Balancing Doctrine and Life in Christian Faith
Summary
In today's message, we explored the profound relationship between doctrine and life, emphasizing the necessity of maintaining a balance between intellectual understanding and spiritual experience. The Christian life is likened to a plane that must navigate between the mountains of intellectualism and emotionalism, with doctrine and life serving as its wings. Both are essential for a flourishing faith, and the absence of either can lead to a crash into extremes. Criticism from both sides can be a sign of balance, as it indicates a commitment to both truth and experience.
We delved into the life of Martyn Lloyd-Jones, a man who exemplified this balance. His journey from a promising medical career to a life of ministry in Wales and London was marked by a deep reliance on the Holy Spirit. Lloyd-Jones believed that the power of the gospel, not human efforts or modern attractions, was the true draw of the church. His ministry was characterized by a commitment to expository preaching and a reliance on the Spirit's power, which he believed was essential for true transformation.
Lloyd-Jones' life was a testament to the power of the gospel to change lives, as seen in the conversions that took place under his ministry. He resisted the pressures to conform to modern trends, instead advocating for a return to the basics of word and spirit. His legacy challenges us to seek the Spirit's power in both preaching and prayer, emphasizing that true effectiveness comes from God, not human effort.
Key Takeaways:
1. Doctrine and Life Balance: The Christian life requires a balance between doctrine and life, akin to a plane needing both wings to fly. Without this balance, we risk veering into intellectualism or emotionalism. Criticism from both sides can indicate a healthy balance, as it shows a commitment to both truth and experience. [06:41]
2. The Power of the Gospel: Martyn Lloyd-Jones' life demonstrated the transformative power of the gospel. He believed that the gospel, not human efforts or modern attractions, was the true draw of the church. His ministry saw numerous conversions, highlighting the gospel's ability to change lives. [26:46]
3. Expository Preaching and the Spirit: Lloyd-Jones emphasized the importance of expository preaching, which takes the word seriously and relies on the Spirit's power. He believed that without the Spirit, preaching is merely human oratory, but with the Spirit, it becomes a powerful tool for transformation. [42:16]
4. Praying in the Spirit: Praying in the Spirit involves relying on God's power rather than human effort. It transforms prayer from a struggle to a vibrant act of communion with God. Lloyd-Jones encouraged believers to seek the Spirit's power in prayer, emphasizing that true prayer is a spiritual activity. [52:33]
5. Responding to the Spirit's Prompts: Lloyd-Jones believed that the quickest way to quench the Spirit is to ignore an impulse to pray. He encouraged believers to prize these prompts and respond immediately, recognizing that the Spirit's guidance is essential for effective ministry. [57:55]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[05:05] - Doctrine and Life: The Two Wings
[06:41] - Criticism as a Sign of Balance
[08:35] - The Power of Word and Spirit
[13:05] - Martyn Lloyd-Jones' Life Journey
[21:54] - From Medicine to Ministry
[26:46] - Transformative Power of the Gospel
[30:10] - Ministry at Westminster Chapel
[33:32] - Challenges of Modern Church
[35:21] - Lloyd-Jones' Wider Ministry
[41:01] - Preaching in the Spirit
[52:33] - Praying in the Spirit
[57:55] - Responding to the Spirit's Prompts
[01:01:01] - Personal Testimony of Prayer
[01:02:55] - Closing Prayer
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
1. 1 Corinthians 2:2 - "For I determined not to know anything among you save Jesus Christ and him crucified."
2. Acts 1:8 - "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."
3. Ezekiel 37:1-14 - The vision of the valley of dry bones.
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Observation Questions:
1. What analogy does the sermon use to describe the balance needed in the Christian life, and what are the two extremes it warns against? [05:31]
2. How did Martyn Lloyd-Jones' view of the power of the gospel differ from the modern attractions of his time? [26:10]
3. What was the significance of Lloyd-Jones' experience at Westminster Chapel, and how did it influence his ministry? [22:12]
4. How did Lloyd-Jones respond to the pressures of modern church trends, and what was his primary focus in ministry? [31:44]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the analogy of a plane with two wings help us understand the importance of balancing doctrine and life in our faith journey? [06:06]
2. In what ways did Lloyd-Jones' medical background influence his understanding of spiritual needs and the power of the gospel? [20:23]
3. How does the sermon suggest that criticism from both sides can be a sign of a healthy balance in ministry? [06:41]
4. What role does the Holy Spirit play in both preaching and prayer according to Lloyd-Jones, and why is this significant for effective ministry? [42:16]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your own life: Do you find yourself leaning more towards intellectualism or emotionalism in your faith? How can you work towards a better balance? [06:06]
2. Lloyd-Jones emphasized the power of the gospel over modern attractions. Are there areas in your church or personal life where you rely more on human efforts than on the gospel's power? How can you shift this focus? [26:10]
3. Consider a time when you faced criticism in your faith journey. How did you respond, and what can you learn from Lloyd-Jones' approach to criticism? [06:41]
4. How can you incorporate the practice of praying in the Spirit into your daily routine? What steps can you take to rely more on God's power in your prayer life? [52:33]
5. Think about a recent impulse to pray that you ignored. What can you do to be more responsive to the Spirit's prompts in the future? [57:55]
6. Lloyd-Jones believed in the importance of expository preaching. How can you apply this principle to your personal Bible study or when sharing the Word with others? [42:16]
7. Identify one area in your life where you feel spiritually dry, like the valley of dry bones. What steps can you take to invite the Holy Spirit to bring new life into that area? [33:53]
Devotional
Day 1: Balancing Doctrine and Life
The Christian journey requires a delicate balance between doctrine and life, much like a plane needing both wings to fly. Without this balance, believers risk veering into the extremes of intellectualism or emotionalism. A healthy faith is marked by a commitment to both truth and experience, and criticism from both sides can be a sign of this balance. It indicates a dedication to maintaining a holistic approach to faith, where both the mind and heart are engaged. This balance is crucial for a flourishing faith that avoids the pitfalls of becoming too rigid or too ungrounded. [06:41]
"For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." (Romans 14:17, ESV)
Reflection: In what areas of your life do you find yourself leaning too heavily on either intellectual understanding or emotional experience? How can you begin to bring these into balance today?
Day 2: The Transformative Power of the Gospel
The life of Martyn Lloyd-Jones exemplifies the transformative power of the gospel. He believed that the gospel, rather than human efforts or modern attractions, was the true draw of the church. His ministry witnessed numerous conversions, highlighting the gospel's ability to change lives. This power is not dependent on human ingenuity but on the inherent truth and spirit of the gospel message. The gospel's transformative power is a testament to its divine origin and its ability to reach the deepest parts of the human soul, bringing about true and lasting change. [26:46]
"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek." (Romans 1:16, ESV)
Reflection: How have you seen the power of the gospel transform your life or the lives of those around you? What steps can you take to share this transformative power with someone today?
Day 3: The Importance of Expository Preaching
Martyn Lloyd-Jones emphasized the importance of expository preaching, which involves taking the word seriously and relying on the Spirit's power. He believed that without the Spirit, preaching is merely human oratory, but with the Spirit, it becomes a powerful tool for transformation. Expository preaching allows the scripture to speak for itself, revealing its truths in a way that is both profound and accessible. This approach to preaching ensures that the message remains grounded in the word of God, allowing the Spirit to work through it to bring about change in the hearts of listeners. [42:16]
"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness." (2 Timothy 3:16, ESV)
Reflection: How can you incorporate a deeper engagement with scripture into your daily routine? What steps can you take to allow the Spirit to guide your understanding of the word?
Day 4: Praying in the Spirit
Praying in the Spirit involves relying on God's power rather than human effort. It transforms prayer from a struggle to a vibrant act of communion with God. Martyn Lloyd-Jones encouraged believers to seek the Spirit's power in prayer, emphasizing that true prayer is a spiritual activity. This approach to prayer invites believers to move beyond rote recitation and into a dynamic relationship with God, where the Spirit guides and empowers their prayers. Praying in the Spirit opens the door to a deeper, more meaningful connection with God, where His presence and power are tangibly felt. [52:33]
"Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words." (Romans 8:26, ESV)
Reflection: In what ways can you invite the Holy Spirit to guide your prayer life today? How might this change the way you approach prayer?
Day 5: Responding to the Spirit's Prompts
Martyn Lloyd-Jones believed that the quickest way to quench the Spirit is to ignore an impulse to pray. He encouraged believers to prize these prompts and respond immediately, recognizing that the Spirit's guidance is essential for effective ministry. Responding to the Spirit's prompts requires sensitivity and a willingness to act, even when it may be inconvenient or challenging. This responsiveness is a key aspect of living a Spirit-led life, where believers are attuned to the Spirit's leading and ready to act in obedience. [57:55]
"And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, 'This is the way, walk in it,' when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left." (Isaiah 30:21, ESV)
Reflection: Can you recall a recent moment when you felt prompted by the Spirit? How did you respond, and what can you do to be more attentive to these prompts in the future?
Quotes
If you don't have emotion if all you have is doctrine you're going to beer off and crash into intellectualism if you don't have doctrine you're going to beer off and crash into emotionalism sensational ism you've got to have both wings of the plane for Christian for Christianity to flourish. [00:06:09]
He said the the way that you know that you're safe that you're flying the right way is if you're being criticized from both directions he says as long as I've been criticized from from both sides if as long as somebody is saying to me oh you're nothing but an intellectual always preaching doctrine and then others are saying oh you're nothing but a charismatic always preaching experience then I'm happy. [00:06:34]
Lloyd-Jones emphasized the importance of expository preaching, which takes the word seriously and relies on the Spirit's power. He believed that without the Spirit, preaching is merely human oratory, but with the Spirit, it becomes a powerful tool for transformation. [00:42:16]
He believed in the word and prayer I'm devoting myself to the apostolic aim resolving to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified and unless the spirit moves into that nothing will happen and at first nothing seemed to happen until conversions began to happen the life changing power of the gospel began to be on display among people that nobody thought could be saved. [00:26:46]
Lloyd-Jones said the impact of the Holy Spirit has an impact first on the preacher it gives clarity of thought clarity of speech ease of utterance a great sense of authority and confidence as you're preaching and awareness of power that's not your own thrilling through the whole of your body oh it's an indescribable sense of joy you are a man possessed taken hold of taken up. [00:48:22]
He said the difference between praying in the flesh and praying in the spirit is this prayer in the realm or the power of the flesh is relying upon your human ability and your effort to carry the prayer forward you can struggle to concentrate have your mind wander find it difficult to gather your thoughts and then you begin to rely upon human effort. [00:52:33]
Lloyd-Jones believed so much in prayer that he said the quickest way to quench the spirit is not to obey an impulse to pray you see why he said your flesh isn't gonna prompt you to pray the devil is not gonna prompt you to pray that's the spirit prize those prompts and give yourself to it right away. [00:57:55]
He said the church in her own leaders what happened they began to criticize this book listen to him talk about the word now they began to criticize this book they began to set themselves up as authorities to deny certain aspects of the teaching they deny the God of the Old Testament they don't believe in him they say they made a mere man out of the Lord of glory. [00:41:01]
He said what you need is expository preaching and anointed preaching expository preaching says you this you're taking the word seriously you're making sure that what you're preaching what you're saying comes out of the Bible always from it always that's the origin he practiced expository preaching in a day we're headed fallen into disuse. [00:42:16]
He said the quickest way to quench the spirit is not to obey an impulse to pray you see why he said your flesh isn't gonna prompt you to pray the devil is not gonna prompt you to pray that's the spirit prize those prompts and give yourself to it right away. [00:57:55]
He said the difference between praying in the flesh and praying in the spirit is this prayer in the realm or the power of the flesh is relying upon your human ability and your effort to carry the prayer forward you can struggle to concentrate have your mind wander find it difficult to gather your thoughts and then you begin to rely upon human effort. [00:52:33]
He said the impact of the Holy Spirit has an impact first on the preacher it gives clarity of thought clarity of speech ease of utterance a great sense of authority and confidence as you're preaching and awareness of power that's not your own thrilling through the whole of your body oh it's an indescribable sense of joy you are a man possessed taken hold of taken up. [00:48:22]
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