10/22/2024 – Day 121 – Day 121 – Exodus – Chapters 17 – 20 / Chapter 20 – “The Ten Commandments” : “Memorize God’s Law for the purpose of sharing your faith!”
“Now all the people witnessed the thunderings, the lightning flashes, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled and stood far off.” Exodus 20:18
And here are two quotes from Charles Spurgeon, commentary to the verse above from “The Evidence Bible – NKJV”:
“If the giving of the Law, while it was yet unbroken, was attended with such a display of awe-inspiring power, what will that day be when the Lord shall, with flaming fire, take vengeance on those who have willfully broken that Law?” Charles Spurgeon
“No man knows the brightness the gospel till he understands the blackness of those clouds which surround the Law of theLord.
Now to the caption of the post, memorize God’s law! , via another commentary in chapter 20:
“Memorize God’s Law for the purpose of sharing your faith (see page 314). Learn to use the Commandments to speak directly to the conscience and bring the knowledge of sin, as Jesus did (see Mark 10: 17 – 21) and as Paul did (see Romans 2: 21-24). See John 4:7 comment”
And that John 4:7 comment is four key principles, and steps in this case too, with the title: “Personal Witnessing – How Jesus Did It.” And as you will see, the third step is: Jesus brought conviction using the Law of God (vv. John 4: 16 – 18):
http://www.beginliving.com/witness/wdjd.pdf
I am going to show that step #3 here since it is a pdf document.:
“”3rd – Jesus brought conviction using the Law of God (vv. 16–18).
Jesus gently spoke to her conscience by alluding to the fact
that she had transgressed the Seventh of the Ten
Commandments. He used the Law to bring “the knowledge of
sin” (see Romans 3:19,20). We can do the same, “Do you
consider yourself to be a good person? Do you think that you
have kept the Ten Commandments?” Most people think they
have, so quickly follow with, “Have you ever told a lie?” This is
confrontational, but if it’s asked in a spirit of love and
gentleness, there won’t be any offense. Remember that the
“work of the Law [is] written in their hearts” and that the
conscience will bear “witness” (Romans 2:15). Jesus
confronted the rich young ruler in Luke 18:18–21 with five of
the Ten Commandments and there was no offense. Have
confidence that the conscience will do its work and affirm the
truth of each Commandment. Don’t be afraid to gently ask,
“Have you ever stolen something, even if it’s small?” Learn
how to open up the spirituality of the Law and show how God
considers lust to be the same as adultery (Matthew 5:27,28)
and hatred the same as murder (1 John 3:15). Make sure you
get an admission of guilt.
W – “WOULD you consider
yourself to be a good
person?”
D – “DO you think you’ve
kept the Ten
Commandments?”
J – “JUDGEMENT – if God
JUDGES you by that
standard, will you be
innocent or guilty?”
D – “DESTINY – what’s your
DESTINY going to be… will
you end up in heaven or
hell?”
Ask the person, “If God judges you by the Ten Commandments on Judgment Day, do you think
you will be innocent or guilty?” If he says he will be innocent, ask, “Why is that?” If he admits his
guilt, ask, “Do you think you will go to heaven or hell?”
From there the conversation may go one of three ways:
www.livingwaters.com/wdjd.shtml Page 1 of 1
www.livingwaters.com/wdjd.shtml Page 2 of 2
a. He may confidently say, “I don’t believe in hell.” Gently
respond, “That doesn’t matter. You still have to face God on Judgment Day
whether you believe in it or not. If I step onto the freeway when a massive truck is
heading for me and I say, ‘I don’t believe in trucks,’ my lack of belief isn’t going to
change reality.”
b. He may say that he’s guilty, but that he will go to heaven.
This is usually because he thinks that God is “good,” and that He will, therefore,
overlook sin in his case. Point out that if a judge in a criminal case has a guilty
murderer standing before him, the judge, if he is a good man, can’t just let him
go. He must ensure that the guilty man is punished. If God is good, He must (by
nature) punish murderers, rapists, thieves, liars, adulterers, fornicators, and
those who have lived in rebellion to the inner light that God has given to every
man. Then tenderly tell him he has already admitted to you that he has lied,
stolen, and committed adultery in his heart, and that God gave him a conscience
so that he would know right from wrong. His conscience and the conviction of the
Holy Spirit will do the rest. That’s why it is essential to draw out an admission of
guilt before you mention Judgment Day or the existence of hell.
c. He may admit that he is guilty and therefore going to hell.
Ask him if that concerns him. Speak to him about how much he values his eyes
and how much more therefore he should value the salvation of his soul. (For the
biblical description of hell, see Revelation 1:18 footnote.) If possible, take the
person through the linked verses in this Bible, beginning at the Matthew 5:21,22 footnote.””3rd – Jesus brought conviction using the Law of God (vv. 16–18).
Jesus gently spoke to her conscience by alluding to the fact
that she had transgressed the Seventh of the Ten
Commandments. He used the Law to bring “the knowledge of
sin” (see Romans 3:19,20). We can do the same, “Do you
consider yourself to be a good person? Do you think that you
have kept the Ten Commandments?” Most people think they
have, so quickly follow with, “Have you ever told a lie?” This is
confrontational, but if it’s asked in a spirit of love and
gentleness, there won’t be any offense. Remember that the
“work of the Law [is] written in their hearts” and that the
conscience will bear “witness” (Romans 2:15). Jesus
confronted the rich young ruler in Luke 18:18–21 with five of
the Ten Commandments and there was no offense. Have
confidence that the conscience will do its work and affirm the
truth of each Commandment. Don’t be afraid to gently ask,
“Have you ever stolen something, even if it’s small?” Learn
how to open up the spirituality of the Law and show how God
considers lust to be the same as adultery (Matthew 5:27,28)
and hatred the same as murder (1 John 3:15). Make sure you
get an admission of guilt.
W – “WOULD you consider
yourself to be a good
person?”
D – “DO you think you’ve
kept the Ten
Commandments?”
J – “JUDGEMENT – if God
JUDGES you by that
standard, will you be
innocent or guilty?”
D – “DESTINY – what’s your
DESTINY going to be… will
you end up in heaven or
hell?”
Ask the person, “If God judges you by the Ten Commandments on Judgment Day, do you think
you will be innocent or guilty?” If he says he will be innocent, ask, “Why is that?” If he admits his
guilt, ask, “Do you think you will go to heaven or hell?”
From there the conversation may go one of three ways:
www.livingwaters.com/wdjd.shtml Page 1 of 1
www.livingwaters.com/wdjd.shtml Page 2 of 2
a. He may confidently say, “I don’t believe in hell.” Gently
respond, “That doesn’t matter. You still have to face God on Judgment Day
whether you believe in it or not. If I step onto the freeway when a massive truck is
heading for me and I say, ‘I don’t believe in trucks,’ my lack of belief isn’t going to
change reality.”
b. He may say that he’s guilty, but that he will go to heaven.
This is usually because he thinks that God is “good,” and that He will, therefore,
overlook sin in his case. Point out that if a judge in a criminal case has a guilty
murderer standing before him, the judge, if he is a good man, can’t just let him
go. He must ensure that the guilty man is punished. If God is good, He must (by
nature) punish murderers, rapists, thieves, liars, adulterers, fornicators, and
those who have lived in rebellion to the inner light that God has given to every
man. Then tenderly tell him he has already admitted to you that he has lied,
stolen, and committed adultery in his heart, and that God gave him a conscience
so that he would know right from wrong. His conscience and the conviction of the
Holy Spirit will do the rest. That’s why it is essential to draw out an admission of
guilt before you mention Judgment Day or the existence of hell.
c. He may admit that he is guilty and therefore going to hell.
Ask him if that concerns him. Speak to him about how much he values his eyes
and how much more therefore he should value the salvation of his soul. (For the
biblical description of hell, see Revelation 1:18 footnote.) If possible, take the
person through the linked verses in this Bible, beginning at the Matthew 5:21,22 footnote.
In summary, the four steps that Jesus uses with the Samaritan woman in John – Chapter Four are:
- Jesus began in the natural realm ( v. 7)
- Jesus swung the conversation to the spiritual realm (v 10)
- Jesus brought conviction using the Law of God (vv 16 – 18) – see full text above.
- Jesus revealed Himself as the Messiah.
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Questions for fellowship generation, the lifelong sanctification process:
- What does the text reveal about God’s character?
- How has this reading generated prayer for you and/or us?
- What themes stand out to you in this bible study?
- How does our reading fit into the bigger picture (creation, the fall, restoration, etc.)?
- What verse(s) jumped out at you like never before? Is it explainable at this point?
- Do you have any questions you would like to put before the group as to how to interpret any particular verse(s) in our reading. Let scripture testify to scripture: Share with us where you sense contradiction between passages elsewhere.
- What did you find convicting and inspiring at the same time? Share with us how the Spirit of God is working within you as a messenger, both within and outside of our fellowship group.
- Share with the group how our study is calling or confirming to you a new mission to glorify God in our times.
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SolI Deo Gloria!