Final Perseverance
A Sermon on Romans 11:16-22
Originally preached Feb. 12, 1965
Scripture
16For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches. 17And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of …
Sermon Description
Can Christians lose their salvation? There are few more contested and more important theological questions in Christianity. Many believers are plagued by doubts because they fear that they may fail to work out their own salvation and be eternally lost in hell. In this sermon on Romans 11:16–22 titled “Final Perseverance,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones offers solace to any fearful Christians. He says that the Bible never teaches that true believers can lose salvation. This is for the simple reason that it is God through His Son Jesus Christ who saves. Christians are not even saved by faith, first and foremost, but ultimately by Christ who grants them their faith. Jesus loves His people and He is both able and willing to guard them from ever falling away. What about those passages that speak of the need to persevere? The Holy Spirit uses many means to build up Christians in faith and joy and these passages that warn Christians not to fall away are one of these means that God uses to preserve those He loves. What about people who say they are Christians and stop believing? There are many who are self-deceived and think that they are saved, but their life shows that this is not a true work of God. The glorious truth of the gospel is that Jesus saves all those that He loves and He will lose no one.
Sermon Breakdown
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The sermon begins by introducing Romans 11:16-22 as the passage to be examined. Dr. Lloyd-Jones states that the best way to understand this passage is through exposition, extracting the doctrine and teaching, considering the problems it raises, and applying it to the current situation.
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Dr. Lloyd-Jones identifies the problem raised in this passage as whether faith and belief save and keep us, contradicting justification by faith alone and assurance of salvation. Dr. Lloyd-Jones aims to resolve this problem.
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Dr. Lloyd-Jones says we should never base doctrine on one isolated passage but compare Scripture with Scripture. Scripture does not contradict itself as the Word of God. We should move from clear teachings to unclear passages.
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Clear teachings show election, assurance, and perseverance of the saints. God foreknew and predestined the elect. Nothing can separate us from God's love. We have eternal life and will never perish.
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If ultimate salvation depended on us, we would get the credit and glory. None would be saved as all fail and sin. It would be precarious and allow Satan to triumph. Salvation depends on God alone to succeed.
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The warnings in Scripture are addressed to the visible church and professing believers, not the elect. Israel in Romans 11 refers to ethnic Israel, not the remnant of believing Jews. Warnings in other passages also refer to professing believers, not the elect.
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The purpose of these warnings is to warn the elect against presumption, carelessness, and pride. They are God's means of securing the perseverance of the saints.
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Only the elect are troubled by these warnings. The unregenerate are self-satisfied. Fear of falling away shows one is in the olive tree. God uses warnings to ensure the elect persevere to glory.
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We should praise God for His grace in election and calling us. We do not deserve or fully understand it but rejoice in it as our only hope. We must never boast in ourselves but work out our salvation in fear of God.
Sermon Q&A
Questions and Answers from Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' Sermon on Romans 11:16-22
What problem does Romans 11:22 raise regarding the doctrine of perseverance of the saints?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, Romans 11:22 raises a problem because it appears to suggest that believers can lose their salvation. The verse states, "Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off." This seems to contradict the doctrine of the final perseverance of the saints, suggesting that our continuation in God's goodness depends on our own efforts rather than God's preserving grace.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones reconcile the apparent contradiction between election and human responsibility in this passage?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones reconciles this by explaining that the passage is addressing the visible church (the realm of profession) rather than the elect specifically. He distinguishes between "Israel after the flesh" (external Israel) and "Israel after the spirit" (the true elect). The warnings are directed at the general body of professing believers, not the truly regenerate elect. These warnings serve as the means by which God actually secures the perseverance of His saints, putting "fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from Him" (Jeremiah 32:40).
What method does Dr. Lloyd-Jones suggest for approaching difficult biblical passages?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones suggests a methodical approach to difficult passages: (1) Start with the facts clearly presented in the text; (2) Find similar statements elsewhere in Scripture; (3) Never base doctrine on an isolated passage but compare Scripture with Scripture; (4) Remember that Scripture does not contradict itself; (5) Move from the known to the unknown - approach difficulties from established positions; and (6) Consider the clear, unmistakable teachings of Scripture on the subject before addressing the difficult passage.
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones say about John 15 and the branches being cut off?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that John 15, with its imagery of branches being cut off, is primarily dealing with the realm of service and fruitfulness, not salvation. The context is about bearing fruit in Christian service. A Christian who loses living contact with Christ becomes useless from the standpoint of service but isn't necessarily losing salvation. The parable addresses effectiveness in ministry rather than eternal security.
What is the purpose of warnings in Scripture according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, the warnings in Scripture serve to "warn the elect and to keep them from the subtlety of the devil, from presumption, from carelessness, and above all, from pride." These warnings are actually the means by which God secures the perseverance of His saints. As he notes from Jeremiah 32:40, God puts His fear in believers' hearts that they shall not depart from Him. The warnings are God's way of ensuring believers remain faithful, not evidence that true believers can fall away.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones interpret Hebrews 6 regarding falling away?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones interprets Hebrews 6 as referring to people in "the realm of profession" who appear to be Christians but were never truly regenerate. He states, "There's not a word said in Hebrews 6 that those people were truly regenerate and born again. You can have wonderful experiences and still not be born again." These are individuals who had some spiritual experiences but never possessed saving faith or genuine spiritual life.
Who is most troubled by warnings about falling away according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones observes that "the only people who are ever frightened by a statement such as this are true Christian people." Temporary believers or mere professors are typically self-satisfied and undisturbed by such warnings. Those who fear they might have fallen away or are in danger of being cut off demonstrate by their very concern that they are genuine believers. He states, "Show me a man who's disturbed and somewhat alarmed by these statements, and I will show you a Christian."
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones explain the distinction between the two Israels?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that there are "two Israels" - an external, physical Israel (Israel after the flesh) and a spiritual, inner Israel (Israel after the spirit). He references Romans 9:6: "Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel that are of Israel." The external Israel represents those who are merely physical descendants, while the spiritual Israel represents the true elect of God, the genuine believers chosen by God's grace.
The Book of Romans
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.