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Sermon #3066

Glory Begun Below

A Sermon on Romans 5:1-2

Originally preached Nov. 15, 1957

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Scripture

Romans 5:1-2 ESV KJV
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. (ESV)

Sermon Description

The apostle Paul saw the glory of God when he was on his way to persecute Christ’s church. In this sermon titled “Glory Begun Below,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones preaches this powerful sermon from Romans 5:1–2 which shows that it is the risen Christ who appeared to Paul and changed him from a Pharisee persecuting the church to a follower of Christ. When anyone sees the glory of God, they are transformed and made new, just as the apostle Paul. How does one see this glory? While today’s Christians do not have experiences as the apostles did, God still shows His glory in this life through many of His everyday graces. The glory of God is encountered while experiencing the grace of God at regeneration. But ultimately, the glory of God will be seen on the last day when the Christian’s salvation is brought to completion. Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones is emphatic that salvation is a process that ends when the Christian is made like Christ, purged of all sin and made pure by His glory. The question that all must all ask is this: “have we experienced this glory?” If the listener has not, this sermon brings the most important message for this life.

Sermon Breakdown

  1. The apostle Paul is reminding the Roman Christians about the doctrine of justification by faith. If they understand this doctrine, they will have assurance of their final and complete salvation.

  2. In Romans 5:1-2, Paul shows three things that follow from the doctrine of justification: peace with God, access into grace, and rejoicing in hope of the glory of God.

  3. "Rejoice" here means to boast, glory, or exalt. Paul is saying we boast in the hope of the glory of God.

  4. To "rejoice in hope of the glory of God" means:

  5. Looking forward to seeing the glory of God and Christ without a veil

  6. Looking forward to our own glorification - receiving a perfect, glorified body and being freed from sin

  7. Paul had glimpses of this glory, like on the road to Damascus. Other examples include Stephen seeing the glory of God as he was martyred and Peter, James and John at the Transfiguration.

  8. Our glorification is an essential part of our salvation, though it is often neglected. We will be raised, changed, and glorified.

  9. We were meant to reflect God's glory, but lost that ability after the Fall. But through Christ, we will have that glory again.

  10. Philippians 3:21 says Christ will transform our lowly bodies to be like his glorious body.

  11. The whole creation is waiting for our glorification (Romans 8:18-23).

  12. 1 John 3:2 says that when Christ appears, we shall be like him.

  13. The process of glorification has already begun in us (2 Corinthians 3:18). We are being changed into Christ's image from glory to glory.

  14. Christ in us is the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27). Glory has begun below.

  15. We should make the same "jump" Paul does from justification to glorification. They are inseparable, given by the same God.

  16. We can have assurance of salvation and glorification. Uncertainty is unscriptural.

  17. We should rejoice in hope of the glory of God. We should be certain of these things and boast in them.

  18. To see God's glory, we must look to the unseen, eternal things (2 Corinthians 4:17-18), not earthly things. We must set our minds on things above (Colossians 3:2).

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.