The Ten Commandments is a powerful tool to help show people their need for Christ. Many have suppressed sin in their mind and ignore guilt. How do you expose this sin for them? What should you say? Both Christ and Paul used the Decalogue to circumvent the intellect and go straight to the conscience (1). We are called to be ambassadors and be prepared as we interact with society around us (2).
The mirror
The commands are like a mirror, kind of how James describes the law of liberty (3). When the unregenerate come to see themselves pitted against God’s moral standards, they know they are fallen creatures. Once they see their sin, they will understand why they need one to rescue and from their trespasses (4). They see their sin as if one sees ones face in a mirror.
While in conversation with others about God or while sharing the gospel with those who do not follow Christ, feel free to give them some of the commands to see how they have held up to God’s standards. When you ask if they are a good person or if they have been good enough to go to heaven, most will say yes. However, the Bible says we all have sinned. They know sin in their heart-of-hearts, they just need to see it for what it really is, trespassing against God’s ways (5).
The questions
Ask questions like these: have you every told a lie, even a white lie? That makes you a liar. Have you ever stolen anything, even if it was small? That makes you a thief. Have you ever used God’s name as a cuss word? That is blasphemy. Jesus said, “Whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” This lust makes you an adulterer at heart.
Think about it, we all have sinned. More than likely, if one is honest, he or she will have done all of these things, we are all people. They as well have trespassed God’s holy commands.
Note this, I only mentioned four of the ten commands, already this person is a liar, a thief, a blasphemer and an adulterer at heart! Come judgment day, what do you think God will say to this person for his or her sin?
The rest of the story
Now you can tell the story of Christ, his teachings and now forgiveness and cleansing makes sense. Jesus paid the penalty on the cross, he delivered us from the bonds of our sin. Rising from the dead so we would be free from the pains of eternal death. Now you can speak of repentance, of them turning from sin. Now we can speak of a changed life. Now we can speak of them trusting Christ for salvation. Now we can speak of forgiveness of sin and eternal life. Now we can speak of following Christ’s ways.
Now it makes sense. Now they see reality as it really is. Speak of their sin before remedy, Show them their trespasses
before redemption. Need before solution, law before salvation!
(1) Matthew 19:16-22, Romans 5, Romans 7:7-12.
(2) 2 Corinthians 5:20, 1 Peter 3:15
(3) James 1: 22-25
(4) Just because they understand will not mean they still will not have a hard heart and suppress the truth. However, now they have no excuse. It is not your job to bring them to repentance, it is the Spirit’s. You are just the messenger who plants the seed or waters the sprout.
(5) Romans 2:12-16
Image source: “TenCommandmentsAustinStateCapitol”. Licensed under Public domain via Wikimedia Commons
