Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Recommendation: 5/5
Description of author: David Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was the minister of Westminster Chapel in London for 30 years.
Comments: The title of this volume of sermons by Lloyd-Jones is somewhat misleading. This book is not so much about depression (a word that has taken on official, clinical connotations), as it is about a lack of joy in the Christian life. Each chapter is a sermon based on a text of Scripture. Among the subjects covered are dealing with the past, fear of the future, the place of feelings in the Christian walk, the problem of false teaching, discipline in the Christian life, and trials. The first few chapters deal especially with the nature of true, saving faith. He explains the importance of conviction of sin and of the whole man – mind, heart, and will – being involved in true salvation. The book is very readable and very practical. In fact this would be high on my list of books that every Christian ought to read. Following are some examples of the down to earth, insightful wisdom of Lloyd-Jones: Very well, that is what I regard as perhaps the most important rule of all, that we must not concentrate overmuch upon our feelings. Do not spend too much time feeling your own pulse taking your own spiritual temperature, do not spend too much time analysing your feelings. That is the high road to morbidity (p. 115); If you want to be truly happy and blessed, if you would like to to know true joy as a Christian, here is the prescription – ‘Blessed (truly happy) are they who do hunger and thirst after righteousness’ – not after happiness. Do not go on seeking thrills; seek righteousness (p. 117); O Christian friends, do not make bargains with God. If you do, you will get only your bargain; but if you leave it to His grace, you will probably get more than you ever thought of (p. 130); The secret of a happy Christian life is to realize that it is all of grace and to rejoice in that fact (p. 132). His explanation of the Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard (chapter 9) is fantastic and certainly one of the highlights of this excellent book.