Wiersbe. Lloyd-Jones
June 10, 2026
“Wiersbe. Lloyd-Jones”
Blessings folk!
Had a thought this morning.
As you know, we are doing all things “Romans” at the moment…lol.
Blog.
Podcast.
Preaching/teaching series.
Bible studies - local/online.
In preparing for all this, I put together a very short document (with the tools of the day) of the thoughts of folk that have highly impacted me through the years…what did they say about Romans 6-8? We have yet to examine Romans 8, but they are unit! :)
Thought I share it with you…
Here are the first two…Wiersbe and Lloyd-Jones
Warren Wiersbe…
Overall Context in Romans 6–8
Sanctification: Righteousness Defended. Paul addresses objections to justification by faith while explaining holy living.
Romans 6: Victory over the flesh (sin).
Romans 7: Liberty from the law (legalism).
(Romans 8: Security in the Spirit.)
Paul counters extremes of license (sin freely because of grace) and legalism (try to be holy by keeping rules).
Romans 6: Dying to Live – Victory Over Sin
Paul refutes the objection: “Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?” (6:1). Believers must not live under sin’s dominion. Three key instructions for victory: Know, Reckon, Yield.
Know your position in Christ (6:1-10):
United with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection (baptism as picture).
Old man (sin nature) crucified; sin’s power broken.
Alive to God, dead to sin. Christ died to sin once; we share that victory.
Reckon (count as true) your new position (6:11):
By faith, consider yourself dead to sin and alive to God.
This is an act of faith based on facts, not feelings.
Yield (present) yourself to God (6:12-23):
Do not yield members as instruments of unrighteousness.
Yield to God as servants of righteousness (new master).
Illustration: From slavery to sin (wages = death) to slavery to God (fruit unto holiness, gift = eternal life).
Grace reigns through righteousness; sin no longer has dominion because we are under grace, not law.
Key emphasis: Sanctification is not automatic but requires daily surrender. Freedom from sin’s penalty and power leads to progressive victory and fruitfulness.
Romans 7: Christians and the Law – Liberty from Legalism
Paul addresses the objection related to the law: We are no longer under law but under grace (ties to 6:15–7:6). The law cannot sanctify any more than it could justify. “In Romans 6, Paul told us how to stop doing bad things; in Romans 7 he tells how not to do good things.”
Three main topics to deliver from legalism:
The Authority of the Law (7:1-6):
Illustrated by marriage: The law binds like a husband; only death releases (believer died with Christ).
Freed from the law to be “married to another” (Christ), so we can bring forth fruit to God.
Serve in newness of the Spirit, not oldness of the letter.
The law has dominion only while we live; we died to it through Christ.
The Ministry of the Law (7:7-13):
The law is holy, just, and good—but it reveals sin, arouses sin, and brings death (conviction, not ability to obey).
Sin uses the commandment to deceive and kill (e.g., “Thou shalt not covet” stirs covetousness).
Purpose: Show sin’s exceeding sinfulness; prepare for grace. Legalism fails by focusing on outward sins, not the root sin nature.
The Inability of the Law (and the Believer’s Struggle) (7:14-25):
The inner conflict: The law is spiritual, but “I am carnal, sold under sin.”
Willing to do good but unable in own strength; sin dwells in me.
“O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” (7:24).
Answer points to Christ (transition to ch. 8).
Mind serves God’s law, but flesh serves sin’s law—highlighting need for the Spirit’s power.
Key emphasis: Legalism leads to frustration, pretense, or collapse because it relies on self-effort and external rules. It sees sins but not Sin; it produces death, not life or fruit. True liberty comes from union with Christ and walking by the Spirit, not lists or self-righteousness. Growing believers experience this struggle before learning deeper dependence on grace.
Wiersbe stresses practical application: Christian living rests on learning these truths—position in Christ (dead to sin, free from law’s bondage), daily reckoning, yielding, and reliance on the Spirit rather than rules or fleshly effort. This produces victory, liberty, and security.
Martyn Lloyd-Jones on Romans 6–8: Sanctification – Union with Christ and the Spirit
Lloyd-Jones views Romans 5:20–21 as the pivot: grace abounds over sin. Chapters 6–8 address objections and elaborate the believer’s union with Christ, ensuring justification leads to sanctification. The theme denounces separating justification from sanctification. Grace reigns, producing holiness, not license or legalism. The Holy Spirit empowers what the law could not.
Romans 6: Dead to Sin, Alive to God – Freedom from Sin’s Dominion
Paul answers: “Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?” (6:1) with “God forbid!” True grace produces new life, not antinomianism. This is practical doctrine for daily living.
Definitive Break with Sin (6:1–10):
We died to sin (past, completed act) through union with Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection (baptism illustrates this).
The “old man” crucified; sin’s tyranny broken. We are transferred from Adam’s reign (sin/death) to Christ’s reign (grace/life).
Christ died to sin once; we share that – dead to sin’s realm, alive to God. Not sinless perfection, but sin no longer rules as master.
Reckoning and Yielding (6:11–14):
“Reckon” (count as true by faith) yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ. Stand on this positional truth, not feelings.
Do not let sin reign in your mortal body; yield members as instruments of righteousness to God.
Under grace, not law – sin shall not have dominion.
Slavery and Fruit (6:15–23):
Two masters: sin (wages = death) or obedience/righteousness (fruit unto holiness, end = eternal life).
Emphasis: A profound change has occurred; Christians cannot live as before. Sanctification is guaranteed by union with Christ.
Key Lloyd-Jones Emphasis: This is not self-effort but resting in what God has done. Preaching pure grace will invite the “continue in sin” objection – a test of true gospel.
Romans 7: The Law, Its Functions and Limits – Freedom from Legalism
Sanctification by law is as impossible as justification by law. The chapter shows the law’s inability and warns against self-sanctification efforts. It dramatically illustrates the futility of trying to be holy by rules apart from the Spirit.
Relation to the Law (7:1–6):
Illustrated by marriage: Law binds like a husband; death (with Christ) frees us to marry Christ and bear fruit to God.
Serve in newness of the Spirit, not oldness of the letter. Dead to the law through Christ’s body.
The Law’s Ministry (7:7–13):
Law is holy/good but reveals and arouses sin (e.g., “Do not covet”). Sin uses the commandment to deceive and slay.
Purpose: Show sin’s exceeding sinfulness; drive us to grace. Law cannot sanctify – it condemns and kills.
The Struggle (7:14–25):
Lloyd-Jones sees this primarily as a man under deep conviction (pre- or early conversion experience), delighting in the law in the inner man yet captive to indwelling sin – “O wretched man!”
Highlights the battle when relying on self/law: willing spirit but weak flesh. Mind approves God’s law; flesh serves sin’s law.
Purpose: Prove law’s limits for sanctification; point to deliverance through Christ (leading to ch. 8). Not the normal Christian life under the Spirit.
Key Emphasis: The law exposes but cannot empower. Legalism produces frustration and defeat. True fruit comes from union with Christ, not external rules.
Romans 8: Life in the Spirit – No Condemnation, Full Assurance
The climax: What the law could not do, God did through Christ and the Spirit. Assurance of salvation from justification to glorification. Theme: No condemnation now or ever; the Spirit guarantees victory and security.
No Condemnation and Life in the Spirit (8:1–17):
“There is therefore now no condemnation” – positional standing in Christ, never again under wrath.
Spirit of life frees from law of sin and death. Righteousness of the law fulfilled in us who walk by the Spirit.
Mind of flesh vs. mind of Spirit (death vs. life/peace). Put to death deeds of the body by the Spirit.
Adoption as sons; Spirit bears witness; joint heirs with Christ (sufferings to glory).
Hope in Suffering and God’s Purpose (8:18–30):
Present sufferings incomparable to future glory. Creation and believers groan; Spirit intercedes with groanings.
All things work together for good; golden chain: foreknown, predestined, called, justified, glorified.
God’s unbreakable purpose ensures completion.
More Than Conquerors (8:31–39):
God is for us – gave His Son, justifies, Christ intercedes.
Nothing (tribulation, death, life, powers, etc.) can separate us from God’s love in Christ. We are more than conquerors.
Overall Emphasis (Lloyd-Jones): Union with Christ (dead to sin, free from law) + indwelling Spirit produces assured, holy living amid suffering. Sanctification flows from grace, not effort or rules. Romans 6–8 form one unit guaranteeing what grace began, it will complete. This brings joy, certainty, and victory – logic on fire for daily Christian experience.