For those who don't know me that well, I get a little giddy when I stumble on a truth in the scriptures, but in order for you to understand this truth, I need to explain some things. I was doing a study on the prayer shawl or "tallit", and what roll it played in the scriptures. In the book of Numbers chapter 15 verses 38 - 41, we read of the tallit. Here God commands the children of Israel to put fringes (tsiytsith), or tassels in the borders (kanaph) of their garments. Why? It was to be for them a reminder of all the commandments of God and to do them.

Now I turn your attention to 1 Samuel 24:3-22. Saul was seeking after David to kill him. Saul goes into a cave (where David is hiding) to "cover his feet". At this time David is presented with an opportunity to kill the man that is hunting him, and then, he would in turn be king. David couldn't bring himself to kill Saul, and so David cuts the border (kanaph) of this garment. Saul leaves the cave and David follows behind smitten in his heart of what he has done to the Lord's anointed. Now get this, David was saying a lot more than Saul I could have had you when he held up Saul’s kanaph. He was saying Saul you have forgotten God, you have forgotten His commandments, and you have failed to do His commandments.

You know I could apply this to many different things. I could say this about our political system or our nation, and everyone would say amen. But I believe that goes without saying. I could even get it down on a more personal level and ask you where in your life is there a void of God, what are the areas of your life where you are telling God, "Forget you God, I don't need your standards, your holiness in this area of my life." But I'll save that for another day. What I want to relate this to is a gospel presentation that is void of the commandments of God. Can I be like David today and hold the rent kanaph of today's Gospel and say, "we have forgotten the commandments of God" I believe I can say this without contradiction we have forgotten the commandments of God when it comes to our witnessing and the presenting of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ."

The Law in evangelism is vital to the gospel presentation because if I don't first realize I'm a sinner who has the wrath of God abiding on me, then I will never flee from my sins and cling to the Savior. That is what is meant in 1 Corinthians 1:18 "For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God." Why is it foolishness? It doesn't make sense. If I walked up to you and said, Jesus loves you so much that He died for your sins on a cross was buried and rose from the grave. If you weren't saved, you would say that is foolishness. Why? You didn't see a need for Jesus to die for you. As far as you are concerned everything is still A okay, and on top of that it becomes offensive. Why? Because I'm telling you that you are a sinner when you feel you have done nothing wrong that was worthy of death. That is why Paul said in Romans 7:7 "What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, thou shalt not covet." So unless you point to a person the laws that they have broken and the penalty of such rebellion against God, the cross is robbed of its meaning and becomes powerless in the ears of those that hear the Gospel (good news) without hearing how they have broken the laws of God (bad news).

A Gospel that doesn’t contain why a person is deserving of the wrath of God is powerless. It is a rent kanaph. It is like unplugging something from its power source. Many of you are probably thinking why use the Ten Commandments when witnessing, doesn’t the Bible tell us that we are not under the law, but under grace. Amen, you are so right. We which are saved are not under the law but under grace, but those who are not saved are still under the law. Romans 3:19 “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.” If you were a police officer and you arrested someone without telling him or her what he or she is charged with, you would be a corrupt officer. God is not going to send anyone to Hell without first telling them what they did wrong. I believe He will point to the law that was written on their heart (Romans 2:15), and show why they are so deserving of His holy wrath. We must warn everyone we know of the wrath that is to come, and how they can escape that wrath.

Next week I will explain who or what did Jesus save us from. This is some very controversial stuff so I'll see you next week.

Oh and please forgive me for my grammatical errors. I didn’t have time to really proof read.

Till His Nets are Full,
Heath Loftis

Labels: Commandments, evangelism, Law