Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones on Calling on the Name of the Lord: Questions and Answers

What does it mean biblically to "call upon the name of the Lord"?

According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, calling upon the name of the Lord means acknowledging one's complete helplessness and turning to God in faith. It involves "a realization of his need," where a person understands they are "absolutely hopeless" and "completely helpless." Dr. Lloyd-Jones illustrates this with the image of a drowning man who "can't swim any further, and he knows he's going to sink and to die." The person who calls upon the Lord has abandoned all self-reliance and simply cries out for salvation, recognizing that they have "got nothing on which he can rely."

How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones explain Romans 10:12-13 in terms of equality in salvation?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that Romans 10:12-13 teaches complete equality in salvation, as the text states "there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek, for the same Lord overall is rich unto all that call upon him." He emphasizes that salvation is available to anyone regardless of race, background, or status. This equality exists because salvation depends completely on God's grace rather than human merit. He states, "If it is this calling and calling on the name of the Lord that brings an end to salvation, well, obviously that's open to anybody, open to everybody. It's all in him, nothing in us."

Why does Dr. Lloyd-Jones criticize dispensationalism in his sermon?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones criticizes dispensationalism because it teaches multiple ways of salvation across different "dispensations" or time periods. He specifically challenges the idea that there are several different gospels (like "the gospel of the kingdom" versus "the gospel of grace"). He argues this creates an artificial distinction between Jews and Gentiles that contradicts Paul's teaching. Lloyd-Jones states: "There is only one way of salvation. There has always been only one way of salvation. There will never be another way of salvation. Salvation is always, only, and always has been, and always will be by the grace of God in and through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ."

How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones explain the relationship between the Old Testament saints and salvation through Christ?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that Old Testament saints were saved through Christ just as believers are today, though they understood it less clearly. He states, "No man has ever been saved. No man has ever been reconciled to God. No man has ever become a child of God except in and through Jesus Christ and him crucified." He cites Jesus' words about Abraham: "Abraham rejoiced to see my day. He saw it and was glad." Lloyd-Jones explains that Old Testament believers "didn't understand it clearly" and "saw these things afar off, but they believed the promise of God" and were saved through faith in the coming Messiah, the same way New Testament believers are saved by looking back to Christ's completed work.

What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones teach about the relationship between Jewish and Gentile believers?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones teaches that there is complete equality between Jewish and Gentile believers, with no distinction in God's sight. He emphasizes that "all who are believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are children of Abraham" and that "all the promises of God to Abraham belong to them, not to the Jews only, but to all who are the children of faith." He rejects the idea of perpetuating distinctions between Jewish and Gentile believers, stating: "It is wrong and unscriptural to maintain any difference between the Jew and the Greek, either now or at any time in the future." He uses the olive tree metaphor from Romans 11 to show that Gentiles are grafted into the same spiritual family of faith.

How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones describe the unity of the church throughout history?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones describes the church as one continuous entity throughout history, with no fundamental division between Old and New Testament believers. He cites Stephen's reference to "the church in the wilderness" (Acts 7:38) to demonstrate that Israel was part of the same church that continues today. He states, "There is only one church and there has only been one church. It was the same church in the Old Testament dispensation as it is now." Using Paul's olive tree analogy from Romans 11, he explains that the church has "only one trunk" and that "the Jews under the old dispensation were in this church. The Gentiles are in it now. It's the one church." The only differences are in "administration" and "form," but "the thing itself is the same."

What example does Dr. Lloyd-Jones give of Paul's own conversion as an illustration of calling on the Lord?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones describes Paul's conversion on the Damascus road as a perfect illustration of calling on the Lord. He recounts how Paul (then Saul), who was "self-righteous, self-satisfied, self-sufficient," was suddenly confronted by Jesus and fell to the ground. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that this was "the first occasion in the history of Saul of Tarsus when he didn't know how to direct himself." Paul, who had always been "such an expert on the law" and "never failed for a word," was now "trembling" and "astonished" like "a little child" and could do nothing but cry out, "Lord, what will thou have me to do?" This demonstrates the complete dependence and helplessness that characterizes true calling on the Lord.

According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, what is the greatest sin a person can commit?

According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, the greatest sin is not seeing one's need for Christ. He states, "There is no greater sin than not to see your need of Christ. That is the greatest of all sins." He elaborates that "to be a Pharisee is infinitely worse than to be a murderer or an adulterer. Much worse. There is nothing more abhorrent to God than that a man should think that anything about him is sufficient to commend him to God. There is no greater sin than to refuse the son of God and his sacrificial, atoning death." This understanding is central to his explanation of why calling on the Lord is necessary - because it acknowledges one's complete dependence on Christ alone.

What biblical examples of "calling on the Lord" does Dr. Lloyd-Jones provide?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones provides several biblical examples of "calling on the Lord":

1. The publican in Jesus' parable who, "away back by the door, cannot so much as even look up into heaven, smiting his breast, says, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner.'"

2. The crowd at Pentecost who were "pricked in their hearts" and cried out, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?"

3. Paul's conversion, where he called out, "Lord, what will thou have me to do?"

4. The Philippian jailer who asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"

These examples demonstrate people who recognized their desperate need and cried out for salvation, without argument or self-defense.

How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones explain the relevance of Paul's teaching on salvation for modern Christians?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that Paul's teaching on salvation is just as relevant today as it was in the first century. He states that the confusion created by "dispensationalism" and other teachings that divide the gospel into different messages for different groups makes this teaching particularly important today. The core relevance is that "there is only one way of salvation" that applies equally to everyone. This understanding helps modern Christians avoid the error of thinking they bring anything to their salvation, prevents divisions between different groups of believers, and ensures that the gospel remains focused on Christ alone. As Lloyd-Jones concludes: "Nobody else will be saved because there is no other way of salvation."