The Called of Jesus Christ
A Sermon on Romans 1:6-7
Originally preached Jan. 13, 1956
Scripture
6Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ: 7To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Sermon Description
Why does God love people? Many believe He loves those who do good. This belief stems from the idea that one must first change and then God will love them. Is His loved based on human ability to change? In this sermon on Romans 1:6–7 titled “The Called of Jesus Christ,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains that God’s love is not contingent on the person changing, but just the opposite. That change is based on God’s love. Christians are not those who are earning love from God, but rather Christians are those who already are loved by God. Listen as Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that God loves His people in the same way He loves His Son. This love is based purely on His grace and it’s a love that has the power to change. Because of His love, Christians are called the beloved; they are called saints. The motivation to change is no longer based upon human hope that God might accept them. The motivation to change now comes from the call: “Be who you are.” If Christians are indeed the beloved of God, let them display it. If they are indeed saints, let them show that they are saints. Christians are who they are by grace and distinct from the world, that they may glorify God.
Sermon Breakdown
- The apostle Paul is addressing the Christians in Rome directly.
- Paul begins by describing himself as a servant of Jesus Christ and called to be an apostle.
- Paul then summarizes the Gospel message.
- Paul now comes to describe the Christians in Rome. He gives a general description of them as "the called of Jesus Christ". This means they belong to Jesus Christ.
- Paul then gives a particular description of the Christians in Rome. They are:
- Beloved of God: They are loved by God in the same way Jesus is loved. This is why they are Christians.
- Called: They have been effectually called by God through the preaching of the Gospel and the power of the Holy Spirit. Not all who hear the Gospel are called, only some.
- Saints: They have been separated from the world and separated to God. All Christians are saints. They have been set apart for God's purposes.
- Paul uses the same terms to describe the Christians in Rome as he uses to describe himself. All Christians are the same.
- We must compare the Christians in Rome to the pagan Gentiles described at the end of Romans 1 to fully appreciate what God has done.
- We should live out the reality of being beloved of God, called, and saints. We should be separate from the world.
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.