Posted: 08/30/06

The Law Stops At John

Why use the Law in Evangelism when Jesus said it stopped with John the Baptist?

-by Patrick J. Burwell

I have received criticism from a gentleman who decries my use of the Law in evangelism as: "THE MINISTRY OF DEATH."

To this, I say, "Exactly correct." I use the Law for (1) what it was designed, to use it "lawfully" as it were, to (2) convert, to bring death to self, to allow a sinner to see his sin as (3)"exceeding sinfulness" and so end his attempt to work his way to God, trying to be "good enough." The Law of God does not condemn someone, for (4) they are already condemned, their consciences doing the condemning, as being guilty sinners, violators of the Law. I use the Moral Law, the (5) Ten Commandments, to explain how every man, especially me, is guilty before God, and that (6) no one is good.

The Law is a schoolmaster (7) to us all, to bring us to the Christ, showing us our violations. (8) And Jesus then gives us a new commandment, which he said is like these, but goes beyond them. We are to "love one another just like I have loved you." So why then would we still use the Law? Did not Jesus say (9) the preaching of the Law and the Prophets stopped at John? Yes, for those who repent, the Preaching of the Law has stopped at John's baptism: A man is no longer subject to the Law, once the Law has been fulfilled, by faith, in Jesus, through the forsaking of his violations of the Law. The letter of the Law was fulfilled in Jesus (10), in that He died once for all, He who knew no sin, that all, by faith in his name, might be saved from the demands of the Law. When you repent of your sins and entrust yourself to Christ's fulfillment of the Law for you, there is no more fear of death, the resulting judgment of the Law for violations. So why then still use the Law in evangelism? Because (11) the Law of God applies to sinners. When we preach Christ Crucified we use the Law to show the sinner his need of this Sacrifice for him. We use the Law for which it was intended (12): to convert sinners.

If we fail to use the Law in evangelism, we will instead create false converts in those who are not already humbled. It's a sad fact (13) that 80 to 90% of those "making decisions for Jesus" fall away from the faith, if the Law is not used to explain sin. Some of these even become Christ's worst detractors, doing damage to the Gospel where once they supported it. What happened? The False Convert is one who never repented of his sins. He never understood his abominable sins are as filthy disgusting garbage to God. And God will not accept worship and praise from such as these (14). The false one comes to God for what he can get, and, as promised (15), when persecution, suffering for Christ's name's sake, and tribulation come, that he may learn obedience (because he has not humbled himself (16)), he "falls away," blaming God.

No man ever came to God for Love's sake. Mankind will only be made right before this righteous and Holy God, and man will only bend the knee in his heart to Yahweh, when he has forsaken his works. The only salvation for any man is to stop trying to be good enough to go to Heaven and submit to the work of Jesus of Nazareth.

The Law of God is for sinners, that they may be converted from their way and be rescued by Jesus with God's Mercy.

So, use The Law "lawfully," (2) as it was intended: preach righteousness, repentance, Hell and of wrath to come, and save souls.

Patrick J. Burwell
OnlyJesusSaves.com

P.S. If you had read Ray Comfort's site, Glenn, all of this repetition would have been unnecessary.

The Law Stops At John Footnotes::

1: 1Timothy 1:8 "…use the Law for which it was designed…"
2: Psalm 19:8 "The Law of Yahweh is perfect, converting the soul…"
3: Romans 7:13 "that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful"
4: John 3:18 "He who doesn't believe has been judged already"
5: Exodus 20:1 The Ten Commandments, God's Moral Law
6: Psalm 53:1 "There is no one who does good"
7: Galatians 3:24 "Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith."
8: John 13:34 "...love one another just like I have loved you."
9: Luke 16:16 "The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John..."
10: John 19:30 "When Yeshua therefore had received the vinegar, he said, "It is finished." He bowed his head, and gave up his spirit."
11: 1Timothy 1:9 "...as knowing this, that law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and insubordinate..."
12: Psalm 19:7 "The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple."
13: from Hell's Best Kept Secret, by Ray Comfort: http://www.HellsBestKeptCecret.com
14: Psalm 66:18 "If I regard wickedness in my heart, Yahweh will not hear;"
15: John 15:20 "Remember the word that I said to you, ' A slave is not greater than his master ' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also"
16: Proverbs 3:34 "God mocks the mocker, but gives grace to the humble."

By Patrick Burwell Click here for bio and archived articles