THE LLOYD-JONES LEGACIES: part 2

May 29th, 2009 by Todd Johnson

Most of you know what a fan I am of a 20th century preacher from Wales called David Martyn Lloyd-Jones (DMLJ).  His two part biography written by his associate Iain Murray is the standard and some of the best biography I’ve ever read.  I recently picked up a follow up volume written by Murray called Lloyd-Jones Messenger of Grace.  I’m going to post from this book some of what I’m reading so that (1) I can think about what I’m reading some more, and (2) others can benefit from the great life and ministry of DMLJ.

The first chapter of the book is entitled The Lloyd-Jones Legacies and there are six listed.  This is #2.

LEGACY #2 – THE TRUTH THAT CHRISTIANITY IS GOD-CENTERED RELIGION

God-centered Christianity does not mark churches in decline and it was rare in twentieth-century Britain.  In the Welsh chapel life of ML-J’s own background, the pulpit ethos was mainly sentimental, moralistic, and anecdotal.  It was worse in the many churches where liberal theology held sway; the message was akin to saying that a God of love exists for man’s comfort and happiness.  Even in evangelical circles the message of the gospel was too often reduced to the forgiveness to be gained by responding to Jesus Christ.  For Lloyd-Jones the whole approach was different.  Preaching needs to start from where the Bible starts: ‘In the beginning God’ – God Almighty, the Eternal, the Ruler and Judge of all.

“The Bible,” said Lloyd-Jones, “is the record of the activity of God.  God is the actor.  God is the center.  Everything is of God and comes from God, and turns to God.  It is God who speaks.  It is God who acts.  It is God who intervenes.  It is God who originates, who plans everything everywhere.”

Now it would be entirely incorrect to believe that DMLJ was disinterested in the needs of man and the application of the Bible to the lives of His hearers.. but he believed it is fatal to BEGIN with man and his needs rather than God and His glory.  His desire was to bring man a sense of God’s majesty and in turn to get a sense of our lives lived in response to it.

I think he was onto something, and my continual prayer is that my God-given opportunity to open the Bible with the company of God’s people will never come across as man-centered & self help, but God-centered and full of grace & truth.