Oh Dios, Tú Eres Mi Dios (1)
Un sermón Juan 3:8
Predicado originalmente 6 de marzo de 1966
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Escritura
Descripción del Sermón
En este sermón sobre Juan 3:8 titulado "Oh Dios, Tú Eres Mi Dios (1)", el Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones predica sobre la diferencia entre el cristianismo y la religión. Comunica que aunque la religión pueda verse bien exteriormente, el verdadero cristiano tendrá también una transformación interior. Esta transformación interior ocurre a través del poder del Espíritu que va donde Él quiere. No tiene sentido, predica el Dr. Lloyd-Jones, analizar excesivamente dónde viene y va el Espíritu. Más bien, los cristianos simplemente deben tener fe en que Dios hará lo que Él desee, y lo que Él desea es lo mejor. El Dr. Lloyd-Jones predica sobre la importancia de la transformación interior de una persona que es verdaderamente creyente en Cristo. Un creyente reconoce que la fe no es religión, sino que está fundada en la verdad y el carácter de Dios. En este sermón, el Dr. Lloyd-Jones argumenta que los mayores enemigos de la iglesia son la religión y la filosofía. Estas estructuras contienen a muchas personas y las convencen de que su participación y actividad es lo que les merece la vida eterna. Más bien, es el arrepentimiento y la fe en Cristo lo que trae vida. También predica que cuando una persona verdaderamente anhela a Dios, los libros no la satisfacen. Los libros pueden mostrarles cómo deleitarse más en la gloria de Dios, pero la verdadera persona de Dios debe vivir una vida de sumisión a Él.
Desglose del Sermón
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El pasaje del sermón es Juan 3:8 - "El viento sopla de donde quiere, y oyes su sonido; mas ni sabes de dónde viene, ni a dónde va; así es todo aquel que es nacido del Espíritu."
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El mensaje del sermón trata sobre la diferencia entre la religión y el cristianismo verdadero. La religión depende de acciones y deberes externos mientras que el cristianismo verdadero depende de un conocimiento interno de Dios a través de nacer de nuevo por el Espíritu.
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La primera prueba del cristianismo verdadero es amar a los hermanos. La segunda prueba es amar a Dios y desear conocerlo personalmente. Esto contrasta con tener solamente un conocimiento intelectual sobre Dios.
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Cuando alguien nace de nuevo, se da cuenta que los intereses y actividades religiosas no son suficientes. Desean un conocimiento personal de Dios más que los deberes religiosos o incluso las bendiciones y experiencias de Dios.
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Nacer de nuevo significa darse cuenta que conocer a Dios personalmente es el fin principal de la salvación. Esto es vida eterna según Juan 17:3. Es un conocimiento inmediato y directo de la presencia de Dios.
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Ejemplos de personas que conocieron a Dios personalmente incluyen a Enoc, Abraham, Jacob y Moisés. David también conoció la presencia y el poder de Dios en el santuario y anhelaba esa presencia incluso en el desierto.
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El deseo de Pablo era conocer a Cristo personalmente en Filipenses 3:10. Este es un conocimiento interno y experiencial que va más allá del conocimiento teórico.
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Cuando alguien nace de nuevo, sabe que conocer a Dios personalmente es posible en esta vida. Ya no se conforman con menos. Desean a Dios mismo por encima de todo.
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El diablo no puede producir un deseo de conocer personalmente a Dios. Solo Dios puede implantar este deseo a través del nuevo nacimiento. Esta es una prueba definitiva del cristianismo verdadero.
Sermon Q&A
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones Sermon on Being Born of the Spirit: Questions and Answers
What is the main topic of Dr. Lloyd-Jones' sermon based on John 3:8?
The main topic of Dr. Lloyd-Jones' sermon is the distinction between mere religion and true Christianity, focusing on being born again or born of the Spirit. He explains that many people spend their lives "seeking blessings, trying to advance in the Christian life, but were always in trouble because they really have never started in it." His central text is John 3:8: "The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth. So is everyone that is born of the Spirit."
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones distinguish between religion and Christianity?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones distinguishes between religion and Christianity by explaining that religion is external, formal, and focused on activities, duties, and institutions, while true Christianity is an internal, personal relationship with God based on new life. He states, "Throughout the centuries, religion has been the greatest enemy of the Christian truth and the Christian faith. And the tragedy is that you can have religion in the church and that the Christian church can just become a form of religion." True Christianity involves being born again and becoming "a partaker of the divine nature."
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones identify as evidence that someone has been born again?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, evidence that someone has been born again includes: 1. Loving the brethren (fellow Christians) 2. Loving God and having an increasing desire to know God personally 3. Desiring a personal relationship with God more than religious activities or duties 4. Seeking God Himself more than theological knowledge or doctrines 5. Desiring God more than just His blessings or experiences 6. Having a hunger for direct, personal communion with God
He emphasizes that "the man who is born again is a man who knows that this is possible. He's got that within him that cries out for the Father."
Why does Dr. Lloyd-Jones put the test of loving the brethren before the test of loving God?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains this order by quoting 1 John 4:20: "If a man say, I love God and hateth his brother, he is a liar. For he that loveth not his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?" He argues that this is the practical, experimental order rather than a theoretical one. If you cannot love the brothers and sisters in Christ whom you can see, it's questionable whether you truly love God whom you cannot see. Therefore, love for fellow Christians is a preliminary test before examining one's love for God.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones explain the difference between knowing about God and knowing God?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones makes a crucial distinction between knowing about God (theoretical knowledge) and knowing God personally (experiential knowledge). He says: "The distinction that I'm drawing is the difference between desiring to know things about God and the desire to know God himself." He compares it to reading about meeting the Queen versus actually meeting her - the purpose of knowing protocol is to facilitate the actual encounter. Similarly, theology and doctrine should lead to personal communion with God rather than being ends in themselves. He cites John 17:3 where Jesus says, "This is life eternal, that they might know thee, the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent."
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones identify as enemies of true Christianity?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones identifies two primary enemies of true Christianity: 1. Religion - "Religion has been, throughout the centuries, one of the greatest enemies of the Christian faith" 2. Philosophy - "Next to it, I would undoubtedly put philosophy"
He explains that religion focuses on external practices, ceremonies, and institutions, while philosophy is interested in knowing about God intellectually rather than knowing Him personally. Both can keep people from the true essence of Christianity, which is a personal relationship with God through being born again.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones use the analogy of a child to explain spiritual maturity?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones uses the analogy of the difference between a child and an adult to explain spiritual maturity. He points out that children tend to be interested in people for what they can give them (gifts, entertainment, amusement), while mature adults value people for who they are as persons. Similarly, spiritual immaturity is shown by focusing primarily on God's gifts and blessings, while spiritual maturity is demonstrated by desiring God Himself above His gifts. He states: "A sign of life and a sign of growth in the life particularly is this very thing we are talking about, that one desires to know God himself more than one desires to be blessed."
What biblical examples does Dr. Lloyd-Jones use to illustrate personal knowledge of God?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones provides several biblical examples of personal knowledge of God: 1. Enoch who "walked with God" - more than just living a godly life 2. Abraham who was "the friend of God" 3. Jacob at Bethel who said "This is the house of God... the very gateway of heaven" 4. Moses at the burning bush and later when he told God "If thou go not up with us, send us not up" 5. David in Psalm 63 crying "O God, thou art my God" while in the wilderness 6. Paul in Philippians 3:10 saying "that I may know him"
These examples show people who had direct, personal communion with God rather than just knowing about Him.
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones say is the one thing the devil cannot counterfeit?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones states that while "the devil can counterfeit experiences and gifts and most other things," there is one thing he cannot counterfeit: "a desire for a personal knowledge of God." He explains that "the devil can give you an interest in theology and encourage it" making you "proud of your vast knowledge," but cannot produce the genuine desire for personal communion with God. This desire can only come from God Himself "through the Spirit" implanting "within us a seed of this divine life." This makes it "one of those ultimate tests" of whether someone is truly born again.
Evangelio de Juan
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
El Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) fue un ministro evangélico galés que predicó y enseñó en la tradición Reformada. Su ministerio principal fue en Westminster Chapel, en el centro de Londres, desde 1939-1968, donde impartió exposiciones de varios años sobre libros de la Biblia como Romanos, Efesios y el Evangelio de Juan. Además de la colección del Fideicomiso MLJ de 1,600 de estos sermones en formato de audio, la mayoría de estas grandes series de sermones están disponibles en forma de libro (incluyendo una colección de 14 volúmenes de los sermones de Romanos), así como otras series como "Depresión Espiritual", "Estudios sobre el Sermón del Monte" y "Grandes Doctrinas Bíblicas". Es considerado por muchos líderes evangélicos de hoy como una autoridad en la verdad bíblica y la suficiencia de las Escrituras.