Ephesians 2.4
This passage is an extract from a sermon preached by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones which can be found in his second volume of sermons from Ephesians: God's Way of Reconciliation, published by the Banner of Truth. The quotations are from the AV and although, at that time, 'man' was taken to mean 'men and women', the truth rings out to our comfort when the world now presents the same ugly face.
The Christian is a man, who, to use a Scriptural phrase, knows that he is but 'a stranger and a pilgrim' in this world. He is a mere sojourner, he does not any longer live for this world: he has seen through it, he sees beyond it. He is a journeyman, a traveller, and, as James puts it (chapter 4) he is a man who has realised that his life is 'but a vapour', a breath. So he does not regard this world as permanent; he does not lay down his plans and say: 'I am going to do this or that.' Not at all! But rather: 'If the Lord will . . .', it is all under God, and he realises how contingent it is. He does not any longer pin his faith or set his affections on this world.
No surprises
But still more marvellous! He is never taken by surprise over anything that happens in this world. That is why I said earlier that there is nothing that I know of that is so relevant to worldly circumstances as this gospel. The Christian is a man who is never surprised by what happens in the world. He is prepared for everything, prepared for anything. He is not at all surprised when a war breaks out. The non-Christian, and especially the idealist of course, is greatly surprised. He really did believe at the end of the First World War that the League of Nations was going to abolish war for ever.
