I thought it important to quote the following excerpt from the sermon below, by MLJ; it is reposted for the convenience of any who might want to hear that section or more.
I was aware that Christians are soldiers in the army of the Lord Jesus Christ, but the words in the quotation that I underscored caused me to see that concept differently than I had previously seen it.
I underscored the parts that were not on MLJTrust’s points but were very significant to me.
Begin quotation, at the 6-minute, 20-second mark:
Hebrews 2:10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
Heb 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith….
“…here is the first thing that we have to realize … we must get a true conception of this salvation that we’re enjoying. The danger always is, of course, to look at it in a purely personal and subjective manner. Now, we’ve got to do that. There are some people who never realize the personal side, and they’re equally wrong, but it’s wrong to go to either of these extremes.
The danger so often is that we think of this whole position of ours in the Christian life as something that we’ve got to do. Well, I’m going to emphasize that we have a great deal to do, but before we come to that, we must never lose sight of this: that salvation is something that is of God.
It is God’s great plan. It is God’s scheme. It is something that God is doing. It’s something that God has planned and originated. He’s initiated the movement and he’s carrying it on.
Now, this, to me, is one of the most fundamental things we can grasp in connection with this particular teaching. God is involved in this question of your salvation and ours much more than we are ourselves.
Now, it is because we so often forget that and think of it as primarily something that is ours and that we’ve got to do and that we turn to God for help.
Now, that’s quite the wrong way around. It’s God’s original and we are simply brought into it.
Well, why does that help us? Well, it helps us in this way that we must realize that we are individual units in a great army. We are not fighting some personal, private war. That is not the position at all.
We are simply individual soldiers in a great army which is fighting a great campaign.
In other words, the real thing, the ultimate thing, is not so much even my fight with the devil as God’s fight with the devil. That’s the way to look at it. And the moment you begin to do that, it gives you great strength.
Well, take the obvious analogy:
The private soldier there in the ranks or in the trenches during a great battle, in a great war, he’s not fighting a private battle.
He’s not there because he’s got some personal quarrel. No, he’s just a unit in this great campaign.
He doesn’t decide the strategy, doesn’t decide the tactics, all that is in other hands. He’s in it, he’s been called into it, he’s been put into his position; but it isn’t his battle.
It’s the battle of the king or the queen of the country.
And there is a general commanding, a captain of the salvation of the army and the fight.
Now that is the idea that is taught everywhere in the New Testament. I know of nothing that is not only so comforting and solacing, but so encouraging; nothing which so lifts one up as to realize just this….
End point, 10-minute, 16-second mark.
[He then got into how Israel never saw their battles as he stated above, but as their own personal conflict that they had to resolve….]
BELOW, THE SERMON AND MLJTRUST’S POINTS ARE RE-POSTED FOR ANY WHO MIGHT WANT TO HEAR THE SERMON.
The sermon of this post is from the YouTube site, MLJTrust, linked below:
God’s Battle; not Ours (Remastered)
Jan 21, 2025
A sermon by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones on Ephesians 6.10-13 https://www.mljtrust.org/sermons/book…
“Armor of God” playlist: • Introduction ― A Sermon on Ephesians …
Sermon Description [by MLJTrust]:
How are Christians related to the power of God?
In this sermon on Ephesians 6.10–13 titled “God’s Battle, not Ours,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains that Christians must remember that Jesus Christ is the captain of their salvation. Salvation is God’s work.
Christians are individual soldiers in a great army fighting a great campaign. The ultimate perspective is not the individual’s fight, but God’s.
The battle is the Lord’s. God is “leading many sons to glory” according to His scheme.
The appointed leader of this plan is Jesus and as the Christian fights, they must remember that God is involved in it all with them. Therefore, they must realize this: this fight cannot fail because God’s honor is in it.
This means their salvation is secure. Christians cannot “fall from grace,” because to do so means the power of God fails and the devil wins. That does not happen. Therefore those who are in Christ are secure and kept by the power of God at work in them.
The devil can shout, rail, and threaten, but he cannot touch those in the kingdom of Christ. All believers are members of the body of Christ, empowered by His Spirit, and therefore kept from the devil triumphing over them in the end.
Sermon Breakdown [by MLJTrust]:
- We must realize our need for strength because of the power of the enemy.
- We must realize our need for strength because of our own weakness.
- We must realize God’s strength. God is involved in our salvation much more than we are.
- God is the captain of our salvation. We are individual units in God’s army fighting God’s battle.
- God’s almighty power is being exercised on our behalf, even when we are unaware of it. God cares for us and his care for us is greater than we realize.
- God’s power is working in us, not just around us. We would never have been in the Christian life were it not for God’s power working in us.
- God’s power continues to work in us, strengthening our inner being.
- The power that works in us is the Holy Spirit. The Spirit works in us mightily.
- The doctrine of the church implies this power working in us. The church is the body of Christ, and Christ is the head. The power in the head works in all members of the body.
- The Holy Spirit dwells in us, giving us power and making intercession for us.
MLJTrust Video-page link: https://www.youtube.com/@MLJTrust/videos
Playlist-page link: https://www.youtube.com/@MLJTrust/playlists
Featured Image: Martyn Lloyd-jones & Quote Portrait Sketch Art Reformed – Etsy etsy.com