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Sermon #4200

Counterfeits

A Sermon on Ephesians 6:10-13

Originally preached Feb. 26, 1961

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Scripture

Ephesians 6:10-13 ESV KJV
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against …

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Sermon Description

What distinguishes counterfeit forms of Christianity from real Christianity? In this sermon on Ephesians 6:10–13 titled “Counterfeits,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones addresses false forms of Christianity and shows what makes them so different from biblical Christianity. He says that the cults always offer purely practical advice, but never any doctrine. This is wholly opposed to Christianity that grounds all life in teaching. The cults simply seek to make people’s lives more comfortable, but there is never true and lasting spiritual renewal. The true church of Jesus Christ is different because it alone has the gospel of God that is able to save to the fullest. God has the power to not only deliver from sin and judgment, but also to totally transform men and women. The church must stand against all false teaching and counterfeit forms of Christianity by boldly preaching the one and true gospel of Jesus Christ. This is a timely sermon for those dealing with cults and people involved in them because this sermon has the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the only true and lasting hope in this life.

Sermon Breakdown

  1. The devil has been actively trying to confuse Christians and discredit God's work since the beginning of the church.
  2. The devil's tactics can be grouped into general activities and personal individual activities. Currently discussing general activities.
  3. Heresies and apostasy are manifestations of the devil's work. Schism or false division in the church is also the devil's work.
  4. Cults have troubled the church from the beginning and are currently aggressive. Their rise is unsurprising given the current crises and difficulties people face.
  5. Cults are a condemnation of the Christian church for failing to function properly. People seek life, power, and certainty but fail to find it in the liberal church.
  6. A dead orthodoxy is as useless as liberalism in addressing people's needs. People turn to cults seeking what the church fails to provide.
  7. The cults' success shows the church's failure. Only a living, powerful, true Christianity can counter them.
  8. General tests like "doing good" are insufficient and even dangerous for determining whether a group is of God. Utilitarian tests are not enough.
  9. Objective tests are needed to provide standards. How people feel is less important than their relationship to God.
  10. The Pharisee felt good but was not justified before God. Feeling good proves nothing.
  11. Many non-Christian groups that deny God and the Bible can still do good and make people feel good. They are not necessarily Christian or of God.
  12. The cults start with the practical and subjective rather than doctrine. They rely on personal testimony and experience rather than Scripture.
  13. Christian teaching relies on Scripture and refers to it for authority. The creeds and confessions are summaries of biblical doctrine.
  14. The cults repeat a single idea or formula and lack the depth, breadth, and richness of Scripture.
  15. The cults focus on how their system can benefit individuals rather than on God and His glory.

The Book of Ephesians

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.