An emphasis on Calvinistic doctrine as against Pelagianism and Arminianism
This particular emphasis is more implicit rather than explicit. The very authors and subjects speak volumes – Bunyan's Holy War, the Puritans, the Geneva Bible, Whitefield, Williams, Harris, Haldane on Romans, Warfield, Hendriksen, Klaas Runia. Writing of Donald McLean he remarks
But one had not been long in his company before realising that the most important thing about him was his great concern for the Truth, and his special zeal for the propagating of the Reformed Faith. That was the great passion of his life, and in a very short time he always turned the conversation in that direction.
Above everything else, however, what was most striking about him was the way in which he combined absolute loyalty to the Truth as expressed in the Westminster Confession of Faith with a marked catholicity of spirit.
That was an ideal for Lloyd-Jones “loyalty to the Truth as expressed in the Westminster Confession of Faith with a marked catholicity of spirit”. He praises McLean's “truly oecumenical spirit”.
An emphasis on biblical church unity as against false ecumenism
That leads us onto the matter of biblical church unity, a well known concern of the Doctor's that surfaces at several points. In the preface to the book by Fletcher of Madeley (1968) we have an emphasis both on experience and unity. Speaking of a great communion service held in August 1769 and attended by Calvinists and Arminians, he says that what made it possible was
Their common experience of the grace of God, their doctrine of assurance, but above all their deep experimental knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is what made them the men they were and gave them their evangelistic zeal; and this accounts for the authority which was such a great characteristic of their preaching. This is what brought them together, in spite of their differences.
With typical Lloyd-Jonesian hyperbole he says “Nothing is more important than this”.
His interest in church history was fuelled not only by an interest in Christian experience but also in the need to learn lessons on the matter of true Christian unity. He commends Poole-Connor's History of Evangelicalism in England (1951) as “a most timely and much needed book” saying
The so-called Ecumenical Movement will, of necessity, cause all Evangelicals to re-examine and re-consider their position more and more. It has already done so in many countries, and there is much uneasiness in many minds in this country.
Our first duty, therefore, is to make certain that we are clear as to the meaning of our terms. What do we Evangelicals represent, and how can that be determined? This book is an answer to these questions.
It was Poole-Connor's interaction with “the leading problem of our age” that he highlights in his foreword to his biography (1966) “the question of the nature of the Christian church and especially the relationship of the evangelical Christian to that problem”.
Lloyd-Jones speaks in much the same terms in his preface to Lewis Lupton's book in 1972
At a time when the nature of the church and its form of government is constantly before us because of the various ecumenical activities, it is essential that all branches of the church should be familiar with their origins and factors that determined what happened.
In 1968 he wrote a foreword to Klaas Runia's book on the subject Reformation Today. Again he writes of “the most urgent problem confronting the Christian church today” thankful for a study the ecumenical movement that was “fair, biblical, theological and historical”. He concludes
It is my prayer that it might be used to bring all evangelical people to see the tragedy, and indeed the sin, of their present divisions and fragmentation and to heed his appeal for true and visible unity among them.
I urge all who are concerned about the lamentable state of the church and the urgent need of the presentation of our glorious evangelical message to the masses throughout the world to read this scholarly, incisive and most readable book.
An interest in medicine and healing
As a medical doctor Lloyd-Jones inevitably had an interest in things medical and especially faith healing, a subject into which he had looked most thoroughly.
In 1945 he wrote a foreword to a little collection of addresses by Duncan M Blair and, as mentioned, he was one of those who commended a book on medical ethics edited by Edmunds and Scorer (1958). In the first of these he makes some remarks about Blair being an anatomist and how “studies which are supposed to account for the scepticism and unbelief of so many simply went to confirm and increase his faith”. He calls the Shorter Catechism Blair's “backbone” and then uses words that are just as appropriate to the Doctor himself
That indeed was the secret of his life. He had accepted the revelation of God given in the scriptures. That led to a personal experience of Christ as His Saviour and then to an ever- increasing comprehension of the great plan of salvation. And everything he learned and discovered in his scientific work seemed to fit in with that plan and to reveal it still further.
Commending the Pastor Hsi book he says that there is a great deal to learn from it about faith healing, something believed in and practised. However, there was no flamboyance or “loose statements and exaggerated claims; indeed it is here that his his sanity and balance stand out most clearly.” He commends Hsi's willingness to use conventional medicine too and says
He was acutely aware of the dangers connected with the whole subject and always proceeded in a most cautious manner. It is particularly interesting to note how he became increasingly cautious as the years passed. The effect of all this is that one does not have the usual feeling that most of the purported results can be explained in terms of psychology. One feels rather that they are true, unmistakable cases of faith healing which can be explained in no other way.
It is exactly the same with the question of demon possession. Here again valuable evidence is provided which establishes the reality of this condition as a clinical entity and which shows that there is but one effective treatment.
The Doctor thought the best book on the subject was by Henry Frost of CIM. Commending it in 1951 he wrote
Some recent writings seem to suggest that the only problem is as to whether one believes or not that miraculous gifts ended with the apostolic age. But this is by no means the only problem. Dr Frost shows clearly that theological problems are also involved, and which we only ignore at our spiritual peril. The Bible frequently warns us against the danger of being deluded by evil powers. All ‘miracles’ and ‘wonders’ are not produced by the Holy Spirit, and we must know how to ‘test the spirits’ in this matter. Our Lord Himself has warned us that the ‘lying spirits’ are so clever and so subtle as to deceive, if it were possible, the very elect (Matt 24:24).
Dr Frost’s method is particularly helpful. He starts on the practical level by citing cases and examples which prove the fact of miraculous healing. He then proceeds to deal with the difficulties, both on the practical and experimental plane, and also in the realm of correct and clear thinking.
His final sentence brings us back to his overall emphasis. “Above all” he says “he is thoroughly biblical, and not only orthodox, but truly spiritually minded. I strongly recommend this most valuable study.”
This particular emphasis is more implicit rather than explicit. The very authors and subjects speak volumes – Bunyan's Holy War, the Puritans, the Geneva Bible, Whitefield, Williams, Harris, Haldane on Romans, Warfield, Hendriksen, Klaas Runia. Writing of Donald McLean he remarks
But one had not been long in his company before realising that the most important thing about him was his great concern for the Truth, and his special zeal for the propagating of the Reformed Faith. That was the great passion of his life, and in a very short time he always turned the conversation in that direction.
Above everything else, however, what was most striking about him was the way in which he combined absolute loyalty to the Truth as expressed in the Westminster Confession of Faith with a marked catholicity of spirit.
That was an ideal for Lloyd-Jones “loyalty to the Truth as expressed in the Westminster Confession of Faith with a marked catholicity of spirit”. He praises McLean's “truly oecumenical spirit”.
An emphasis on biblical church unity as against false ecumenism
That leads us onto the matter of biblical church unity, a well known concern of the Doctor's that surfaces at several points. In the preface to the book by Fletcher of Madeley (1968) we have an emphasis both on experience and unity. Speaking of a great communion service held in August 1769 and attended by Calvinists and Arminians, he says that what made it possible was
Their common experience of the grace of God, their doctrine of assurance, but above all their deep experimental knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is what made them the men they were and gave them their evangelistic zeal; and this accounts for the authority which was such a great characteristic of their preaching. This is what brought them together, in spite of their differences.
With typical Lloyd-Jonesian hyperbole he says “Nothing is more important than this”.
His interest in church history was fuelled not only by an interest in Christian experience but also in the need to learn lessons on the matter of true Christian unity. He commends Poole-Connor's History of Evangelicalism in England (1951) as “a most timely and much needed book” saying
The so-called Ecumenical Movement will, of necessity, cause all Evangelicals to re-examine and re-consider their position more and more. It has already done so in many countries, and there is much uneasiness in many minds in this country.
Our first duty, therefore, is to make certain that we are clear as to the meaning of our terms. What do we Evangelicals represent, and how can that be determined? This book is an answer to these questions.
It was Poole-Connor's interaction with “the leading problem of our age” that he highlights in his foreword to his biography (1966) “the question of the nature of the Christian church and especially the relationship of the evangelical Christian to that problem”.
Lloyd-Jones speaks in much the same terms in his preface to Lewis Lupton's book in 1972
At a time when the nature of the church and its form of government is constantly before us because of the various ecumenical activities, it is essential that all branches of the church should be familiar with their origins and factors that determined what happened.
In 1968 he wrote a foreword to Klaas Runia's book on the subject Reformation Today. Again he writes of “the most urgent problem confronting the Christian church today” thankful for a study the ecumenical movement that was “fair, biblical, theological and historical”. He concludes
It is my prayer that it might be used to bring all evangelical people to see the tragedy, and indeed the sin, of their present divisions and fragmentation and to heed his appeal for true and visible unity among them.
I urge all who are concerned about the lamentable state of the church and the urgent need of the presentation of our glorious evangelical message to the masses throughout the world to read this scholarly, incisive and most readable book.
An interest in medicine and healing
As a medical doctor Lloyd-Jones inevitably had an interest in things medical and especially faith healing, a subject into which he had looked most thoroughly.In 1945 he wrote a foreword to a little collection of addresses by Duncan M Blair and, as mentioned, he was one of those who commended a book on medical ethics edited by Edmunds and Scorer (1958). In the first of these he makes some remarks about Blair being an anatomist and how “studies which are supposed to account for the scepticism and unbelief of so many simply went to confirm and increase his faith”. He calls the Shorter Catechism Blair's “backbone” and then uses words that are just as appropriate to the Doctor himself
That indeed was the secret of his life. He had accepted the revelation of God given in the scriptures. That led to a personal experience of Christ as His Saviour and then to an ever- increasing comprehension of the great plan of salvation. And everything he learned and discovered in his scientific work seemed to fit in with that plan and to reveal it still further.
Commending the Pastor Hsi book he says that there is a great deal to learn from it about faith healing, something believed in and practised. However, there was no flamboyance or “loose statements and exaggerated claims; indeed it is here that his his sanity and balance stand out most clearly.” He commends Hsi's willingness to use conventional medicine too and says
He was acutely aware of the dangers connected with the whole subject and always proceeded in a most cautious manner. It is particularly interesting to note how he became increasingly cautious as the years passed. The effect of all this is that one does not have the usual feeling that most of the purported results can be explained in terms of psychology. One feels rather that they are true, unmistakable cases of faith healing which can be explained in no other way.
It is exactly the same with the question of demon possession. Here again valuable evidence is provided which establishes the reality of this condition as a clinical entity and which shows that there is but one effective treatment.
The Doctor thought the best book on the subject was by Henry Frost of CIM. Commending it in 1951 he wrote
Some recent writings seem to suggest that the only problem is as to whether one believes or not that miraculous gifts ended with the apostolic age. But this is by no means the only problem. Dr Frost shows clearly that theological problems are also involved, and which we only ignore at our spiritual peril. The Bible frequently warns us against the danger of being deluded by evil powers. All ‘miracles’ and ‘wonders’ are not produced by the Holy Spirit, and we must know how to ‘test the spirits’ in this matter. Our Lord Himself has warned us that the ‘lying spirits’ are so clever and so subtle as to deceive, if it were possible, the very elect (Matt 24:24).
Dr Frost’s method is particularly helpful. He starts on the practical level by citing cases and examples which prove the fact of miraculous healing. He then proceeds to deal with the difficulties, both on the practical and experimental plane, and also in the realm of correct and clear thinking.
His final sentence brings us back to his overall emphasis. “Above all” he says “he is thoroughly biblical, and not only orthodox, but truly spiritually minded. I strongly recommend this most valuable study.”
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