Unbelief and Division

Acts 23:6-8 — Being religious does not guarantee salvation. In this sermon on Acts 23:6–8 titled “Unbelief and Division,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones shows how there are many in Scripture who pass themselves off as being deeply religious, but are not saved. This is the condition of the Jewish Pharisees and Sadducees that opposed the apostles, particularly Paul, and they represented the unbelieving in many respects. They are well-educated intellectuals who are blinded by their sin from believing in the gospel of Jesus Christ. This unbelief is prejudiced opposition. They oppose the message of Christ because it contradicts their traditions, for they had no place for a crucified Messiah who had no kingdom and who came from an uneducated family. Unlike the Jewish leaders, he was not born into the top of the social pyramid and educated. Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains how modern humanity rejects the gospel for many of the same reasons. They think it is backwards and old fashioned. They say it is intellectually ridiculous, but this prejudice is the result of sin. Humanity’s problems with Christianity are never simply intellectual or moral, but at the core of these beliefs lies opposition to God and His law. All are dead in trespasses and sin and unable to evaluate the truth claims of Christianity as merely rational thinkers. They are prompted by their sinful nature to oppose this message. This why the gospel must be a supernatural message, for without the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit, no one would be able to believe and be saved.