God's Work is Certain
A Sermon on Romans 8:32
Originally preached April 6, 1962
Scripture
32He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
Sermon Description
Can God’s love for His children ever change or lessen? Is there any power that can pluck the believer from God’s hand? In this sermon on Romans 8:32 titled “God’s Work is Certain,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones expounds on the apostle Paul’s teaching of final perseverance for the saints. Paul demonstrates in his argument that God’s love cannot possibly fail or lessen for His children. This faithful love that does not lessen has implications for God’s disposition towards believers - if God is for us and His love is certain, then who or what is capable of taking us from God’s hands? The answer is no one and nothing. The impossibility of God’s love changing towards His children is important for it has further implications regarding the Christian’s salvation. Just as certain as God’s unchanging love is towards His Children, so is it thus inconceivable for God to fail to continue his work in believers from justification on to glorification. His work and his love are certain and secure, thus providing full assurance of the final perseverance of the saints.
Sermon Breakdown
- The object of the argument is to prove that God's love to us can never fail or lessen.
- The method of argument is arguing from the greater to the lesser. If God has done the greatest thing (giving His Son), He will surely do lesser things (give us all things).
- The argument is based on facts (the cross) and doctrines (the meaning of the cross).
- The assurance comes from understanding the doctrines, not just the facts.
- The argument depends on grasping that it was God acting on the cross, not just men or the devil. Multiple Bible verses show it was God's plan and purpose.
- Jesus is God's "own Son," not just a man or a Son in the general sense. He is the eternal Son, one with the Father.
- Every word of the verse is important to understand the glory and love of God.
- We must not detract from the meaning and glory of what God has done through Jesus.
- We need to see these truths so our whole being goes out in praise, worship, and adoration.
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.