The Spirit of Bondage
A Sermon on Romans 8:15
Originally preached Nov. 11, 1960
Scripture
15For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
Sermon Description
It is safe to say all battle with seasons of fear and worry. Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones shows two things that Paul is confirming in Romans 8:15: all who are led to Christ are children of God and those who are children of God no longer have a spirit of bondage or fear. In this sermon on Romans 8:15 titled “The Spirit of Bondage,” Dr. Lloyd-Jones points out that this means the spirit of bondage and fear always precedes the spirit of adoption. How would a Christian be truly convicted of their sin and desperation if they first did not have a spirit which convicted them of their guilt? This guilt shows just how much all are in need of a Savior. Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that Christians may experience this spirit of bondage to different degrees, but it does not mean that one person has sinned more than the other. The amount of sin does not matter, but it is the realization of that sin that is necessary to bring about true salvation. The Holy Spirit, which dwells in all Christians, is a spirit of truth and always produces a sense of sin and sense of conviction. The Holy Spirit cannot truly lead to God without showing how holy and just Christ is. All Christians have experienced this and can praise God who sends the Holy Spirit.
Sermon Breakdown
- The spirit of bondage always precedes the spirit of adoption. No one can come to Christ without first experiencing the spirit of bondage.
- The degree to which the spirit of bondage is experienced can vary in intensity for different people. Not everyone experiences it to the same degree.
- Those brought up in Christian homes can also experience the spirit of bondage. It is not determined by the amount of sin in one's life but rather one's realization of sin.
- There is a danger of "mere beliefism" - simply believing facts about Jesus without true conviction of sin. This is common for those in Christian homes but is not true conversion.
- The Holy Spirit, as the Spirit of truth and holiness, always produces a sense of sin and conviction. He reveals God's holiness and our sinfulness.
- The experience of the saints and testimony from revivals shows that as people grow in grace, they become more aware of their sin and dependence on Christ.
- Concern over lack of assurance or love for God is itself evidence of the spirit of bondage. The unregenerate man has no such concern.
- We must examine ourselves to see if we have known the spirit of bondage. If not, we must seek God until we can say we know Him and are His children.
- Knowledge of God, not upbringing or amount of sin, determines sense of sin and forgiveness. The more we know God, the more we see our sin.
- We must seek God and knowledge of Him. Then we will know our sin and need for Christ.
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.