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Sermon #3296

All of God

A Sermon on Romans 11:33-36

Originally preached May 28, 1965

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Scripture

Romans 11:33-36 ESV KJV
Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?” “Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?” …

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Sermon Description

God’s judgements and actions are something entirely incomprehensible to people. In this sermon on Romans 11:33–36 titled “All of God,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones dissects the tendency for humans to proclaim their independence. Salvation comes in and through God and there is nothing else people can do. Learn how humanity’s essential problem is their ignorance. People are always ready to give advice, but who can advise God? If one considers their state, they will realize that they are in sin and a hopeless debtor. “The whole of the cosmos is going to display... the glory of God.” From justification to glorification, it is all absolutely a work of God, void of any work of humanity. God is the Creator and Sustainer of all; salvation and the whole of life is for the glory of God. Look at creation and see how the world overflows with the glory of God. The listener is encouraged to contemplate their condition, confess that they are nothing, gladly acknowledge that they are what they are “solely by the grace of God,” and rejoice.

Sermon Breakdown

  1. The apostle Paul is amazed at God's plan of redemption and bursts into praise.
  2. Paul is contemplating God's plan to save both Jews and Gentiles.
  3. Paul is reflecting on all he has taught in Romans about salvation.
  4. Paul expresses God's wisdom, knowledge, and riches in salvation.
  5. God's ways and judgments in salvation are unsearchable and incomprehensible to humans.
  6. Salvation is completely independent of humans.
  7. No one knows God's mind or gives Him counsel.
  8. No one gives to God first so that He repays them.
  9. All things are from God, through God, and to God. To Him be the glory!
  10. Paul quotes Isaiah 40:13 and Job 41:11 to show God's independence from humans.
  11. There is irony and ridicule of human arrogance in Paul's quotes.
  12. Humans have no knowledge, wisdom, or anything to give to God.
  13. Humans are debtors, thieves, and ungrateful to God.
  14. If God accepted human counsel, all would be damned. Humans reject God's way.
  15. Salvation is by grace as a gift, not human works, so none can boast.
  16. God initiated, executed, and applies salvation for His own glory.
  17. Salvation is designed to display God's glory, not benefit humans primarily.
  18. Humans contribute nothing to salvation; it is all of God.
  19. The test of understanding salvation is whether one comes to praise God alone.
  20. Do you say "Amen" to God getting all glory in salvation? If not, you don't understand.

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.