord have greater responsibility today.