What Were the Contributing Factors to the Moral Decline in Society According to Lloyd-Jones?

According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, several factors contributed to the moral decline in society:

1. The reaction against Victorianism at the end of the 19th century - Lloyd-Jones criticized Victorian "respectability, pomposity, and hypocrisy" which ultimately undermined true Christianity.

2. The influence of novelists - He noted that "novelists have often been responsible for some of the most serious moral problems in this country," mentioning Oscar Wilde specifically.

3. The Edwardian period (1901-1914) - He called this "in many ways the cause of our present troubles" as "license was beginning to manifest itself, led quite often by the monarch himself."

4. World War I - Lloyd-Jones stated that "war always does infinite harm to morality and right living."

5. The negative influence of the press - He argued the press "is terribly responsible for the present state of morals," as journalists "began to poison the whole climate of thought."

6. The theological shift - Most importantly, he identified the "higher critical attitude towards the Bible" beginning in the 1830s as the fundamental cause, where "revelation was dismissed and denounced and it was replaced by reason."

What Did Lloyd-Jones Identify as the Real Cause of Society's Problems?

According to Lloyd-Jones, the real and ultimate cause of society's problems is theological. He stated: "The real trouble is theological. Whether you like it or not, my friends, our present troubles are ultimately theological troubles. And they can't be understood nor explained in any other manner."

Specifically, Lloyd-Jones pointed to several key theological shifts:

1. The rejection of the Bible as divine revelation in favor of human reason
2. The rise of Darwinism (after 1859) which undermined biblical creation
3. The influence of Freudian psychology and behaviorism that reduced humans to merely biological creatures
4. The rejection of the supernatural realm and belief that "there's no God" and "no mind at the back of the universe"
5. The loss of absolute moral standards, replacing them with relativism where "so-called morals are just the approved behavior patterns of the majority"

Lloyd-Jones summarized: "You can't understand the present position unless you realize that the thinking of the vast majority of the people is governed and determined by what they regard as science."

How Did Lloyd-Jones View the Role of Science in Relation to Society's Moral Problems?

Lloyd-Jones had a nuanced view of science in relation to society's moral problems:

1. He distinguished between legitimate science and dogmatic scientism. He quoted Nobel Prize-winning neuroscientist Sir John Eccles who said "dogmatism has now become a disease of scientists, rather than of theologians."

2. He criticized the "materialistic, mechanistic, behavioristic" concepts that dominated scientific research, which reduced humans to mere animals or machines.

3. He argued that scientific claims were often presented with "tremendous dogmatism" rather than as theories, leading people to accept them uncritically.

4. He pointed out that even great scientists were beginning to question purely materialistic explanations, quoting Sir John Eccles: "Science is in danger of becoming some great monster, feared and worshipped by men."

5. Lloyd-Jones didn't reject science itself but rejected its overreach into areas beyond its competence, particularly when it made dogmatic claims about human nature, morality, and existence.

He summarized this by saying: "We've regarded the scientist as a god, and we've accepted his every verdict," which has led people to "no longer believe in God nor in the real truth about man, nor the way to live, nor the way to die."

What Did Lloyd-Jones Propose as the Solution to Society's Moral Crisis?

Lloyd-Jones proposed a clear spiritual solution to society's moral crisis:

1. Return to biblical Christianity - "The message of the gospel is the only hope," he declared, as all other solutions (education, culture, politics, sociology) had failed.

2. Individual Christian action - He urged Christians with gifts in writing, science, politics, etc., to use their positions to "expose these heresies" and challenge false thinking in their specific fields.

3. The church's proclamation, not mere protest - "The church must never be, nor ever become, or even give the appearance of being a protest movement." Instead, it should show compassion and preach the gospel.

4. Proclaiming fundamental truths:

5. The reality of God as sovereign
6. The special creation and dignity of humans
7. The reality of sin and judgment
8. The offer of salvation through Christ

9. The possibility of new life through being born again

10. Spiritual revival - "The complete need of this hour is a spiritual revival. That the church is filled with the Spirit of God. Nothing else is going to save us."

Lloyd-Jones emphasized that moral reformation cannot succeed without theological foundation: "You cannot hold on to the ethic without the dogma." Therefore, true societal transformation requires spiritual renewal, not merely moral campaigns.

How Did Lloyd-Jones Describe the Relationship Between the Church and the State?

Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones described the relationship between the church and the state as "an indirect one and not a direct one." He elaborated on this relationship in several important ways:

1. The church should not be seen as part of the establishment: "The church is not a branch of the establishment. The church is not here to preserve the status quo. The church is never meant to be the bulwark of respectability and decency."

2. The church's primary role is spiritual, not political: "The business of the church is not to improve society. All that is the business of the state."

3. The church influences society by producing Christians, not by direct political action: "Our business is to preach this message to individuals, and is to produce more Christians. That's the task of the church, to produce more Christians. And when there are more and more and more Christians, their vote will count, and the state will listen."

4. The church should not focus on lobbying: "That's not to be sending resolutions to the prime minister or to the leader of the opposition, not to be lobbying."

5. The church's influence comes through proclamation, not political maneuvering: "We are to proclaim to Parliament," rather than trying to manipulate the political process.

Lloyd-Jones believed that when the church focuses on its spiritual mission of proclaiming the gospel and producing genuine Christians, society would be transformed as a result, rather than through direct political engagement by the church as an institution.