The Devil and the Nations – Martyn Lloyd-Jones – [Syncretism Part 3]

Michael A

5 months ago

The sermon by MLJ in this post deals with how the Devil works in individuals and nations, causing them to oppose God’s work in the world.

During the past few years, I heard Dr. John MacArthur preach numerous sermons about the restraints that God placed in society. He identified those and emphasized that our government is deliberately rebelling against God by legislating sin; by embracing Marxism which opposes the family (including abortion and transgenderism); by not punishing criminals….

MacArthur was basically addressing a problem that MLJ covers in this sermon. Their sermons overlap somewhat. MLJ focused on describing how the Devil and his minions stir up evil in the world to hinder God’s work. MacArthur (in his full sermons) focuses on what men are doing to fight God by removing restraints He ordained in the social realm, including in their personal lives, families, and governments.

In other words, MacArthur’s sermons illustrate the concepts that MLJ is teaching. That is, the Devil is subtle and effective and easily succeeds in using people to oppose God….

In case you think this is a boring topic, it will help make the events of the past decade become more understandable. Global elites have progressively become more blatant about what they are orchestrating to establish global control.

Knowing what these two preachers have taught on this matter will facilitate the development of your Christian worldview and help you to see that God reigns no matter how chaotic our society has been.

So, the following short from GTY should be considered as an introduction to MLJ’s sermon. If you want to know more of what MacArthur preached in that sermon, see the link to his full sermon below the MLJ sermon.

Description of MLJ’s sermon:

The Devil and the Nations (Remastered)

The following sermon is from the YouTube site, MLJTrust.

A sermon by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones on Ephesians 6.10-13 https://www.mljtrust.org/sermons/book…

“Anything that turns into a worship of a man or of a state or of a system, anything that demands a totalitarian allegiance is demonic.” ―Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Ephesians 6:10-13 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against …

Sermon Description by MLJTRUST [divided for ease of reading]:

Secular politicians, newspapers, and the media look at conflict and wars around the world and cite economic and political factors as the cause.

In this sermon on Ephesians 6:10–13 titled “The Devil and the Nations,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones states that this sort of reductionism demonstrates that natural humanity is preoccupied with the symptoms but not concerned with the true cause.

Great conflict and war, according to the Scriptures, is the arena of a much deeper reality than economics or politics.

The answers provided by politicians to a restless world will never be sufficient. Only the Bible gives an adequate answer to these things. The apostle Paul says that Christians wrestle not with flesh and blood but against principalities and powers.

At the levels of the individual and national, this world is the arena of spiritual conflict. The devil and demonic powers are at work together with the pride, greed, and lusts of people to usurp God’s authority.

God has responded to this demonic influence by instituting human government to restrain and punish evil. Ultimately, however, God has answered this demonic threat by sending Christ to crush the seed of the serpent.

Listen to Dr. Lloyd-Jones as he expounds this text and answers important questions for what these truths mean for today.

Sermon Breakdown by MLJTrust:

The Christian views days like Remembrance Day differently from non-Christians.
The Bible teaches that the ultimate cause of wars is spiritual, not merely human or economic. Wars are the result of the devil and evil spiritual forces operating in the world.
The devil causes wars by promoting lawlessness, pride, greed, selfishness, and distrust between people and nations.
Examples of how the devil has caused wars include: Cain and Abel, King Ahab taking Naboth’s vineyard, the people before the flood, the tower of Babel, and wars between Israel and other nations.
The devil not only generally promotes sin and evil, but sometimes directly inspires demonic leaders like Nebuchadnezzar, Antiochus Epiphanes, and Hitler.
God has instituted temporary measures to restrain evil like establishing human governments and allowing the rise and fall of world powers. But His ultimate solution is the kingdom of God through Jesus Christ.

Christians should avoid and restrain the causes of war, refuse to fight in aggressive wars, but aid governments in restraining evil. Pacifism is unbiblical.

The future will continue to see wars and turmoil until Christ returns, so Christians should not put their hope in human peace efforts but look forward to Christ’s return.

THE FOLLOWING HIGHLIGHTS WERE PREPARED BY MICHAEL A:

The following points are highlights to the sermon of this post. I decided to add more points than were provided by MLJTrust because this sermon ties together a lot of my recent posts: on Marx and the Devil; on Trump’s populace movement vs the Marxist dems; and on spiritual warfare.

In this sermon, MLJ focused on showing how it is that the Devil aims to hinder the work of God in the earth: by stirring up chaos. That is clearly seen in the Marxist leftist democrat party via their condoning or permitting evil by not punishing crime; by themselves, behaving in a manner that indicates they are above the law….

This sermon puts such things into a biblical context and makes them clear to Christians; it also provides a direction.

Highlights [any bracketed statements, underscoring or emboldening are mine]:

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God
The above is so because we have a new mind
Therefore, everything that happens to a Christian could be considered a test; his reaction to everything is different – examples given
He framed his examples around the celebration of ‘remembrance’ day [Memorial Day?]
He distinguished the biblical and the secular perspectives on that day
This world is an arena in which a great spiritual conflict is occurring: God and His kingdom vs the Devil and his kingdom
The fall and its doctrine sheds light on the 20^th century that all human systems cannot comprehend
Therein, the Devil tempted, men fell; the Devil and his powers have since been dominating in the earth
The Devil exerts his power by attacking the minds of humans, their moral natures and bodies
The Devil does not confine himself to the attacking of individuals, but attacks states, nations and continents
There have been two world wars in this century and we may be on the brink of a third [he probably preached this message between 1955-65]
People don’t usually seek to understand causes of war, but focus on more superficial aspects such as armaments
The Bible focuses on root causes, fundamental explanations:
What is the cause of war?
We wrestle not against flesh and blood = spiritual causes
People would blame Kaiser, Hitler, Stalin… for war
They would attribute war to economic or to political problems; that is, they would identify the causes as deriving from man and his systems
What is the cause of war then?
It is entirely caused by the Devil and his agents
He establishes chaos to oppose God
He establishes turmoil, discord, confusion… inevitably, war
He has been doing such throughout history
James 4:1 What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? 2 You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask
The Devil opposes God’s handiwork, which was established in order and perfection
The Devil works on our minds and moral nature to stir up our lusts… inner conflict and wars ensue; he therein seeks to produce lawlessness, rebellion
He also attacks us via stirring up pride, greed, selfishness… [those things we are subject to since the fall]
Examples discussed: Cain and Abel; Naboth’s vineyard; pre-flood society (as described in Gen 6); tower of Babel
Although the Devil stays mostly in the background, he insinuates such ideas into individuals and nations [to insinuate: hint slyly; infuse subtly, artfully; to introduce into a position via artful methods]
Another element of the above scenario: the demonic element:
The story of Nebuchadnezzar from Daniel 4- wherein, he set himself up to be worshiped
Because of his pride, God sent him into the wilderness for 7 years; i.e., humbled him to reveal that there is only one God; God alone is to be worshiped
Early Christians had to deal with this in Rome, Caesar as Lord movement
Mohammed and Hitler explained as having been such men
The demonic element is also apparent in a system like communism wherein the state is set up as a god to be worshiped
[In a recent post herein, Marx relationship with the Devil was explained. This element was not therein identified, but ought to be factored in]
Anything that demands totalitarian worship is demonic
Evidences of such in Britain
A second principle:
What has God been doing in light of this activity of the Devil; regarding principalities, powers, world rulers, spiritual darkness?
Temporary and permanent measures by God:
Temporary measures:
The governments and powers that be are ordained by God, as in Romans 13
God introduced the notion of government because of the above work of the Devil
Government was given the sword by God, the power to make laws and to enforce them
Therefore, government’s primary task is to preserve law and order and to prevent chaos [we experienced social chaos in the summer of 2020]
[We have been witnessing what happens in a government that takes up the causes of the Devil for the past several years: legislating sin; not punishing criminals or enforcing laws that were previously legislated to bring order in the social realm; punishing law-abiding citizens; having open borders and letting harm come to innocent citizens…]
[In a recent post, Marx and the Devil, it was noted again that Marxism takes as its mentor, Lucifer. Most recently stated by Saul Alinsky, the mentor of H Clinton and B Obama via Alinsky’s book, Rules for Radicals]
[John MacArthur has emphasized the demonic element in the Biden administration in numerous sermons since 2020; especially when MacArthur was resisting LA county, refusing to shut down church as LA demanded he do- by the grace of God, he won that lawsuit]
As part of His temporary measures, God has permitted certain powers to arise and to arrogate to themselves almost endless power
In history, many individuals and nations have attempted to rule the world
[We have been witnessing such a movement among the global elites in our day; they have embraced that demonic element, inherent in Marxism; unleashed the plandemic, vax and mask mandates, lockdowns; attempted to stop farming and to introduce famine… ]
[Has God used Trump and his supporters to crush that movement? As history continues to unfold, we will likely ascertain]
In history, many such men and nations have excused their efforts to dominate by claiming they would establish peace once they were in control
God has permitted such movements to rise up and to present as unstoppable, like they were gods; but when those reached their zenith, they were crushed by Him
Daniel chapters 4 (Nebuchadnezzar); and 5 (Belshazzar) are only two biblical examples
Every empire should beware, those who become deluded, thinking they can achieve world dominance, will certainly be brought down by God
MLJ cited Belshazzar and his concubines celebrating idolatry and using the golden cups from Nebuchadnezzar’s sacking of Jerusalem, from which to drink wine; God sent a hand to write on the wall and Belshazzar’s reign ended that night (Daniel 5)
God’s ultimate measure: the gospel of God
[For context: Genesis 3:14 The LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life.]
Genesis 3:15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”
[Genesis 3:15 is known as the protoevangelium, it will be the subject of the next post; it is the first mention of the gospel of grace. If you would like to know more, the article I will be posting is from Got Questions is linked below]
God introduced His new kingdom, beginning in Eden; being progressively revealed throughout the Old Testament and completed in Revelation
The kingdom of God, of light, of heaven is coming. Its citizens are being gathered together until the final clash after which Christ, the Prince of Peace and King of Righteousness will reign supreme over all
Third Principle:
What is the Christian’s duty in light of the above?
To avoid and to restrain all causes of war
To arrest and subjugate the forces of evil
To punish evil and to keep it in bounds
Regarding the three points above: pacifism is heretical; the Bible indicates that a Christian is to engage against the forces of evil even if that means war
[Consider the administrations of Trump prior to 2020 and Biden since 2020 – Trump, although not presenting as, for example, a biblical Christian; nevertheless, conducted the nation which he headed as a Christian, particularly regarding establishing peace to stop wars of aggression – wars that result from sinfulness of the natural man]
Fourth Principle:
What is the future outlook?
There is nothing as foolish / ridiculous as the false optimism that followed WWI: people called it the ‘war to end all wars.’
Such organizations as the League of Nations; the United Nations were established to ensure that war never took place again
Such efforts reveal great spiritual blindness; a total lack of understanding of the biblical teaching about the fall of man [natural man’s tendencies, sinfulness…]
The Bible teaches that peace will come when Christ returns
God’s appointed Day of Judgment will arrive; there is an end to history
On that Day; Christ will destroy spiritual wickedness
Let us prepare to endure what we must until then; we may even be required to die for Christ before He returns