What is the Primary Function of the Church According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones?

What is the primary task of the church according to Lloyd-Jones's sermon?

According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, the primary task of the church is to produce Christian individuals. As he states in the sermon: "The answer of the New Testament is patent. It is to produce Christian people, Christian individuals. This is the primary task of the church, to make men and women Christian." He emphasizes that the church's influence on society comes through these individual Christians living out their faith in various spheres of life.

Why does Lloyd-Jones say the church has little influence in modern society?

Lloyd-Jones explains that the church has little influence in modern society because it abandoned its primary purpose of producing genuine Christians and instead focused on social and political matters. He notes: "Never perhaps, has the church talked more about worldly affairs than she's done in this present century... The argument was, if only we took an interest in practical affairs, the whole world would listen to us... and the more she's done that, the less she has affected the surroundings and circumstances."

What two elements does Lloyd-Jones identify as essential for effective Christian witness?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones identifies two essential elements for effective Christian witness:

1. Clear understanding of the message: "The first is the understanding of the message" - Christians must understand the gospel and be able to articulate it clearly.

2. The power of the Holy Spirit: "But on top of that, the power of the Holy Ghost, the baptism with power" - He emphasizes that correct doctrine without spiritual power is ineffective.

As he states: "With the power of the Holy Ghost, everything is different."

How does Lloyd-Jones view the relationship between church and state?

Lloyd-Jones advocates the Reformed view where "the state and the church are complementary, that they are both ordained of God." He rejects both the Roman Catholic view (church over state) and the Erastian view (state over church), explaining: "It isn't that the church is over the state or the state over the church, but these are two bodies that are complementary. They both derive their authority from God, and they mustn't interfere with one another's activities."

What historical examples does Lloyd-Jones provide of Christianity's influence on society?

Lloyd-Jones provides several historical examples of Christianity's influence on society:

1. The early church: "The apostle Paul was preaching a personal gospel... Individuals were being converted... And these were unique people. They were different from everybody else."

2. The Protestant Reformation: "The influence of the Protestant Reformation not only upon government and politics, but even upon science and literature and all these things is something beyond computation."

3. The Commonwealth under Cromwell: "Oliver Cromwell was a remarkable Christian man... The Puritan preaching had produced so many Christians that they became a power in the land."

4. The Evangelical/Methodist awakening: "What saved this country from something analogous to the French Revolution was the evangelical or Methodist awakening of the 18th century."

What does Lloyd-Jones say is the biggest problem in Christian living?

According to Lloyd-Jones, the biggest problem in Christian living is compartmentalization: "Nothing is more fatal in the Christian life than to live in compartments. And to think that your Christianity, your faith, is one thing which you keep in one compartment, but your life in the world is something quite different, and that there's no connection at all between the two. That has been the curse, probably the greatest of all curses, in connection with the life of the Christian church."