To Be Like Him
A Sermon on John 3:8
Originally preached Feb. 20, 1966
Scripture
8The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
Sermon Description
What does it mean to be like God? To answer this question, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones looks at what it does not mean. In this sermon from John 3:8 titled “To Be Like Him,” he says that religion is the greatest enemy of Christianity because it tells them that they can be like God by simply changing their external actions and that there is no need to have a new heart, mind, and spirit. But this false religious notion is wholly opposed to everything that Scripture teaches. To be like God is to live a new life that comes out of a true love for God and Jesus Christ. Those who are saved and born again have a true love for righteousness, and it is not burdensome. Christians must all ask these questions: “Are you living for yourself or for Christ? Are you living in light of the true righteousness of Jesus Christ, or is your life dominated by external changes in behavior?” This sermon calls all to forsake false religiosity and look to Christ for holiness. It calls the Christian to live as a creature that has totally been transformed in the gospel. This sermon is a vital message that every man, woman, and child needs to hear. It is the message of God’s grace and the gift of new life in Christ.
Sermon Breakdown
- The sermon is based on John 3:8 which talks about being born of the Spirit.
- Nicodemus was a religious man but needed to understand the new life in Christ which is different.
- Religion is concerned with behavior and appearance but not the inner person. It looks at the outside, not the inside.
- Christianity is about a new life and nature, not just following rules or codes. It is life from God in the soul.
- A test of this new life is a changed attitude to the world. There is no longer a love of the world.
- Another test is a love of righteousness. There is a desire and hunger for holiness, not just avoiding sin.
- The commandments are not grievous to those born of God. They do not find the Christian life narrow or against the grain.
- Those with this new life want to please God as their Father. They have a personal relationship with Him.
- Righteousness is the basis of fellowship and communion with God. Sin separates us from God.
- The purpose of salvation is to make us righteous and bring us to God. It is not just about forgiveness of sins.
- A desire for righteousness and holiness is greater than a desire for happiness or experiences.
- This new life produces the fruit of the Spirit like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
- The fruit of the Spirit is not manufactured or added on. It comes from within as a result of the life of God in the soul.
- Religion lacks the fruit of the Spirit. It is mechanical, lifeless, and joyless. True Christianity vibrant with life.
- We must go to God and ask Him to work this new life in us. We cannot give birth to ourselves.
The Book of John
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.