A Christian: Keeps the Faith of Jesus Christ

In this part of the sermon: Martin recaps the morning sermon's question -- 'what is a Christian?' -- and locates the evening's focus in Revelation 14:12, which defines the saints by two marks: keeping the…

Martin distinguishes 'what is a Christian?' from 'how does one become a Christian?' using the parallel: defining what an airline pilot is (one who sits behind the controls directing the aircraft) is different from explaining how to become one. The two questions require different answers.

Now that question is not the same as how does one become a Christian. And I used this morning the simple illustration of the question, what is an airline pilot? It's someone who sits behind the controls of an airliner and directs the activities of that complex machine. Now if you ask the question, how to become an airline pilot, that's a much more involved answer.

0:15 - 0:36 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin recaps the morning sermon's question -- 'what is a Christian?' -- and locates the evening's focus in Revelation 14:12, which defines the saints by two marks: keeping the…

Using Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress language, Martin frames the question as 'how can you know a true pilgrim when you see him there upon the way to the celestial city?' -- shifting from the question of entry to the question of identification.

It's a different issue. So we are not addressing ourselves to the question, how does one become a Christian? How does one enter into the narrow gate, to use Bunyan's analogy? But rather we're asking the question, how can you know a true pilgrim when you see him?

0:37 - 0:51 Read in full sermon

The point: A person who claims to be a Christian solely because their heart tells them so -- without the testimony of Scripture confirming it -- has a deceitful heart that cannot be trusted. Assurance must be grounded in the word o…

Martin quotes from Pilgrim's Progress the exchange with the character Ignorance, who claims to be a Christian because his heart tells him so. The reply: 'If thy heart agree not to the word of God, it is a deceitful heart, and it is not to be trusted.' Applied as the danger of assurance grounded in feeling rather than Scripture.

For Jesus said, My yoke is easy and my burden is light. And if this is not the characteristic of our life, a course of obedience described in these biblical concepts, then we are committing spiritual suicide to say that we are Christians simply because, like that man Ignorance in Bunyan's allegory, our heart tells us so. For as they answered him, If thy heart agree not to the word of God, it is a deceitful heart, and it is not to be trusted. Now tonight, we come to the second characteristic of a Christian.

3:37 - 4:13 Read in full sermon

The point: A person who claims to be a Christian solely because their heart tells them so -- without the testimony of Scripture confirming it -- has a deceitful heart that cannot be trusted. Assurance must be grounded in the word o…

Martin's wife told him that afternoon that he almost got to preaching three-quarters of the way through the morning sermon when he started applying the truth about no man's land -- the rest of the time he was merely teaching. Martin uses this as an occasion to explain and defend his expository method.

Now, I hope this isn't tedious for you. I, once in a while, get sort of chided by my wife. She'll say to me, as she did this afternoon, she said, you know, dear, you almost got to preaching about three-quarters of the way through the sermon this morning when you started talking about having no area of no man's land that you've reserved. The rest of the time you were teaching.

4:37 - 4:55 Read in full sermon

The point: A person who claims to be a Christian solely because their heart tells them so -- without the testimony of Scripture confirming it -- has a deceitful heart that cannot be trusted. Assurance must be grounded in the word o…

Martin defends his careful word-study method: 'I have no grounds to preach up a stage, storm three-quarters of the way through unless I've gathered some clouds of truth so that there's some real water in the storm in the first two-thirds of the sermon.' Expository teaching provides the substance that makes application powerful.

And I said, dear, I don't know any other way to preach. I have no grounds to preach up a stage. Storm three-quarters of the way through unless I've gathered some clouds of truth so that there's some real water in the storm in the first two-thirds of the sermon. And I hope this never becomes tedious for us.

4:56 - 5:13 Read in full sermon

Driving home: It is called the faith of Jesus because He is its author and He is the grand object and He is the focal point of that entire body, of truth.

Martin quotes 2 Timothy 4:7 and unpacks it as Paul saying on the threshold of martyrdom that he clung to the body of revealed truth, did not pare off its rough edges, did not whittle it down for unregenerate nature, and did not adorn it with human rhetoric.

things that were contrary to the body of revealed truth. So, the term the faith here obviously means the body of revealed truth. In 2 Timothy 4, 7, the apostle about to go into the presence of his God by way of the gate of martyrdom says, I have fought a good fight. I have kept the faith.

9:04 - 9:27 Read in full sermon

Driving home: It is called the faith of Jesus because He is its author and He is the grand object and He is the focal point of that entire body, of truth.

The church at Pergamos dwelt where Satan's throne was; when the issue came whether to confess or deny the body of revealed truth, they chose martyrdom over forfeiting one aspect of the word of God. Antipas was killed among them and they still did not deny the faith.

Revelation 2 and verse 13, writing to the church of Pergamos, I know where thou dwellest, even where Satan's throne is, and thou holdest fast my name and didst not deny my faith, even in the days of Antipas my witness, my faithful one who was killed among you where Satan dwelleth. When the issue came whether or not men would confess their commitment to the body of revealed truth, they did not deny any aspect of that truth, but rather chose martyrdom than to forfeit one aspect of the word of the living God. So much then for what I trust will convince you as it has me

10:06 - 10:50 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Has your mouth ever been shut? Until you've been brought speech before a holy God in the face of your own sin. That's a Christian, a man whose mouth has been stopped.

At a conference in Carlisle, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones preached on Romans 3:19, defining a Christian as 'a man whose mouth has been shut' -- speechless before a holy God in the face of his own sin. Martin recalls Lloyd-Jones saying it 'with his growly, gravelly, Welsh voice.' Cited as the essential first movement in conversion.

When we were at Carlisle in the conference, the tapes of which, by the way, are now in our tape library available for loaning, I guess as soon as our tape deacon can get some copies made, Dr. Lloyd-Jones, one night preaching on Romans 3 and the principle that I'm touching here now said the good definition of a Christian is a man whose mouth has been shut. And he said it with his growly, gravelly, Welsh voice. And he took it from Romans 3.19.

13:12 - 13:42 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Has your mouth ever been shut? Until you've been brought speech before a holy God in the face of your own sin. That's a Christian, a man whose mouth has been stopped.

To the person whose mouth has been stopped by the law, 'a blessed message has come. It has come through perhaps different means, by way of a book, by way of a friend, by way of a sermon.' Martin narrates the three-part structure of conversion: hearing of the unique Person, the unique Work, the unique Offer.

How can he be just and still forgive a creature like me? And to that person, that Christian, who was a fallen son of Adam, having made that discovery, a blessed message has come. It has come through perhaps different means, by way of a book, by way of a friend, by way of a sermon. But this blessed message has come setting forth, first of all, a unique person who has undertaken to come to the aid of sinners who are facing that dilemma.

14:23 - 14:58 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Has your mouth ever been shut? Until you've been brought speech before a holy God in the face of your own sin. That's a Christian, a man whose mouth has been stopped.

Martin presents the logical dilemma: a substitute must be human to die in place of man, but if he is merely another man he shares man's dilemma. 'He must be more than a man. And yet he must be a man.' This logical necessity drives toward the Incarnation as the only solution.

Death must be incurred. Either I must die in eternal death or there must be a substitute provided. But the substitute must be a man if he's to die. But if he's just another man, he's in the same dilemma with me.

15:14 - 15:30 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin reasons from the Christian's experience of conversion: every genuine believer was a fallen son of Adam whose mouth was stopped by the law, who then heard the message of a…

'The guiltless becomes guilty before the law that the guilty might be guiltless.' Martin presents the double imputation of substitutionary atonement in a single compact formula before describing the free offer of mercy.

The guiltless becomes guilty before the law that the guilty might be guiltless. Then he has heard in the third place of the unique offer of mercy that has been made to him. This unique offer that without bringing any supposed human merit, without any long delay of penance and self-inflicted punishment, by renouncing all sin and self-righteousness and embracing this unique person who accomplished this unique work, forgiveness and pardon are secured. They are secured.

17:08 - 17:45 Read in full sermon

The point: Ask honestly whether your ignorance of the faith of Jesus is willful. If you apply diligence to every other area of life -- career, home, finances -- but refuse to expend effort learning the body of Christian truth, this…

Martin illustrates willful ignorance from 2 Peter 3:5: like a man standing in the brightness of a cloudless day at noonday with his eyes closed and hands over them, saying he cannot see the sun. The sun is there; the blindness is entirely self-imposed.

Second Peter chapter 3 says for of this they are willfully ignorant. That is it's an ignorance that is volitional. Light is there to be seen but it's a placing of the eyes the hands over the eyes like a man standing out in the brightness of a cloudless day at noonday and saying I cannot see the sun. You ask him why can't you?

22:38 - 23:04 Read in full sermon

The point: Test your spiritual state by what you desire: do you find in your heart a restlessness and hunger to press on after greater knowledge of the faith of Jesus, or contentment with spiritual ignorance? Genuine desire for gro…

Martin presses the inconsistency of willful ignorance: adults who would have destroyed themselves or remained as children if equally ignorant of business, domestic life, driving, or their careers -- yet in the one matter of eternal importance they expend no mental energy at all.

If you had chosen to be as ignorant of life in general and what makes it tick in business in your domestic scene in the keeping of a home in how to drive a car you'd have been taken off the scene a long time ago you would have destroyed yourself or you'd still be on the level of a little child in your intellectual development and general maturity. No, you've not remained willfully ignorant you've applied yourself to learn the skills that would mean advancement in the field of personal respect in the area of your job in the area of your home of your of your house of all of these areas but when ...

23:41 - 24:26 Read in full sermon

The point: Practically keep the faith of Jesus by reading your Bible with consistency, making use of the rich heritage of Christian literature, and choosing to make time -- not merely find it -- for growth in the knowledge of Chris…

Martin asks whether the rich heritage of Christian literature on believers' shelves is actually read or merely allowed to collect dust. He presses: 'do we make time? I didn't say find -- none of us find time -- do we make time? Is it of sufficient worth to us to make time to increase in the knowledge of Christ?'

faith of Jesus is bound up within the covers of this book scripture says the works of the Lord are great sought out of all those that have pleasure therein as the evidence our book shelves are graced with the rich heritage of Christian literature what do we do allow it to collect dust or do we make time I didn't say find none of us find time do we make time is it of sufficient worth to us to make time to increase in the knowledge of Christ how do we listen to sermons do we do everything Saturday night to

26:40 - 27:25 Read in full sermon

The point: The person who keeps the faith of Jesus makes everything else subservient to opportunities for deeper exposure to it -- including Saturday night preparation so that the mind is fresh and receptive to the preached word on…

Martin asks whether believers do everything on Saturday night to ensure a fresh mind for the preached word on Sunday, or whether they dissipate their energy so that 'come the Lord's day the Lord himself couldn't keep us alert or awake with his preaching' -- echoing the young man Eutychus falling asleep during Paul's preaching.

ensure a fresh mind for the preached truth Sunday or do we dissipate our energy live in such an undisciplined way that come the Lord's day the Lord himself couldn't keep us alert or awake with his preaching or like the apostle himself you'd be a eunuch that's falling asleep which is you see the man who keeps the faith of Jesus knowing that there's going to be opportunity for further exposure to the faith of Jesus deeper understanding he makes everything else subservient to this is this true of you let your own conscience in the

27:25 - 28:10 Read in full sermon

The point: Examine your attitude toward the body of truth that sets forth Christ's unique person, unique work, and unique offer of mercy. Is there any genuine spiritual relish in the faith of Jesus, or only bland familiarity and in…

Martin addresses those who cannot plead ignorance because of their godly heritage -- like Timothy, whose mother and grandmother taught him the holy scriptures from childhood. A father and mother who carried children to church and Sunday school 'whether you like it or not' removed the excuse of ignorance.

light of the word of God stand as a witness for or against your present condition secondly a bland indifference to the faith of Jesus is an evidence of an unregenerate heart you see some of you cannot be ignorant because of your heritage you can't be ignorant of the faith of Jesus any more than you could be ignorant of your own name it's part of your heritage you had a mother and dad who taught you as Timothy's mother and grandmother did from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures so you can't be in that sense woefully ignorant that was taken out of your hands and your heritage of a godly...

28:10 - 28:54 Read in full sermon

The point: Examine your attitude toward the body of truth that sets forth Christ's unique person, unique work, and unique offer of mercy. Is there any genuine spiritual relish in the faith of Jesus, or only bland familiarity and in…

Martin asks whether believers ever 'know what it is to get genuinely thrilled right down to your last toenail' when God gives more insight into the faith of Jesus -- tracing how salvation comes in free grace, rooted in election, purchased by Christ, applied by the Spirit, and culminating in seeing him as he is.

the kingdom of God is righteousness peace and joy in the Holy Ghost do you ever know what it is to get genuinely thrilled right down to your last toenail when God gives you a little more insight into the faith of Jesus when you're able to trace

29:53 - 30:12 Read in full sermon

The point: Examine whether you are willing to bear reproach for the faith of Jesus -- in your workplace, family, neighborhood. When aspects of biblical truth are relinquished for social acceptance, personal advancement, or respecta…

Revisiting Revelation 2:13, Martin notes Christ describes the city as so given over to the devil that 'the devil has set up his throne there' -- and then parenthetically wonders aloud whether he might be describing the New York-New Jersey metropolitan area in 1969. Despite such an environment, the church held fast.

I go back to Revelation 2 with you where our Lord commends this church for this very characteristic will you notice it carefully verse 13 I know where thou dwellest Revelation 2 13 even where Satan's throne is here was an area so given over to the power of the devil that the Lord Jesus uses the figure the devil has set up his throne there I wonder if he's talking about the New York New Jersey metropolitan area in 1969 he's the prince of the power of the air the whole world lieth in the wicked one but the Lord uses the figure he said his throne is there that's a pretty bad place to live in

32:27 - 33:12 Read in full sermon

The point: Examine whether you are willing to bear reproach for the faith of Jesus -- in your workplace, family, neighborhood. When aspects of biblical truth are relinquished for social acceptance, personal advancement, or respecta…

Christians in the arena were asked who is Lord -- Caesar or Christ. To say Caesar was Lord meant safety, continued family life, income, and survival. Martin details a young father with three or four dependent children standing on the threshold of his home, refusing to deny Christ's lordship and being seized for the lions. 'That's the answer of the arena.'

reproach for that faith that body of truth a willingness to endure hardness and hardship is evidence that God has imparted life that's the answer to the Roman arena when they came before the Christians and said who is Lord Caesar or Christ the Christian knew what the issue was and , to say Caesar is Lord meant a whole lifetime in which he could serve the Lord continue to rear his children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord

35:22 - 36:06 Read in full sermon

Driving home: he holds the faith of Jesus this is what's given me life I cannot relinquish what has imparted life

Martin cites Latimer and Ridley counting the stakes 'as it were a bed of roses rather than deny their faith in the Lord Jesus.' The issue was not their behavior but their doctrine -- they dared to stand against Rome and declare the mass idolatrous and blasphemous, insisting Christ offered himself once for all.

that's the answer of the inquisition that's the answer of the stakes that men like Latimer and Ridley counted as it were a bed of roses rather than deny their faith in the Lord Jesus and the issue and point after point was truth it wasn't that these men's lives were causing problems it's what they believed that people couldn't stand they dared to stand against all the imposing structure of Rome and say your mask is idolatrous and blasphemous our Lord offered up himself once for all when your priest says his mumble jumble over the altar and the chalice he says that our Lord

37:12 - 37:57 Read in full sermon

Driving home: he holds the faith of Jesus this is what's given me life I cannot relinquish what has imparted life

Luther at the Diet of Worms declared: 'My conscience is held captive to the word of God. Here I stand, so help me God. I can do no other.' Martin holds Luther up as the paradigm of keeping the faith of Jesus -- the same issue presses on every Christian, though perhaps with less public drama.

is offered up again this is a denial of the faith of Jesus and stand when Luther stands at the diet of worms the issue was what the faith of Jesus how can a man be right with God penance fastings indulgences for my faith alone and he says my conscience is held captive to the word of God here I stand so help me God I can do no other and I say my dear friend though there won't be the drama of a Luther's experience at the diet of worms with every Christian and though there may not be the same extent of a Latimer and a Ridley the sprucers in the heart of every child of God

37:57 - 38:39 Read in full sermon

The point: Spend and be spent for both the propagation and preservation of the faith of Jesus. Doctrinal faithfulness is not optional or academic -- blurring lines now for convenience will result in the next generation being unable…

Martin warns that 'the lines that are blurred in one generation become the lines that are obscured in the next generation.' He illustrates with a path in the woods: a good woodsman can still pick his way through an overgrown trail, but give it another few years and the average person will walk around in circles to his own destruction.

of a true Christian so that our obedience will be more implicit and more particularly as we're speaking of this tonight that our devotion to the faith of Jesus will be deeper that we will spend and be spent for both the propagation and preservation of the faith of Jesus will you listen carefully as I make the statement that I hope will stick the lines that are blurred in one generation become the lines that are obscured in the next generation a man who's lost in the woods trying to be as a sensitive eye can see where there once was a good path

39:43 - 40:27 Read in full sermon

The point: Spend and be spent for both the propagation and preservation of the faith of Jesus. Doctrinal faithfulness is not optional or academic -- blurring lines now for convenience will result in the next generation being unable…

Martin credits Luther and the Reformers with thinking of unborn generations and being willing to pay the price of drawing clear doctrinal lines. 'The reason you and I are here tonight is some whiplifts in Luther's thought of unborn generations' -- they kept the faith and their faithfulness reaches into the present.

thinks of unborn generations the reason you and I are here tonight is some whiplifts in Luther's thought of unborn generation and we're willing to pay prices in their own day to see some clear lines draw that in spite of all the opposition of hell are still there for us today that's the mark of a true Christian that's the mark then in closing let me just emphasize the wonderful balance of this description of a true Christian if they just had the first part here is the patience of the

41:57 - 42:42 Read in full sermon

The point: If Revelation 14:12 does not describe you -- if you neither keep the commandments of God nor keep the faith of Jesus -- call upon God to stop your mouth by showing you your sin, then embrace the unique offer of mercy giv…

Martin quotes the hymn 'Rock of Ages' ('nothing in my hands I bring, simply to thy cross I cling') as an expression of the faith of Jesus that slays all legalism -- an essential element of the faith is that we are accepted on no other grounds but the merits of Christ.

saints they who keep the commandments of God we'd say well that seems rather legalistic Christian described as a man who keeps the commandments but because it says he holds to the faith of Jesus that slays all legalism for what is an essential element of the faith of Jesus the fact that we're accepted on no other grounds but the merits of Christ nothing in my hands I bring simply to thy cross I cling so there's no room for legalism here because an essential element of the faith of Jesus is the renunciation of all righteousness on the other hand if it simply said they who keep the faith of Jesu...

42:42 - 43:27 Read in full sermon