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Life in Christ: Studies in I John #1-5
Viața în Cristos: Studii asupra primei epistole a lui Ioan
De sub condeiul lui Martyn Lloyd-Jones a iesit expunerea de fata asupra acestei minunate carti a Bibliei. Capitol dupa capitol, autorul te conduce intr-un mod placut si convingator printr-un studiu amanuntit, cu aplicatii atent formulate ale unor adevaruri care te vor provoca si te vor lumina. Invatatura profunda despre sfintenia si dragostea lui Dumnezeu, despre Cristos Mijlocitorul nostru si despre lucrarea Duhului Sfant sunt aspecte importante pentru fundamentarea gandirii noastre spirituale si pentru trairea plenara a credintei crestine. Daca acest studiu comprehensiv si aplicativ asupra Primei Epistole a Apostolului Ioan a fost publicat anterior sub forma a cinci volume, de aceasta data, continutul sau ne este prezentat intr-un singur volum.
670 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 1993
30 people are currently reading
331 people want to read
About the author
D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
343 books586 followersDavid Martyn Lloyd-Jones was a Welsh Protestant minister, preacher and medical doctor who was influential in the Reformed wing of the British evangelical movement in the 20th century. For almost 30 years, he was the minister of Westminster Chapel in London. Lloyd-Jones was strongly opposed to Liberal Christianity, which had become a part of many Christian denominations; he regarded it as aberrant. He disagreed with the broad church approach and encouraged evangelical Christians (particularly Anglicans) to leave their existing denominations. He believed that true Christian fellowship was possible only amongst those who shared common convictions regarding the nature of the faith.
David Martyn Lloyd-Jones was married to Bethan Lloyd-Jones
Books about D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones: https://www.goodreads.com/characters/...
David Martyn Lloyd-Jones was married to Bethan Lloyd-Jones
Books about D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones: https://www.goodreads.com/characters/...
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
June 16, 2022
I Started this book just short of year ago, it has been an accompaniment to an ongoing study, in what happens to be one of my favorite Books of the bible 1 john. This book is actually 5 short books conglomerated together into one. My rating is 7-8-9. Which is 24 out 30 or 4/5.
I judged the writing quality a 7. Lloyd jones believed that the gift of preaching and the gift of writing were separate entities, thus his books are always transcripts of sermons/ sermons series. As a result, some of the writing can be a little repetitious, as to instill appoint into the listener. Personally, I don’t mind this very much and am very used to his writing style, and find it easy to follow, while also enjoyable because of the interesting (without being pretentious) word choice woven through. You can tell he was a well-read man.
The Content Got an 8, really very little I am capable of complaining about here. I always find The Doctor very cognoscible and clear. He constantly manages to find the balance between doctrine and textual explication, while balancing it with application. I particularly found verses 1-5 handled very well and deeply challenging, I would echo this, also, for the last verse of the book. The reason it didn’t get a 9 or 10 was because there were a couple sermons which didn’t maybe deal with the passage with the same consistency and depth as other verses. This is not necessary the problem of the preacher more the logistics of preaching. Just a couple section like ch1:6-10, were given more of a cursory exegesis…
The cultural relevance of this book couldn’t get much higher. If people were only to understand that their fundamental problem was there relationship unto God, not the symptoms of living in a in sinful world, I am sure our culture would look quite different. But it goes beyond that, if only the church were to live in a balanced manor as written by John and explained by MLJ, our churches would look and live very different.
This is the final paragraph from the fifth volume tremendous way to close the book:
‘It is as we realize this wondrous possibility of knowing God that everything else should pale into insignificance. In other words, the apostle’s final advice, it seems to me, can be put like this: we must strive without ceasing to realize the presence and the fellowship and the communion of God…To realize His nearness and His presence, to realize His companionship, to know that we are with Him and in Him, and to see to it always and ever that nothing and no one shall ever come between us and Him.’
I judged the writing quality a 7. Lloyd jones believed that the gift of preaching and the gift of writing were separate entities, thus his books are always transcripts of sermons/ sermons series. As a result, some of the writing can be a little repetitious, as to instill appoint into the listener. Personally, I don’t mind this very much and am very used to his writing style, and find it easy to follow, while also enjoyable because of the interesting (without being pretentious) word choice woven through. You can tell he was a well-read man.
The Content Got an 8, really very little I am capable of complaining about here. I always find The Doctor very cognoscible and clear. He constantly manages to find the balance between doctrine and textual explication, while balancing it with application. I particularly found verses 1-5 handled very well and deeply challenging, I would echo this, also, for the last verse of the book. The reason it didn’t get a 9 or 10 was because there were a couple sermons which didn’t maybe deal with the passage with the same consistency and depth as other verses. This is not necessary the problem of the preacher more the logistics of preaching. Just a couple section like ch1:6-10, were given more of a cursory exegesis…
The cultural relevance of this book couldn’t get much higher. If people were only to understand that their fundamental problem was there relationship unto God, not the symptoms of living in a in sinful world, I am sure our culture would look quite different. But it goes beyond that, if only the church were to live in a balanced manor as written by John and explained by MLJ, our churches would look and live very different.
This is the final paragraph from the fifth volume tremendous way to close the book:
‘It is as we realize this wondrous possibility of knowing God that everything else should pale into insignificance. In other words, the apostle’s final advice, it seems to me, can be put like this: we must strive without ceasing to realize the presence and the fellowship and the communion of God…To realize His nearness and His presence, to realize His companionship, to know that we are with Him and in Him, and to see to it always and ever that nothing and no one shall ever come between us and Him.’
March 5, 2017
"That is it. To realize His nearness and His presence, to realize His companionship, to know that we are with Him and in Him, and to see to it always and ever that nothing and no one shall ever come between us and Him." That's the last paragraph of Life in Christ and a fitting end to a deeply encouraging, wise, and enriching book. Throughout his study of 1 John, the Doctor distills the Christian life to simply being who we are in Christ, for knowing Him is true joy and peace and happiness. A hugely rewarding read.
December 30, 2019
I read this as part of my devotional, one sermon each day. Lloyd Jones’ exposition is solid and he has the knack of elucidating the right parts of the text without wandering off topic and touching on themes that are vaguely present. One example: he’s distinctly reformed, but doesn’t make God’s sovereignty the main issue of 1 John (which it’s not); Some preachers mysteriously find the same themes no matter what book they are in. He knows when to balance simple exposition with the need for deeper explanation. Case in point, he spends several pages comparing and contrasting textual criticism and higher criticism to explain the variant reading of 5:7. The sermons on Joy at the beginning of book 1 were with the price. I left the book convicted that I needed to love people more, Lloyd Jones’ thesis for his commentary on 1 John.
May 20, 2023
serves as an excellent devotional through 1 john. don’t be intimidated by the size of the collection — these sermons were extremely readable, understandable, theologically rich, and spiritually edifying! i wholeheartedly recommend :)
December 30, 2012
MLJ made 1 John a powerful book for me.
September 29, 2025
This is such an excellent book! I highly recommend it to every serious Christian as it will challenge, encourage, and convict him to live more devoted to God! The blessings and securities of our relationship with God is beyond our comprehension, but the book of 1 John beautifully exposes invaluable truths that we should be clinging to!
Lloyd Jones always does a phenomenal job in teaching through the Sctiptures. He both honors the context as well as digs deep into the details of whatever passage he is teaching through! I highly recommend this author and his many devotional books!
Lloyd Jones always does a phenomenal job in teaching through the Sctiptures. He both honors the context as well as digs deep into the details of whatever passage he is teaching through! I highly recommend this author and his many devotional books!
February 4, 2019
Wonderful sermons, can be difficult to read at times as they obviously were meant to be preached and heard.
September 28, 2014
The overarching theme of 1 John is that of how the believer relates to the world in light of being a child of God. It is an epistle replete with calls to stand firm on the fundamentals of the faith in a world that increasingly rejects that message and in response to individuals even within the church that seek to alter the truth of Scripture. Adherence to sound doctrine brings life to the believer. It is this message that Martyn Lloyd-Jones addresses in his compendium of sermons on 1 John titled Life in Christ: Studies in 1 John.
This book is a compilation of five volumes of sermons by Lloyd-Jones rolled into a single volume. In true Lloyd-Jones style, the approach taken in this book is supremely biblical while being of the utmost in practical application for the reader. He covers all the major elements of 1 John with the heart of a pastor, honing in and expounding on the issues presented by the Apostle John that continue to remain relevant and important for believers today. Since the chapters contained in this book comprise sermons of Lloyd-Jones, they are short yet powerfully written, allowing the reader to dig deep into the text without getting overwhelmed with scholarly points of emphasis.
Some examples of the superb explication provided by Lloyd-Jones in this book can be found in his exposition of I John 1:6-10. Lloyd-Jones aptly comments “If we say that we are walking with him and yet in the meantime are walking in darkness, then we lie. It is not true, it is a false claim, we misinterpret ourselves to our fellow men and women and to the world, and it is all wrong.” In a world where so many try and claim they are of the household of faith yet continue to walk in blatant opposition to God’s commands, such as statement as that made by Lloyd-Jones is sorely needed. He further declares “unless I realize I am a sinner and must repent, and if my only hope is not in Christ and His death for me on the cross and His resurrection for my justification, I not only have no fellowship with God, but I am dwelling still in utter darkness.” The answer of course is found in the blood of Jesus, a point Lloyd-Jones brings to bear as the solution to the sin problem.
Another outstanding portion of this sermon collection is Lloyd-Jones’ comments on 1 John 3:11-15. To be a child of God demands obedience to the Father’s commands provided in Scripture. Therefore, to live this thing called the Christian life requires the believer to be like Christ in our words and deeds, essentially what is known as our faith in action. Lloyd-Jones aptly describes the example set by Christ by commenting “His life was a life full of perfect obedience; as a son He rendered perfect obedience of God’s holy will and law. And, secondly, the great characteristic which we see in Him is this quality of love.” After all, Jesus did tell us that all the commands of God can be boiled down to loving God and loving others. A fruit of the believer should be that of love towards others. We love our fellow believers according to Lloyd-Jones because “we share the same interests; we have been brought out of darkness into light, separated from the world into this new kingdom. We are sharing and are interested in the same thing, in this glorious Word, in this praise of God.” The body of Christ marching towards the beat of the same drum in love for God and for each other is a powerful thing indeed.
One final chapter of this book that is worthy of note is Lloyd-Jones’ explanation of 1 John 4:18. In this verse, the Apostle John declares that perfect love casts out fear. Lloyd-Jones avers the Apostle John is speaking of fear in relation to the Day of Judgment noting the believer should not fear that day because we are assured of our eternal destiny. Those who do live in fear of that day are the individuals who have failed to grasp the immensity of eternity for “they just enjoy life as it comes along, with the latest excitement and craze. They never stop to say, ‘What is the meaning of my life? What is to be my ultimate destiny?’ They are not afraid of the Day of Judgment just because they have never realized there is such a day.” Having confidence in one’s eternal destiny should produce love towards your fellow believer and also towards those who are walking in darkness. We should declare to those in darkness the solution to their problem. Such confidence should produce boldness in our lives to declare the gospel. Lloyd-Jones notes the need for such boldness stating “You will find yourself loving someone who is hateful, and you will draw the correct deduction and will say, ‘It must be that Christ is in me.”
1 John is a powerful book and Lloyd-Jones is a powerful preacher who is skilled at elaborating the truths found in Scripture in a way that is biblical, scholarly, yet truly accessible to all believers. Life in Christ is a collection of sermons on 1 John that I highly recommend everyone take the time to sit down and read and more importantly take to hear and apply in their daily life. Lloyd-Jones was a truly gifted preacher and this collection captures the preacher’s heart for which he was known. This collection of sermons would be a great tool for both personal bible study or even in a small group setting as part of a study on 1 John. It certainly is a welcome volume to my personal library to which I will return many times in the future.
I received this book for free from Crossway Books for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
This book is a compilation of five volumes of sermons by Lloyd-Jones rolled into a single volume. In true Lloyd-Jones style, the approach taken in this book is supremely biblical while being of the utmost in practical application for the reader. He covers all the major elements of 1 John with the heart of a pastor, honing in and expounding on the issues presented by the Apostle John that continue to remain relevant and important for believers today. Since the chapters contained in this book comprise sermons of Lloyd-Jones, they are short yet powerfully written, allowing the reader to dig deep into the text without getting overwhelmed with scholarly points of emphasis.
Some examples of the superb explication provided by Lloyd-Jones in this book can be found in his exposition of I John 1:6-10. Lloyd-Jones aptly comments “If we say that we are walking with him and yet in the meantime are walking in darkness, then we lie. It is not true, it is a false claim, we misinterpret ourselves to our fellow men and women and to the world, and it is all wrong.” In a world where so many try and claim they are of the household of faith yet continue to walk in blatant opposition to God’s commands, such as statement as that made by Lloyd-Jones is sorely needed. He further declares “unless I realize I am a sinner and must repent, and if my only hope is not in Christ and His death for me on the cross and His resurrection for my justification, I not only have no fellowship with God, but I am dwelling still in utter darkness.” The answer of course is found in the blood of Jesus, a point Lloyd-Jones brings to bear as the solution to the sin problem.
Another outstanding portion of this sermon collection is Lloyd-Jones’ comments on 1 John 3:11-15. To be a child of God demands obedience to the Father’s commands provided in Scripture. Therefore, to live this thing called the Christian life requires the believer to be like Christ in our words and deeds, essentially what is known as our faith in action. Lloyd-Jones aptly describes the example set by Christ by commenting “His life was a life full of perfect obedience; as a son He rendered perfect obedience of God’s holy will and law. And, secondly, the great characteristic which we see in Him is this quality of love.” After all, Jesus did tell us that all the commands of God can be boiled down to loving God and loving others. A fruit of the believer should be that of love towards others. We love our fellow believers according to Lloyd-Jones because “we share the same interests; we have been brought out of darkness into light, separated from the world into this new kingdom. We are sharing and are interested in the same thing, in this glorious Word, in this praise of God.” The body of Christ marching towards the beat of the same drum in love for God and for each other is a powerful thing indeed.
One final chapter of this book that is worthy of note is Lloyd-Jones’ explanation of 1 John 4:18. In this verse, the Apostle John declares that perfect love casts out fear. Lloyd-Jones avers the Apostle John is speaking of fear in relation to the Day of Judgment noting the believer should not fear that day because we are assured of our eternal destiny. Those who do live in fear of that day are the individuals who have failed to grasp the immensity of eternity for “they just enjoy life as it comes along, with the latest excitement and craze. They never stop to say, ‘What is the meaning of my life? What is to be my ultimate destiny?’ They are not afraid of the Day of Judgment just because they have never realized there is such a day.” Having confidence in one’s eternal destiny should produce love towards your fellow believer and also towards those who are walking in darkness. We should declare to those in darkness the solution to their problem. Such confidence should produce boldness in our lives to declare the gospel. Lloyd-Jones notes the need for such boldness stating “You will find yourself loving someone who is hateful, and you will draw the correct deduction and will say, ‘It must be that Christ is in me.”
1 John is a powerful book and Lloyd-Jones is a powerful preacher who is skilled at elaborating the truths found in Scripture in a way that is biblical, scholarly, yet truly accessible to all believers. Life in Christ is a collection of sermons on 1 John that I highly recommend everyone take the time to sit down and read and more importantly take to hear and apply in their daily life. Lloyd-Jones was a truly gifted preacher and this collection captures the preacher’s heart for which he was known. This collection of sermons would be a great tool for both personal bible study or even in a small group setting as part of a study on 1 John. It certainly is a welcome volume to my personal library to which I will return many times in the future.
I received this book for free from Crossway Books for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
March 12, 2021
Excellent, godly commentary by the good doctor! Clarity and pastoral application of truths that will challenge and enlighten you concerning living the spiritual life. Very reader friendly!
“The Apostle John’s first epistle shatters any illusions that we may have about sin, salvation, loving the world, prayer, false teaching, and much more.”
Highly recommended
“The Apostle John’s first epistle shatters any illusions that we may have about sin, salvation, loving the world, prayer, false teaching, and much more.”
Highly recommended
September 27, 2017
A good, solid book of sermons on 1 John. It felt a bit repetitive, but in fairness, so is the book of 1 John. Not my favorite of Lloyd Jones, so I may be unfairly comparing it to Spiritual Depression.
November 4, 2019
Finally! I've been plugging away at this one for nearly 1.5 years. WORTH IT. Martyn Lloyd-Jones will always be my second favorite preacher ;-). In this collection of sermons on 1 John is wisdom and knowledge and heart. I'll be returning to this one some day.
September 29, 2025
Excellent devotional work through 1 John.
Check out our full chapter-by-chapter review on the first season of the Give Attendance to Reading podcast.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...
Check out our full chapter-by-chapter review on the first season of the Give Attendance to Reading podcast.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...
November 12, 2016
Lloyd-Jones is amazing and insightful in his commentary on 1 John. This is through read and quite academic. However, MLJ is a pastor at heart with great application and challenges for the believer in Jesus. Definitely recommend for the library and a study companion when going through 1 John.
March 6, 2008
everything by martin lloyd-jones, george campbell morgan's successor at the westminster chapel in london, is excellent
May 21, 2012
Well, only reading the first...Another series where I only have one of the books ha.
September 25, 2012
A thorough, thoughtful, and pastoral look at 1 John. I would highly recommend to anyone looking to understand the book of 1 John for either personal study or to preach it.
March 1, 2023
Incredibly devotional as Dr. Martyn Lloyd Jones explains verse-by-verse the book of 1 John.
November 10, 2014
A classic commentary.
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August 23, 2014I love anything by Lloyd-Jones ... this is no exception.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews