8/12/2019 1993 Issue 2 - Book Review: D. Martin Lloyd Jones; The Fight of Faith 1939-1981 - Counsel of Chalcedon

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yron Snapp

ook Review

relationshipto Godand makesure theirrefugewas in Christ alone.

He viewedwar as follows. "War isdivine judgment upon the very liveswhich men pursue; it is permitted inorderthatmenmay seethrough itmore

Thirdlyhe would not follow evangelicalswhowerewillingtocompromiBiblicaldoctrinein order to advanceanecumenicitythatincluded those whodidnot meet the Biblical definition of aChristian.

D. MattynLloyd Jones;The Fighto clearlythan theyhaveeverdonebefore, He stood against these movementaith 1939-1981 by lain H. Murray what warreallyis'and thusbe led back thatseemiuglyinvolvedsomanyoutre

Banner of Truth Trust, 1990831 pp. toGod"Cp.24)Infacthisminisnycanbe opportunitiesbecauseofhisloveforGodind o ppendicesand index, hb. characterizedas stressingthe nature of and His passionfor souls. He did not

t one point in this biographythe sinandGod'sviewofit. BeinginLondon, anyone want to be led asrray by miseauthor writesthat lloyd:Jones wanted Dr. lloyd-Jones hadthe opponunity to theology.He desiredto implement truehis biographywrittenonly if it "should ministerYJa congregation tllatregularly Biblicaldoctrinein everywayhe couldbeforGod'sgI0ry"Cp.729)lbelievelain indudedamultitudeofvisitors-soldiers, Thus he was sttongly involvedin andMurrayhassuccessfullyearnedout this students, businessmen,u'avelers-from supponed ministries such as the Evandesire. tlrtoughout the world. By this .means gelicalUbraryand TheBannerof Truth

This is the secondvolumeof a two Godextendedthe influenceofhis pulpit Trust as well as various meeringsandminisnyfur beyond whatthepastor could organized conferenceswith pastors and

volumebiography.CThefirstwas pub- everhave dreamed. or laymen.He greatlyadmired Puritanlishedin 1982 andentitledD. ManynII d 1 Th F ' His minisnywas full of Biblicaldoc- writingsand was a majormetorin theiroy -Jones, e irst Fony Years . ha d d hisda beingmadeavailableforreading,study,1899-1939published by TheBannerof nmet twassonee e i n yandin nddiscuTruth Trust:) The volume covers . 9..l.\r.ownll,5 .we]l.. l t 1 J ? ' : l g l . l ~ E ~ n z ~ iL . . " n SSlontoday.lloyd-Jones' ministry at Westminster leaderamong Christianevangelicals;his . TIius M'umy'sw6tk is 'much moreChapel in London(from whim he re- ' preachingand teaching didnot make thanabiographyofoneofGod'sservanrs.tlted in 1968) as well as his manifold himas acceptedas he wouldhavebeen He chronicles many of the problemministryto multitudestl1roughstudem had he beenwillingto compromiseand fuqng evangelicalismin 'the ast fortywork, outside speaking engagements, flowwiththestteamoftheolqgica1trends.years.As in previous worksthe authorpersonal counsel, letters, and books. Hespokeclearlyagainstevangelismstrat-has dearly , done his hOmework andThroug lOuthis life and broadministry egles,suchas Dr. BillyGrahain's,thatput providestl1ereader with a wellwritten,we see a man, not caughtup with how man in conttol of his regenerationand readablebook.peoplesaw hitn, but witl1a desire that providedassuranceby man'sactofwall< Althoughhis Westminster ministrythosein and outsidethemurd1seriously ing to the from of the congregation. ~ n d e d i n1968followit1garecoveryfromsee God in His majesty and glory as Secondly hesaw no Biblicalbasisfor surgery,Godprovidedlloyd-Joneswithrevealed in Scripture and that they the growing it1terestin,PentecostalisllL another thirteen years of ministry, in -savinglyknow JesusQlrist. Againhe m ~ u i e dthe teachingof this volvingnumerousspeakingengageme

The reader can hardlyescapeGod's movementnot by its popularitybut by and the preparntionof many of his sersovereignpurposes being workedout in whetheror not its tenets couldbe sup- mons for publication in book formatthis man's life. Havingbeguna London poned byScripture.Hebelievedonerea- Thesebooks assure,byGod'sgrace, thatcareerinmedicine,Godcalledhim tobe sonfor its acceptancewas people'sspiri- Dr. lloyd-Jones ministry willlive on fora physicianofsouls. FollowinghiSmin- tualhungerand desireforzealwhichwas manyyears.isnyin Wales, in 1939he accepteda call not beingsatisfiedelsewheredue to the The bookas a whole ismuchneededto laborwitl1tl1eseniorpastorofWest-poor spiritual condition of so many for our day. However,imponant to me,minster Chapel in London, Dr. G. churches. Throughouthis ministry he was Murray's accoum of his subject'CampbellMorgan.God brought himto remainedopposed to PentecostalismIn preparationfordeathwbichcameouMaLondonataverycritica1time.Heserved late 1979 he spoke this words to lain 1,1981. Through months.of9icliningthe congregationthroughtheWar years Murray,"IwasagainstPentecostalismand healthhe continuedto dowhat'kingd&mthat involvedGermanbombing onthe stillam. Mydocttinesofthebaptismoftile work hecould as well as continuingtodty andfearofsuchbotnbing.Hispulpit Spiritis thatit gives fullassurance.I have groundhimselfin God'sWordandmainand personal mini Soywasbasedon the neverbeensatisfiedwithanyspeakingin taining aninterestin whatGodwasdOingneed of people to examine their own tonguesthat I have heard."Cp. 695). in the livesand mit1istryofother$. .

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8/12/2019 1993 Issue 2 - Book Review: D. Martin Lloyd Jones; The Fight of Faith 1939-1981 - Counsel of Chalcedon

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Pastors and laymenneed to take timeto read this book. The problems thatmany denominations under the RefOlmed umbrella are fating today. Dr.lloyd:Jones faced in his minisny. Theuse of drama and dance in worship, theabsence of preaching on God's wrathtoward sin, the willingness to compromise Biblicalrruth to increase congregations numerically, a desire to be menpleasersnot God pleasers,and Pentecostal theology are issues which face ustoday. He dealt with these in a Biblicalfashion.

This book reminds us ofour need tostand faithfuJlywhereGodhasplaced us.Success is defined in Scripture as beingobedient to God. It does not necessarilymean, or preclude, a large chulCh orcertainlya life or ministry withoutprob

lems. It doesmean a desire,whateverourcalling, to measure all . hings by God's

Word and to be unmovingwhen we arecalledupon to moveforanyreason,awayfrom tl1e clear teachingof Scripture.

Thisvolumeremindsusthatalthoughour ministriesmay not be what we hadplanned, yet the sovereign Goduses Hispeople accordingto His plans.As a resultourministries rruiywentakeacompletely

different,butmoreprofitable, coursethanwe can ever think or know.We are also taught that there are

constant tribulations and problems nthis fallenworld Thosein largechulCheswith successful ministries face them inabundance too. It is often easy to thinkthat large churches are problem-freechulChes.TItisvolumeremindsus that afaithfulstand on Scriptureisso oftennotwelcomed even among evangelicals.

Finallyweare reminded that humanseven those who are mych admired and

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he irst 35 Years

very gifted by God as Dr. lloyd-Joneswas, are still humans. They are sinnelssavedby God's grace. Peoplewhom Goduses as He sees fit. Thus glory is given to'God, not man .

lain Murray iseminently qualified toauthor li1is book. He was an assistant toDr, lloyd-Jones at Westminster from

1956-59 and remained a close friendthroughouttheremainderofUoyd-Jones'life, Yet he writes with a finn awarenessthat his subjectwasasinner. He thereforeassesses lloyd:Jones' 'actions from thisperspective.

This book's length exemplifies thebreadth of a long, extensiveminisny. Donot let ts sizehinderyourreadingit. Youwill be challenged and encouraged to 'stand for the truth no matter the cost.Such a stand and encouragement aremuch needed in our day.n

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February, March 1993 TIlE 'COUNSEL of Chalcedon t 7

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