May 5 Daily Devotional

See to the foundations!

The whole basis of society today ... [is the assumption] that as long as man is put right in this respect and that, the result must be that ultimately he will be entirely right. That is the rationale of the modern belief in what is called the social application of the gospel. It is the basis also of the innumerable societies which clutter the religious ground like mushrooms. It is the background of the belief that by means of greater knowledge and instruction, the ills of mankind can be cured.

Never has the world been busier in trying to treat itself than it has been during the past hundred years.... But there is no question about the persistence of problems.... Leagues and movements against this or that particular sin, organizations to propagate various teachings.... Never was the mechanism for making life happy and enjoyable so elaborate and so perfected.

But what of the result? ... All the effort seems to have resulted in failure and that for the good reason ... that the man him­self has been forgotten. He can be put right in many respects and still remain miserable and unhappy in himself. Have we not all known men who are clever, cultured, well-mannered, popular, who, as far as one could see, had everything in their favor, and all that could be desired, but who nevertheless knew themselves to be utter failures in life and were miserable in themselves? They could manage anyone and anything but themselves.

A man may be clever. He may hold idealistic views on most subjects. He may perform many beneficent acts. But the question still is: What are his motives? Is he right at the center?

Truth Unchanged, Unchanging, pp. 87-9

---

“Text reproduced from ‘A First Book of Daily Readings’ by Martyn Lloyd-Jones, published by Epworth Press 1970 & 1977 © Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes. Used with permission.”

Comments on D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, A First Book of Daily Readings

"These gems of evangelical truth, biblically based, help the reader to understand this world in the light of the Word." —Church Herald

"Christ-honoring, thought-provoking discussions" —Presbyterian Journal

"Few daily devotional books offer as much substantial insight as this one." —Christian Bookseller

"...will help to either open or close your day." —Evangelize