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Some of you who arrive at this webpage will say that "the Law" has no part in our lives as Christians and that anything to do with the Law of Moses in the New Covenant is legalism. As far as our justification and righteousness goes this is true. But please read on and find out the amazing purpose God always intended for his Law. Specifically the 10 Commandments.

I have not detailed here how very importantly the Parable of the Sower relates to this subject. Afterwards I implore you to see the two teachings linked through the Evangelists page called Hell's Best Kept Secret & True and False Conversion. You wont regret it. As the message from "True and False Conversion" states - "If we prop up such as those professing, but not born again, 'Christians' until the Day of Judgment we do to them the greatest disservice imaginable". When they fall away we label them backsliders but this is a false assessment as they never were truly saved in the first place. We are party to their eternal death.


The Goal
To get the vertical repentance (to God), verses horizontal repentance (worldly sorrow), required for genuine salvation.
2 Corinthians 7:10
Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.
Examples Psalm 51:4, Genesis 39:9, Luke 15:21

Notes
Without repentance there is no salvation: Matthew 4:17, Luke 13:3 & 24:47, Acts 2:38, 3:19, 17:30, 19:4 & 20:21, 2 Peter 3:9
“To be Justified” means to obtain righteousness. “Righteousness” means right moral standing with God.


The Problem
Psalm 36:1-2 (KJV similar)
An Oracle is within my heart concerning the sinfulness of the wicked: there is no fear of God before their eyes. 2For in his own eyes he flatters himself too much to detect or hate his sin.


The Solution
In Matthew 5:18; what did our Lord mean when he said “I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.” ?

Let's dig just a little deeper...
Psalms 19:7
The Law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. or KJVThe law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul...

Proverbs 2:1-5
My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, 2turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, 3and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, 4and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, 5then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.

 Proverbs 14:27
The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, turning a man from the snares of death
Proverbs 1:7, 9:10 and many others The Fear of the LORD is the Beginning of knowledge/wisdom.
Other references Job 28:28, Psalm 19:9, 34:11, 111:10, Proverbs 16:6, 19:23, Isaiah 11:2

Isaiah 33:6
He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the LORD is the key to this treasure.

So the Law of God is the key to understanding the fear of God and the need for salvation !

Where is the evidence of this ?

Look again at Luke 23:39-43
Which criminal realised the situation for what it was, understood his state before God and was ready for grace ?
40But The other criminal rebuked him. “Don't you fear God,” he said, since you are under the same sentence? 41We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. …”

The second criminal displays an understanding of his sin and that his sentence is just. He is clearly in a state of repentance and why? because he fears God and this is why he calls out to the Saviour. One might even say he is trying to urge the other criminal to do likewise. (Rather like 2 Corinthians 5:11a)

Hang on a minute, we are in the New Testament times !
Galatians 4:4-5
But when the time had fully come, God sent his son, born of a woman, born under law, 5to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights as sons.

So who is “under the Law” these days ?

Romans 2:12-16
All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. 13For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. 14(Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, 15since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.) 16This will take place on the day when God will judge men's secrets through Jesus Christ as my gospel declares.

Galatians 3:22-23
But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe. 23Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed.

Romans 3:9 &... 19
9What shall we conclude then? Are we any better? Not at all! We have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin. ...19Now we know what ever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God.

As this scripture shows us that before we are in Christ we are all under the Law whether Jew or Gentile. Because Christ came to redeem the whole world.

What the Law cannot do...

Acts 13:39
Through him everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by observing the law of Moses. (See Also Acts 15:5 to 11)

Galatians 2:15-16
We who are Jews by birth and not Gentle Sinners 16know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified.
See also Hebrews 7:19-22

What the Law does do...

As these scriptures show The Law does not "justify" it just leave use hopeless. This is a function of the Law and this is good because until we see that we are hopeless then God's love, demonstrated on the cross, seems pointless to the sinner. Therefore The Law is extremely important for us and the lost we are trying to reach for the Gospel
Romans 3:20
Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.

Romans 5:20
The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more

Romans 7:7
What shall we say, then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! Indeed I would not have known what sin was except through the law.

Romans 7:13
Did that which is good, then, become death to me? By no means! But in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it produced death in me through what was good, so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful.

Galatians 3:24
So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith.
(KJV - the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ)

1 Timothy 1:8-9...
We know that the Law is good if one uses it properly. 9We also know that the Law is not made for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious; ...

1 John 3:4
Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact sin is lawlessness. or KJV… sin is transgression of the Law.


The Law (specifically The 10 Commandments) is a representation of God’s holiness/goodness/purity. It shows us how we differ from him (his “other-than-ness”). This is why a knowledge of the Law is essential; to show us just how much we are found wanting before God. In this way, contrary to the lies of Satan in Genesis 2:4, we learn that we are nothing like God. When the “Good Soil” has been prepared in a person’s heart by showing them that they will be in a hopeless state on Judgment Day then their hearts are ready for the seed of the Gospel and it is only then should we present it to them.

This way they will have a clear personal concept of the separation between themselves and God that is so often pictorially represented on Christian tracts as a gap between two land masses but has no real means to make this gap a personal reality to the sinner.


Remember these kind of pictures...

gap
They do NOT work well enough !



Using The Law correctly we are able to help people make the connection that it is the sin of man and their own sinful nature that is responsible for producing the curse of death upon them and all Creation (see Romans 5:12 & 8:20 & click here). It is realisation of Romans 6:23 and Isaiah 59:2 in practice however we need to reveal this to them this more precisely than just quoting these particular verses to them otherwise they are unable to see their own personal separation from God. (Psalm 36:1 & 2)


How ? ...By Expounding God’s Law


This means that we open up and relate The Law to the sinner in such a manner that they see that they will be held personally accountable to it. This is how mouths are silenced and people are persuaded into an agreement with God that he is truly Holy and that they are truly sinners and far from him. They thereby gain the understanding that they will not be judged according to their own sense of righteousness or relative to others but according to God's righteousness. Again its Romans 3:19-20. Of course this should be done with gentleness and respect and it can be.


Are there Biblical precedents for bringing conviction & revival by expounding on the Law ?


Reference Event Result/Note
Deuteronomy 1:5 Moses to all Israel Teaching the application. The NIV specifically mentions "expound".
2 Chronicles 17:7-10 Jehoshapat's command throughout Judah Revival, protection & honour before other nations bringing glory to God.
Jeremiah 7:5-10 Jeremiah to the people of Judah Used expounded examples of The Law in order to reason them towards repentance.
Nehemiah 8:7 & 8 Ezra & the Levites to the returned exiles Verse 8 clearly indicates they expounded The Law bringing conviction, contrition, repentance & revival.
Matthew 5:17-7:12 Jesus preaches The Sermon on the Mount Giving us the example of The Law before grace, Mt Sinai before Mt Calvary. How's that for a Megatheme!
Mark 10:17-22 Jesus to the rich young man Conviction. No emotional false conversion here. Notice it says that Jesus loved him. (pp Mat 19:16-22)
Luke 3:10-18 John the Baptist to the people in the wilderness Expounded examples of The Law preparing the way for the Saviour. Fulfilment of Isaiah 40:3 & Malachi 3:1.
John 4:16 & 17 Jesus to the woman at the well Using The Law before grace bringing conviction through the 7th Commandment before revealing the Saviour.
Acts 24:25 Paul before Felix Clear conviction.


Still not convinced ?

Take another look at Luke 16:27-31. Here Jesus tells us the father of faith, i.e. Abraham, confirms that people will not repent if they have no regard for Moses and the Prophets. These days there are many fascinating testimonies from people returning from the dead to testify of either the blessings of Heaven or the terrors of Hell. The testimony of these experiences is not what brings people to repentance unless they uphold the Law and the Prophets. There is no way around this because Jesus himself has said it. Now read Isaiah 8:19-20 and then take another look at Luke 24:27 and 32 and Acts 28:23.


This is what we are supposed to do - Open up/Expound the scriptures to them
The Old Testament Law of Moses and the Prophets contains a historical exposition of the Ten Commandments to Israel and other nations in rebellion to God. Additionally, the Ten Commandments are an exposition of Deuteronomy 6:5 and the "Royal Law" from Leviticus 19:18 spoken about in Mark 12:29-31 and James 2:8. Reasoning with unbelievers from the Prophets also brings to light the supernatural nature of the Bible so that they understand that the outcome of all things as the Bible describes them is a sure thing. Notice also in Romans 2:16 Paul's Gospel declaration included Judgment Day and so must include mentioning sin and the knowledge of it.


Remember 1st John 3:4 says that sin is transgression of The Law. If we have no understanding of The Law then we have no understanding of our sin and therefore we will not understand the reasonableness of God's wrath on us because of our sinfulness, then His mercy demonstrated on the cross will appear insignificant to us.


Peter in Acts Chapters 2, 3 & 4 and Stephen in Acts Chapter 7 explain about Jesus Christ from The Law and more specificaly The Prophets. In Peter's case we are told that the ones who were "cut to the heart" and believed were from among the "God fearing Jews from every nation under heaven". These knew well God's Law already because they lived it and it was because they were God fearing that they were ready for grace, unlike some of the Sadducees and Pharisees who were self-righteous and fearful of man rather than God. (because of the Roman occupation).


OK then... In practice how should we do it ?
If you want to see how this can be done then see the videos, tools and other resources linked through the Evangelists page. You may think people would find this approach judgemental but you will quickly learn that the opposite is true. Don't miss the two teachings called Hell's Best Kept Secret and True and False Conversion.


WARNING WARNING WARNING

It couldn't be clearer from Isaiah 8:20 and John 16:8 that if our message is devoid of these characteristics then it cannot be The Holy Spirit we have been working with and when we consider this in relation to Matthew 13:24-29 especially verse 28 it should give us a chill. (Example of John 16:8 is referred to in 1 Thessalonians 1:5)


Read what famous Christians, like John Wycliff, Martin Luther and others have said about the importance of The Law of Moses... Here



Go to the Evangelists page


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Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. COPYRIGHT© 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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