Understanding Sin According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones: Ezekiel 36:16-20

What is the fundamental cause of all human troubles according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?

According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, man brings all his troubles upon himself through sin. He states, "Man's troubles are entirely due to his own fault. Man is as he is as the result of his own actions." This is the central diagnosis in his sermon on Ezekiel 36, where he emphasizes that our relationship with God is the most important aspect of our lives, and when we damage that relationship through sin, everything else falls apart.

Why does Dr. Lloyd-Jones believe that diagnosing sin must come before offering the remedy?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones compares spiritual diagnosis to medical practice, saying: "Surely the first thing that is absolutely necessary is that the cause of your trouble may be discovered... to medicate symptoms, to give relief to a man before you've discovered the cause of it is not only a dangerous thing, you're not being a friend to him even you're being his enemy." He argues that modern people often want to skip straight to hearing about God's love without understanding their condition, but this approach is spiritually dangerous.

What was the problem with the Israelites that led to their captivity in Babylon?

The Israelites didn't appreciate what God had done for them. As Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains: "When the house of Israel dwelt in their own land, they defiled it by their own way and by their doings." God had rescued them from slavery in Egypt, given them a promised land flowing with milk and honey, but they rebelled against Him, rejected His laws, and set up idols. Their ingratitude and rebellion against God's ways led directly to their punishment and exile.

What are the key characteristics of sin according to this sermon?

According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, sin: - Defiles God's work (including His image in mankind) - Insults God by setting up other gods or idols in His place - Gives God's enemies an opportunity to rejoice against Him - Is utterly offensive and abhorrent in the sight of a holy God - Will inevitably be punished by God

He describes sin not just as wrong actions but as something that fundamentally mars God's perfect creation and image in humanity.

How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones describe idolatry in modern terms?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that modern idolatry may not involve literal statues but is equally prevalent: "A man's God is that which he lives for. A man's God is that for which he spends his money and gives his time... that which he feels keenly about." He says modern people worship "their own country... themselves, their own position, their brains, their money, their position, their status, their wealth, their houses, their cars, their wives, their children." When these things take priority over God, they become idols.

What hope does Dr. Lloyd-Jones offer to those who realize their sin?

While most of the sermon focuses on diagnosis, Dr. Lloyd-Jones concludes with hope. He says that when anyone "realizes what he's done against God and drops before him and acknowledges it all in utter abasement in sackcloth and ashes, and cries out unto him for mercy and compassion, he will be met by the glorious announcement that God receives him." He explains that God has provided a way through His Son, who took our punishment, so we can receive "a free pardon and a full forgiveness and a cleansing and a renewal."