Spiritual Depression
A Sermon on Spiritual Depression from Romans 6:14
Scripture
14For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
Sermon Description
Why is it that some Christians experience spiritual depression? In this sermon on Romans 6:14 titled “Spiritual Depression,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones maintains that spiritual depression occurs wherever there is an ignorance of the Scriptures. He preaches this sermon, rooted in the apostle Paul’s text, to sum up a couple of his former sermons covering the Christian’s death to sin in Christ, as well as the Christian’s new life in Christ. Dr. Lloyd-Jones then expounds upon Paul’s application. If the Christian wants to live and enjoy the Christian life in victory, they have to realize the truths of their union with Christ. They are not commanded to act like it is true. They are told to realize, reckon, and regard that it is true. They are to be certain of victory over sin. The greatest comfort Christians can have in their spiritual depression is to know that because of the victory they have in Christ, sin no longer has dominion. Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that this can only be because of God’s grace. The law condemns, but God’s grace delivers. Under grace, Christians are brought more and more into God’s glory, so that they yield to sin less and less until they are completely delivered.
Sermon Breakdown
- The key to understanding this chapter and the Christian life is the doctrine of the union of the Christian with Christ. Everything that is true of Christ is true of us.
- We have died with Christ. We were crucified with him, died with him, buried with him, risen with him, and seated with him.
- We have risen with Christ. If we died with him, we will live with him. We are alive from the dead.
- We must apply this by reckoning ourselves dead to sin and alive to God. This is not pretending or acting as if it's true. It is realizing it is true.
- Sin remains in our mortal bodies. Our old self is dead but sin remains in our flesh. We are not yet perfect.
- We have victory over sin. Sin will not rule over us. This is certain because we are under grace, not law.
- Under law, sin has dominion over us. The law defines and stimulates sin. It shows what we should do but doesn't enable us.
- Under grace, we have a new nature and God's Spirit. God is bringing us to glory. Sin will not rule over us.
- Do not let sin reign in your body. Do not yield your members to sin. Yield yourselves to God. Mortify the deeds of the body.
- This is true victory. We are in Christ, dead to sin and alive to God. Sin will not rule over us. We must not let it. God is working in us.
Spiritual Depression
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.