Evangelism and the Law

[Naphtali Moore]

What role does the 'Law' play in evangelism? I've brought this up before in church discussions; that we should both live the law as examples and share the law with those we evangelize. The typical response is, "No, no, just love people." While some people do indeed use the law to beat people over the head doesn't the law come from love? Are the law and love totally divorced from eachother? Does not the law show us our true relationship with God, that we are sinners in need of a saviour? Finally, doesn't growing the church start with seeking and saving that which is lost?

[Daniel Knight Sr.]

This is a very interesting topic. Assuming you mean "Gods" law and not laws made by man this leads me to something that has come up in several Bible Study groups I go to. It was mentioned that sometimes our members and family don't know they are breaking the laws of God. And that got me thinking that maybe we have kind of created that situation in our churches because we simply tell people all they have to do is accept Jesus into your heart etc and we fail to tell them the other side of the coin which are things like the 10 commandments (among others). We also as a whole have not taught our children these same laws because we let living in the "modern" world get in the way of the really important things in life and that is God.

[Uncle Max Bialystock]

Well, Naphtali, good for you. No doubt you're referring to "Law" vs. "Grace" (or "Faith") as in the Letters of Paul from Tarsus. I have absolutely no doubt that if Paul had to do it all over again, he'd have come up with a better way to get his point across. What he's trying to get across is true, but the deeper I get into it, the more confused I get---and I've got two graduate degrees in theology.

There are laws and there are Laws, and a great many of them are not even "official,' i.e. legal. The Pharisees of old came up with a ridiculous number---612--- different, separate, individual "laws"(and rituals) they imposed upon themselves.

The point is that to follow the "law" in Judeo-Christian terms was to do so as an expression of your devotion and faith in the Lord. Such observances can serve ---still--- as expressions of faith, yes; but just how many hard and fast laws do we operate with anymore, in the PC(USA) of the 21st century? The onus is upon ourselves to more positively and pro-actively find our own ways to live-out our faith. In some sense, the phrase "obeying the law" always carried with it the intent of (merely) "covering your bases." We are capable of better. Thus the Beatitudes, no?

In a social context, laws of another sort are simply good and necessary from the standpoint of keeping public order, and that is, generally speaking, a good thing. (Though let us allow for prophetic civil disobedience, when we are confronted by UNJUST laws.) ---"Uncle Max Bialystock."

[Naphtali Moore]

I don't mean to suggest the use of the law in society to full fill some sort of federalist vision. Rather, I suggest using the law as a mirrior when evangelizing. Grace and love make little sense and fall hallow with out the law. Imagine I came to you and told you I found the cure for a horrible and fatal condition called "Syndrome X". I doubt you would care. But if I proved to you that you suffered from Syndrome X, that you were about to die from it and there was nothing you could do about it. I'm your response would be quite different. The illness we're all born with is SIN and of course the only cure is the great physician Himself, Jesus.

It seems to me that most evanglism can be placed in three catagories:
1. Life Style Evangelism - We try to live a good life and hope somebody notices. This often degrades into some form of moralism.

2. Love Evangelism -Here we ignore the Adamic nature of man and play to the sinners ego to lure them to Christ. The focus on Jesus is lost. His true nature as both savior and judge degrades to a cartoonish love fest of universalism; where all roads lead to heaven no matter what. Because hell is just "mean."

3.Benifit Evangelism - Their central argument is come to God for: money, community, acceptance or even forgiveness of sin.

So where does this leave us with the law and evangelism? No one will be saved because Jesus loves us. He does love us and that fact is central. But the moment of conversion comes when we begin to love HIM. And we love Him because He first loved us in that He died for us. So until we understand the law, how we can never live up to the law, and why Jesus had to die in our stead to fullfill the law and justice, we will never love Him.

As for, "The onus is upon ourselves to more positively and pro-actively find our own ways to live-out our faith." There is only one way, His way. The question is will we follow and why. A Christian does not obey the law. They obey Christ; not for fear of punishment but out of love for Him.

[Uncle Max Bialystock]

Hello, again. I don't think we're on the same page, though I'm not surprised about that, if I may say so. For one thing, I have put what's called "substitution-ary atonement" behind me. My understanding of "Jesus Christ died for my sins" is not a straight line, simple equation by which he directly and literally "saved" me by paying the blood-guilt debt owed to Almighty God. I can still say that Jesus died for my sins, but with quite a different spin. I can no longer swallow even the very concept of an Almighty God who would send his son only to live X number of days and then let himself be crucified according to a pre-arranged script. That would make Jesus' humanity less than real, wouldn't it....(?)

You misunderstood my last paragraph in the previous message, too. I was presuming "His way." But at the same time, I was presuming that I was writing to Christians who understand that. The "imaginative" part comes in by virtue of the fact that we have our own decisions to make about how to express our faith and live-out our vocation, each of us, whatever way that might look. Thanks for the reply, anyway. I guess I'm not "on target" responding here about "The Law And Evangelism." ---"Uncle Max."

[Naphtali Moore]

The diversity of both people and views is quite great in our church. I tried my best not to overtly declare my views in the question I started the post with, but to still give enough info so people would know what I was talking about. I did this expressly to gather opinions that would differ from my own. You gave some great replies. Thank you.

I would love if you could please send me an email explaining your view of soteriology in more depth. (I request an email only to keep this discussion in line with its original intent.)

As for misunderstanding your last paragraph; I do not have two degrees in theology. So, I try to take in everything I read word for word and not presume anything about the author. Thank you for clarifying your position. I think one of the greatest joys of the church are the freedoms God has given us in our worship. That I would say is the true diversity of the church; not in our races or sex, but in our individual and coorperate worship of Him and the living out of His word.

God Bless

[Uncle Max Bialystock]

Naphtali, I'll send an email... Talk "at" you later.... ---"Uncle Max Bialystock."

[Uncle Max Bialystock]

Naphtali, I'm at quite a loss to respond by email. I cannot uncover your email address anywhere. If you like, send me anything, even a blank message to:
[e-mail] -----"Uncle Max Bialystock."