Romans 3:20-4:25: Atonement and Justification - D Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Looking for another commentary after finishing Barclay's one on Hebrews, I found this work by a quite famous preacher, but one I had never read or heard before. As the title suggests, yes, this is a whole book that covers just under one chapter of Scripture, and it is very good. Lloyd-Jones apparently took 12 years to preach his way through Romans, and there are 14 volumes in this series, with this being the first chronologically released.
Covering such a short section of Scripture allows Lloyd-Jones to dive quite deeply in, and also to focus strongly on particular themes. So, as the title also gives away, this book is a lot about the concepts of atonement and justification: that Christ's work on the cross is necessary to pay the price for my sins, and that it is entirely the work of God that makes us righteous in His sight, rather than any work or effort on our parts.
It is such a good challenge to be reminded of; something that most Christians will understand in their heads, but will often struggle to apply in their lives. God has saved us. Our works do not. "Nothing is more important for us than to be clear about the meaning of this...Are we clear about it? Do we see that it is in this way only that anyone can be saved? Are you quite clear about the fact that you cannot save yourself? Do you see clearly that all has been done for you in Christ Jesus?" (page 63). When we really understand this (and I'm not sure we ever fully can) it is such a freeing and humbling thing - it is God who initiates, who pursues, who wins us to Himself.
Yet, Lloyd-Jones doesn't want us to misrepresent God by only focusing on his grace and mercy. He reminds us that the wrath of God is mentioned in both the Old and New Testaments, defining this wrath as God's "settled opposition to all that is evil, arising out of His very nature." (page 75). I know that I struggle with the concept of God's wrath, but it is also an important thing to remember as we seek to grow in our faith. When we remember that God truly hates sin, it becomes apparent just how necessary Christ's atonement for our sins was, and also how utterly gracious and merciful God was in allowing that sacrifice to take place. It is the cross, Lloyd-Jones points out, that enables God to forgive our sins without downplaying the severity of sin; "The cross is the vindication of God." (page 106). For me, being reminded of all this actually increases my sense of the love of God. Wow, He cared for me this much even when I was/am a sinner!
Although this is my first exposure to Lloyd-Jones's theology, I really enjoy what I've seen. He has a strong regard for Scripture, and argues that as Protestants we should "test every teaching and every doctrine by the Word." (page 2). This doesn't always make living in our modern world easy (even the modern world Lloyd-Jones was writing in), but it does prevent us from manufacturing a God for ourselves and resenting the true God (page 172).
Lord, help me to always seek You, and not to create You as I want You to be.
A brilliant and stirring challenge.
Not often you can say that about a commentary.
Completed 22 September 2021.
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