Clarity on the Law in Evangelism

If you came here from the other post from the evangelism resources section, I hope this can close the misconception or misunderstanding.

Since that deeper discussion on the use of the law in the gospel, and what is the gospel, a brother in Christ pointed out there needed to be a bit more clarity as both parties missed something here. So this is presented below simply for you to just keep in mind. 

And if your church uses the evangelism training or has some objections to using it, your leaders should be reminded not to throw the baby out with the bath water. Because...

The goal is to teach evangelism training well to the congregation so they can go share the gospel well in everyday encounters or purposely as part of church outreach. The clarity provided there and here can be incorporated in the training, and for believers to keep in mind, so that they can rightly present the gospel and answer questions, including ones around " what is the law and what law". As long as that is part of the course you give in evengelism class, along with WOTM courses, then you have it all covered. And that is the case you can make to your pastor, elders and evangelism pastor/director/ leader (if you have one). 

What both parties missed and what believers need to keep in mind:

I just read "The Way of the Master Responds" and I can tell part of the problem is ALL sides in the discussion don't understand the law, and there is also a stubborn resistance to doing anything that offends sinners during evangelism. 

I think even Ray Comfort is wrong to use the phrase "Ten Commandments" in evangelism. I never make a point of it, but I can see how opened him up to unnecessary criticism. 

In my dealings with leaflet cults, I was forced to learn a lot about "the law", and I can tell you the Ten Commandments no longer apply today, and never applied to Gentiles. Yet you hear me use WOTM methods. Does that confuse you?

E. No [right] because the law simply helps point out sin, the OT talks about sins other than the 10. The 10 just help bring some sins to us like a mirror. So all sin is falling short of God's perfection, holy perfect nature. We fell in Eden and have the sun nature. It is why i noted that gcc points to holiness of God. Becuz sin is more than the 10 but does include the 10. 

I hope that makes sense 

That is one reason i said it is ok to use the 10c method or other convos about sin, holiness, and God. Sin is still revealed. Need for Jesus still revealed 😊

*The Law is generally said to be the entire OT, not just 10C. So any sin noted in OT is still sin. And regardless of OT or NT, sin is still sin. 

If you want to go thru the whole links discussion, and write up a blog or something on what people miss about the law and the topic of the gospel... if its solid and hits on the above discussed stuff too... i would be happy to add it to that blog post page for further clarity. 

T. In this passage, Paul tells us the Ten Commandments (ministry of death / condemnation) were set aside, no longe applies. 

II Corinthians‬ ‭3‬:‭7‬-‭11‬

But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away, how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory. For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels. For if what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious.

The OT points out what is sin, sins are listed. And it is basically anything that is not perfection. God's nature and being is perfect. 😊

We know we still sin, because humans have the sin nature. If no sin nature, no sins, no need for a Savior

T. We gentiles were never obligated to keep the Sabbath. And using the phrase "Ten Commandments" can cause someone to wonder "What about the Sabbath?"

E. Yeah i get that.but the new ... you are talking about the Law of Christ (?) That law is only valid for believers because one cannot walk in righteousness to live out that law without conversion. 

I only use the 10c to familiarize someone wit what can be considered sin. 

T. There is still ANOTHER law beyond that, the moral law which was given to all humans. We are actually using that law when we ask "Have you ever lied?"

E. I agree and think that is why Ray uses 10c cuz it shows the law written on our hearts and makes us all see we are guilty

Romans 2:15

who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their CONSCIENCE also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them)

Every human being has the moral law (conscience)

Christians have the law if Christ

Jews who lived between Sinai and Calvary had the law of Moses

E. In Rom in that context, the law that was being referred to, was it the 10c tho or all of the OT 🤔

T. There is definitely overlap among all 3. 

E. I will keep in mind. 

T. Paul was intentionally ambiguous when he used the phrase "the law". He can mean any one of the three and you need to figure it out. 

T. Last thing. Here's the objection that was opened up by using the phrase "Ten Commandments".

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Overemphasis on the Law can lead on a skewed view of judgment, by saying things like, “When you die you’ll be judged based on the Ten Commandments.” Which I don’t think is true. So my main question, are Gentile nonbelievers under the Law of Moses or the Ten Commandments? Will they be judged by them when they die? I say no.

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He's right in that Gentiles won't be judged by the Ten Commandments. They will be judged by the moral law, their conscience. 

E. Well if they seer their conscience and sin all they want they are still sinning, as they violate God's perfection so.....

Sin will condemn them because God will judge all sin. Whether they think it is sin or not

T. Right. Because their conscience tells them something is wrong. 

E. For a believer, if we think something is a sin it is. Becuz we are tender on what is sin and how we might be displeasing God or doing wrong if it possibly is sin. 

And bc we love righteousness but know like Paul we still sin 

But if the seered their conscience they do t think womb murder is murder nor wrong...when it is. So a higher law has to exist and i guess that would simply be...God's Perfect nature. Falling short of it, as sinners 

So i guess what the moral law would be is perfection (?) 

Do Christians need to keep the Law?

T. I regard to evangelism, the answer is "yes". But the law we need is the moral law, not the Ten Commandments.  

E. Specify moral law

The moral law doesn't have a written code. It's in all of us. It's a bit squishy but it's everything all of us universally agree are right and wrong. And you can argue all of the moral law would be covered by the law of Christ and the law of Moses. 

The moral law is very close to the law of christ. But there are differences. 

Romans‬ ‭13‬:‭8‬-‭10‬

Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

E. > i see but it does look like that verse section is speaking of 10c but i agree. Ok so moral law means whats written on our hearts. Easily agree w that and will remember the terminology. 

T. Romans‬ ‭2‬:‭12‬

For as many as have sinned without law [gentiles without OT law] will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law [Jews with OT law] will be judged by the law

Why are gentiles punished if they didn't have the law? Because they have the moral law written on their hearts. 

E. Im also looking at gotquestions 7 articles on the Law and going to look into sermons on it. Cuz u are right, many are lacking on discussions of the law properly 

>>>>>>>>>

Here is a gospel convo 

Here is another one 

And another one. 

This one started from a discussion about dolphins. 

I have had convos online related to things in the news. I have also had chit chat with strangers that led to a swinging over to the gospel. If you always look for opportunities, they are there. 

These show you dont need to only just go up to people and ask if theyre a good person.

The idea around it is a helpful tool for a new believer to confidently have a gospel convo; to reveal sin, God's perfection and point to our need for and offer of Christ. Just like any other gospel convo. 

You can use anything as a springboard or icebreaker to swing to the gospel presentation (Law; revealing sin, and Grace; revealing need for Christ), or you might find a way in a random convo with people on varied regular or news topics to either purposely or when the opp presents itself in a convo to swing to the gospel. 

The Gospel points out sin, do you need to use the 10C to do that? No, there are other sins listed in Scripture you could use, however even Jesus used them because the 10 are what is most familiar to those in the West and it gives a simple list to compare our fallenness to God's perfection. Either way you are revealing sin and Christ in the gospel presentation.

The gospel is the gospel and it doesnt change as far as "sin & Christ". The fact that we have a million ways "to get there" and discuss it, is great. However sin is still revealed as is Christ. Even if the gospel was cookie cutter xyz only so what, it is God's Gospel and we are just messengers of it. Pastors can give 5,000 messages in their lifetime and every message points to Christ, just like millions of convos people have online, by phone and in person when sharing the gospel. It all points to Christ. For the unsaved it is their need for Him, for the redeemed it is looking at Him and loving Him.  

Related Resources 

Discussions on the Law 

Sermon studies on the Law