7.9.2015 HOW TO SHARE YOUR FAITH - Ray Comfort

found in chapter 17 of 'the way of the master', p187

perhaps you haven't been sharing your faith as you know you should and you are wondering how to get started.at the same time, you have a very real fear of approaching strangers and talking about the things of God. besides, if you do approach someone, you don't want to blow it. these thoughts combine into one big, cold, ever-increasing snowball.
strangers are hard enough to approach. what do you say to someone you don't know? who about your neighbors? they are even harder to approach (if that's possible). if you make a mess of witnessing to your neighbors, you don't want to start a lifetime feud. then there's your mother in law. upsetting her could cause really big problems.
these are fears that all of us have and they are very real. however, there are certain principles that can help us to at least bring our fears into perspective. think of what you fear and then think of the terrible fate of those who die in their sins. which is worse?  remember, when it comes to evangelism, you have a similar responsibility  to that of a firefighter. think of his moral obligation as he looks at the mother screaming for help from a six-story building. you must deal with your fears in light of the sinner's terrible fate.
here are some simple suggestions for getting started: be friendly. talk with people. practice at the park, at the gas station or at the grocery store. perhaps you already have an outgoing and friendly personality, but if you tend to be shy and introverted, try to open up a little and start talking with people. a simple 'hi, how are you?" isn't hard.  'nice day, isn't it? my name is so-and-so...' with a bit of practice, anyone can learn to be friendly. most people respond warmly to warmth. once we see that this is true, it will help to calm our fear-filled imaginations. keep going back to the firefighter. think of a firefighter who is shy. he comes to you and complains that he doesn't have an outgoing personality. he's not too keen on climbing ladders. he's not very strong. he would rather listen to music and read books than rescue dying people. so, what are you going to tell him? you are going to let him know that if he professes to be a firefighter, he had better deal with his fears, build up his muscle and get his priorities straight. otherwise, he shouldn't deceive himself into thinking that he is a firefighter...after you have gained a measure of confidence in simply being friendly and talking to people, you are ready to learn the next step-how to swing the conversation to the subject of spiritual things. DON'T OPEN WITH GRACE  it may be a relief to know that you shouldn't walk up to someone and begin a conversation by talking about Jesus. they'll most likely think you're strange. bright light in the eyes is always offensive. instead, start in the natural realm (talking about everyday things) and then swing the conversation toward the spiritual realm (talking about spiritual things). that's what Jesus did in john 4.7-26. when He met the woman at the well, He began by talking about natural things (a drink of water).  He then swung the conversation to spiritual things ('living water')
you may start off talking about football or the weather and then perhaps use something in the news to swing into the subject of spiritual things. of you might simply ask if the person knows of a good church in the area. perhaps you can use a gospel tract. that's what i do almost every time.  (my favorite- the  $1,000,000 bill) just say, 'hi. where are you from? i'm from such and such, etc.' then you muster up the courage to say, 'did you get one of these? it's a gospel tract. have you had a christian background?' another good question, 'what do you think happens after people die? where do they go to?" you haven't mentioned God, sin, judgment day or hell. you are just asking what they think, so you won't feel uncomfortable. most people are pleased to give their opinion on anything.
it doesn't matter how you do it, only that you do it. again, start in the natural realm so they don't think you're a religious nut and then make the transition any way you want. that will lead you directly into a conversation about the things of God. remember, most people are not offended when the subject of God comes up, despite what our overripe, fear-filled imaginations tell us.
WDJD (WHAT DID JESUS DO): THE FOUR STEPPING STONES if you can remember four stepping stones, you can confidently lead any witnessing encounter and you will be in control of every conversation you have about your faith. imagine, you will know exactly where you are and you will know exactly where the conversation is going. you don't have to study greek; you don't have to understand archaeology. just remember four points and you can begin to say good bye to most of your fears about evangelism. there is no doubt that the most difficult thing to do is to bring up the things of God. the next hurdle isn't quite so high. it naturally issues out of asking someone about spiritual things.
W=WOULD YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF TO BE A GOOD PERSON? you will be surprised to find that people are not offended by your asking if they consider themselves good people. if they say no (which is highly unlikely), ask them what they mean. remember, you  are asking them about their favorite subject-themselves. most likely, you'll find that they are kidding or that they've done something in their life that they feel bad about. otherwise, expect almost everyone to say, 'i'm a pretty good person' or 'i'm a really good person' (proverbs 20.6- most men will proclaim every one his own goodness:  but a faithful man who can find?) this reveals their proud self-righteousness. now you are ready to use the Law to humble them...the same way Jesus did (see mark 10.17-22)   (note: The Way of the Master Basic Training Course includes videos that show how this approach works with dozens of people. see www.wayofthemaster.com for details.)
D=DO YOU THINK YOU HAVE KEPT THE TEN COMMANDMENTS? some will say yes; others will say that they haven't. either way, you simply continue by saying, 'may i ask you a few questions to see if that's so?' they will almost always say that you can, because they know that they are a good person, so they don't feel at all threatened. you may want to start with the Ninth Commandment ('you shall not bear false witness against your neighbor'), because most people will readily admit to having
lied-at least once. next, you may want to ask about stealing, then adultery (lust), then taking the Lord's name in vain. here is how to go through each one (in the order that i typically use).
THE NINTH COMMANDMENT after you've said, 'may i ask you a few questions to see if that's so?' simply ask,  'have you ever told a lie?' some will admit to lying; others will say they have told only 'white lies;' and a few will claim they have never told even one lie. if so, gently press the issue: 'do you mean to say that you have never told anyone a lie? even once?' usually they will say something like, 'maybe when i was a kid'.  ask, 'what does that make you?'  (note: by asking questions you are not judging or accusing. you are simply helping the patient diagnose his own disease.) they will hesitate to say it, but get them to admit it: 'a liar'.  if they refuse to say 'a liar', ask, 'what would you call me if i told a lie?'
it may surprise you to know that people don't get angry as this approach; instead, they become sober. they may try to sidetrack you by saying, 'i don't believe in the bible'. simply continue on your course. if they argue about the bible, say, 'i know you don't believe in it. i am simply sharing with you what the bible says. okay? let's keep going'.
THE EIGHTH COMMANDMENT  ('you shall not steal'):  'have you ever stolen anything?' many will claim that they haven't 'have you ever taken anything that did not belong to you, regardless of its value? anything? even when you were younger? be honest before God'. some will try to trivialize theft by saying that they stole when they were children. ask, 'what does that make you?' and gently press them to say, 'a thief'.
THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT ('you shall not commit adultery'): 'have you ever committed adultery?' again, most will say no. then add, 'Jesus said whoever looks upon a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart. have you ever looked at someone with lust?'
THE THIRD COMMANDMENT ('you shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain'): 'have you ever taken the Lord's name in vain?' most will admit to this one. then gently explain, 'so instead of using a four-letter filth word to express disgust, you have taken the name of the One who gave you life and everything that is precious to you and used it to express disgust. that is called 'blasphemy' and God promises that He will not hold anyone blameless who takes His name in vain'.
at this point you should be noticing something: the individual will either grow quiet (shut up under the Law, (now we 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. romans 3.19) or will be getting agitated. if the person seems to recognize his guilt, you may want to say at this point, 'by your own admission, you're a lying thief, a blasphemer and an adulterer at heart and we've only looked at four of the Ten Commandments'.
if he is still tying to defend himself ('i'm not a bad person'), to through a few more commandments.
THE SIXTH COMMANDMENT ('you shall not murder'):  'have you ever murdered anyone?' most will say that they haven't. simply point out that 'Jesus said (my note: ,'whosoever shall say, thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire'. mt. 5. 22 whereas Jesus has just said, 'whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment' v21...so anger (hate) is more serious than murder in God's eyes.) God does not simply judge actions. He knows the intentions of the heart'.
THE FIRST COMMANDMENT ('you shall have no other gods before Me'): 'have you always put God first in your life?' most will admit that they haven't. God should be first in our lives. we are commanded to love Him with all of our heart, mind, soul and strength. in fact, Jesus said that our love for god should be so great that our love for our parents, kids, friends, even our own lives should seem like hatred by comparison'.  (my note: how much of my life is an outworking, a conscious looking to God for, His will?  how much do i do because i want to and how much of the time am i consciously doing what He says in His word and guides by His Spirit?)
THE SECOND COMMANDMENT ('you shall not make for yourself an idol'): have you ever made an idol, a god to suit yourself?' people will usually say that they haven't .  'have you pursued money more than God? then you have made money an idol. have you given work more attention than God? then work is an idol. if you have ever thought, 'God is loving and wouldn't send me to hell', you are right; your god wouldn't send anyone to hell, because your god doesn't exist. he is a figment of your imagination. you created a god in your own mind that you're more comfortable with and that is called 'idolatry'. it's the oldest sin in the book and God warns us that idolaters will not inherit the kingdom of God'. THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT ('remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy'): 'have you kept the sabbath holy? God requires one day out of seven for you to rest and acknowledge Him (my note: rather than doing your own pleasure. isaiah 58.13)
(also, how many times have you neglected to bow your head before your meal and thank Him for the food He has provided? how many thousands of times do you think you've just greedily dug in without thanking your Provider?' (my note: 'in everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.' I thess. 5.18; for every creature of God is good and nothing to be refused , if it be received with thanksgiving:  for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. I tim. 4.4-5)
THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT ('honor your father and your mother'): 'have you always honored your parents, treating them in a way that is pleasing to God'?  (my note: 'requite' ('make repayment or return for') 'for that is good and acceptable before God' I tim. 5.4)
THE TENTH COMMANDMENT ('you shall not covet...anything that belongs to your neighbor'): 'have you ever coveted or jealously desired something that did not belong to you? covetousness reveals a lack of gratitude for what god has already given you'.
J=ON THE DAY OF JUDGMENT, IF GOD JUDGES YOU BY THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, WILL YOU BE INNOCENT OF GUILTY? don't worry if the person becomes a little fidgety or begins to look uncomfortable. some will say, 'innocent'. just ask 'really, why is that?' them:  'i still think that i'm a pretty good person'. You (smiling slightly): 'you just told me that you broke God's Commandments. by your own admission, you're a lying thief, an adulterer at heart, a murderer and a blasphemer. think about it. will you be innocent of guilty?' Them: 'but i haven't done those things for a long time'.  You: 'imagine saying that in a court of law. 'Judge, i know i am guilty, but it has been years'. he won't ignore your crime (my note: if he's a righteous Judge.) he will see that justice is served and will punish you no matter how much time has elapsed. the courts punish war criminals from decades ago and God doesn't forget sin, no matter how long ago a person did it. do you think you will be innocent of guilty?' Them: 'but i have done more good than bad'. You: 'again, think of a court of law. if you have broken the law, you are guilty. it doesn't matter how many good deeds you've done when you are being tried for your crime. you have broken God's Law. will you be innocent of guilty?' (my note: 'for whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all'. james 2.10; 'be ye therefore perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect'. mt. 5.48) Them: 'but that's man's law. God is different'. You:  'you're right. God can never be bribed. and His standards are much higher than a human judge's. He loves justice and has promised that He will punish not only murderers and rapists, but also liars, thieves, adulterers, and blasphemers. you are in big trouble, aren't you?'
often, people become awakened-aware of their sin-but not alarmed. in other words, they understand they have broken God's Law, but it seems that they just don't care. your goal is to see them alarmed, because they should be-they are in great danger. the following line of reasoning can help: let's imagine that a computer chip had been placed behind your ear and it records everything that runs through your mind for a whole week:  every secret thought, every deed and every word that comes out of your mouth. then all of your friends and family are called together and all of your thoughts are displayed on a big screen for them to see. how would that make you feel? embarrassed? ashamed? that is just what will happen on the day when God requires you to give an account for everything you've said and done for your whole live. all of your secret thoughts will be laid before Him. you are in big trouble.
it is wonderful to get a confession of guilt, but if the person simply won't be honest and admit his guilt, at some point you may have to help him. say, 'if you would just be honest, you know you will be guilty before God. besides. that is what the bible says and if you claim to be innocent, you are calling God a liar'. (my note: 'for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God'. romans 3.23)
D=DESTINY-WILL YOU GO TO HEAVEN OR HELL? gently ask, 'do you think you will go to heaven or hell'? people won't be offended, because you are simply asking a question rather than telling them where they're going.some will say, 'hell,' but most will say, 'heaven'. if they think they are going to heaven, use this analogy: consider this. you are standing in a court of law, guilty of a serious crime. there is a fifty thousand dollar fine. the judge says, 'you are guilty. anything to say before i pass sentence?' you answer,  'yes, judge. i'm sorry for what i have done. please forgive me'. can a good judge let you go simply because you say that you are sorry or that you won't do it again? of course not. there is a fifty thousand dollar fine that must be paid . however, if someone pays the fine for you, can the judge then let you go? yes. once the fine has been paid, your debt to the law has been satisfied and the judge can set you free.
in the same way, each of us is guilty before God and He will not let us go simply because we say that we are sorry or that we won't do it again.  of course, we should be sorry and we shouldn't do it again. however, the fine for our crime must still be paid. two thousand years ago, someone paid our fine for us. Jesus Christ, God's only begotten Son, suffered and died on the cross on our behalf. if we turn from our sins and trust in Him, God will dismiss our case-not just because we are sorry, but because Jesus paid our fine.
if the person responds by saying that this is man's justice, and that God's ways are different, agree with him. say that God's justice is far stricter than man's justice and His standards are infinitely higher.
do not be afraid to tell people that if they die in their sins the bible makes it clear that they will go to hell. ask, 'does that concern you?'
if they say that it doesn't concern them or if you sense they are not humbled and don't recognize their need of God's forgiveness, it's very helpful to describe what hell is like until they show signs of concern. according to the bible, hell is a place of eternal, conscious torment, where 'their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched' (mark 9.44), there is 'weeping and gnashing of teeth' (luke 13.28),  'everlasting punishment' (mt. 25.46),  'shame and everlasting contempt' (daniel 12.2), and 'eternal fire...the blackness of darkness forever' (jude 7,13). tell them that you don't want them to go to hell and God doesn't want them to go to hell. plead with them. if they do not seem concerned, it may be that they are just hiding it. talk to them with the thought that they could die tonight. this could be their last opportunity to get right with God.
don't feel pressured to share the good news with a proud, self righteous sinner (rebellious, cussing, arrogant) who is not willing to admit his guilt before God. remember, Jesus didn't present the gospel to the rich young man, because he needed the Law to humble him first. you will have to watch and listen carefully, because humility is not always obvious.
if the person admits that the possibility of going to hell does concern him, only at that point should you present the gospel. if you are able to detect humility (the person is no longer justifying and defending himself) or his responses indicate that he has been humbled, you now have the glorious pleasure of sharing the Good News.
SHARING THE GOSPEL begin your presentation of the gospel this way:  'do you know what God did for you so that you wouldn't have to go to hell? He provided a way for you to be forgiven. the question is, how do you obtain this forgiveness?' take the time to explain the plan of salvation thoroughly:  'God loves you so much that He sent His only Son to suffer and die in your place, taking your punishment for you so that you could live. then Jesus rose from the dead and defeated death. it is this simple:  you broke the Law and Jesus paid your fine. if you will repent-turn away from sin-and place your trust in Jesus Christ as your Savior, God will forgive you and grant you everlasting life. he will change you from the inside out and make you a new person in Christ'.
this is the time to magnify the love of God to the sinner. now you have the green light-go for it! don't hold back. show the amazing length, width, depth, and height of God's love for the person as a  sinner. this is the moment to pull out john 3.16. God offers complete forgiveness of sin and the gift of everlasting life freely to those who will surrender everything to Him through faith in Jesus Christ.
ask the individual if he understands what you have told him. if he is willing to confess and turn from his sins and trust the savior for his eternal salvation, encourage him to pray and ask God to forgive him. THE PRAYER OF CONFESSION should we pray the traditional sinner's prayer with someone who we think is willing to turn from sin and receive Christ? perhaps an analogy will shed some light on the subject: if someone you know committed adultery, would you lead him back to his wife and say, 'repeat after me:  'i am really sorry. i should not have slept with that woman'.  more than likely, you wouldn't. if someone says he wants to pray right then and there, encourage him to do so. you might like to say, 'you can pray right now. confess your sins and turn from them and then tell God you are placing your trust in Jesus as the Lord and Savior of your life. surrender your heart to Him. (note: the key to genuine conversion is total surrender.) after you've prayed, i'll pray for you'.
make sure the person has a bible (get him one if necessary), and encourage him to read it daily and obey what he reads. (note: ray comfort has a publication 'how to live forever...without being religious.
this pocket-sized book is 100 pages and begins with a very clear gospel message (using the Law), contains 'save yourself some pain' (ten principles for christian growth) and the entire gospel of john..from comfort's Evidence Bible.) also, encourage him to think deeply about your conversation and to get his heart right with the Lord as soon as possible. you can then leave him in the hands of a faithful God, who will continue to speak to him through His Holy Spirit and bring him to genuine repentance in his time. FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE you may be wondering if these principles work in other countries. do you have to live with the pygmies and become one with them for a few years before you can preach to them? while you should be culturally sensitive, you don't need to wait to witness. half of your pygmies may die in a tribal war, while you are building your ridge. God has given light to every man. every sane man and woman has been given a conscience and the Moral Law will therefore bring to him or her the knowledge of sin, no matter where they live.
to help make this point, i have included an email from a russian woman who attended a 'Way of the Master' seminar that someone conducted near siberia. (note: anyone can host a seminar by screening 'the basic training course'. all you need do is switch on a DVD player and play the DVDs. kirk and ray facilitate the entire course and provide you with a comprehensive study guide and other relevant materials. includes 4 DVDs, audio CDs, study guide, quick reference card and 300 icebreakers (tracts) to help you get your feet wet. see www. wayofthemaster.com for details or call 1.800.4371893) she types into her computer in russian and it (supposedly) translates into english:
                         greetings, my dear! thanks you for the letter! i simply wanted to share with you the experiences...that has taken place today with me! today we addressed having a rest which live here in dispensaries (at us at school). boys sand and during this moment i have felt an appeal of the God to lead these people through the test "the good person" i long doubted...but i have risen and have decided it to make! i have made it! and all listened...i did not see reaction of people of the others...but i saw that they have been interested in it...then when i have stopped...that guys from our school have told, that saw people which have left because they cried. i during that moment so obviously experienced presence of Him the only thing, that i can tell, All Glory to Him! i it already did the second time, the first i used it when has gone to hospital...i talked to two women, they a moslem and the God has told, to me that to me is necessary to make it. then we talked to them also they have thanked me and have told, that they needed to hear! now that time when i am simple i can to tell precisely, that He it is very close to me...I love Him! thanks, that you have told to me about it and have shown, as it to use! I love you! in Him, Anyutka
THE UNSAVED HEATHEN the use of the law is the key to reaching the heathen nations. all great religions have one hing in common. they are trying to establish their own righteousness. whether it's by lying on beds of nails, or crawling up the steps of some temple or by praying or fasting-they are deceived into thinking that these things are earning them salvation. they are trusting in their own good works. they are ignorant (they lack knowledge) of God's righteousness.
speaking of israel, paul said:  for i bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. for they being ignorant of God's righteousness and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. rom. 10.2-3
then paul immediately informs us that he is referring to the 'righteousness which is of the Law'. so, if we want to reach the unsaved nations, we must distance salvation from them and it's the Law that does that very thing. it leaves us with no alternative to the gospel.
INOCULATED 'CHRISTIANS'  if you try to reason with a churchgoer who knows a few bible verses (such as john 3.16), you will probably have a tough time. the person may answer all the questions correctly, but you know he doesn't live as a christian should. here are some questions that might reveal his level of understanding: 1. 'are you born again?' if he says he isn't, remind him the Jesus said a man must be born again to enter the kingdom of God (john 3.5).  2. 'when was the last time you read your bible?' if he says it has been a long time, express your concern by asking,  'what would you think if you sent love letters to your wife and she never took the time to read them? you would start to suspect that maybe she isn't very interested in you. God sent you 66 letters and you rarely read them what should He conclude about your love for Him?'
encourage him to examine himself to see if he is in the faith (II cor. 13.5).  if there are no signs that he has been born again, if there is no fruit in his life to indicate that he is a child of God ask, 'do you consider yourself to be a good person?' if he says yes, something is radically wrong and you should take him through a presentation of the Law.
WHAT ABOUT GRANDMA? someone who had just heard the teaching expounded in this book said, 'i see what you are saying, and i agree with you. let's say i'm on my way to witness to my elderly grandmother, who's not a christian, but thinks she is. does this mean i'm going to have to say, 'grandma, have you ever looked at someone with lust?'
good question. the answer is a definite yes and no. here's how you can say what you want to say without seeming disrespectful. first, gently swing into the subject by asking about her christian background-when she started going to church and so on. then say, 'you know what convinced me that i was a sinner? it was the Ten Commandments. i didn't realize that Jesus said, 'whoever looks upon a woman with lust has committed adultery already with her in his heart'. i didn't know that God sees our thought-life. do you think that you have kept the Ten Commandments, grandma? would you consider yourself a good person?'
when she tells you that she's a good person, say, 'well, let's look at some more Commandments to see if we have kept them'. always bear in mind that you are not alone in your witness. you not only have the Holy Spirit to help, but you have grandma's conscience working with you.
THE ISSUE OF SUFFERING what if someone asks, 'what about the issue of suffering? little kids are born deformed, people die of terrible diseases, and there are earthquakes and tornadoes that cause havoc. this proves that there is no God. we are on our own'. how do you answer that? i'll often tell the following story:
three philosophers are seated in a plane on an overnight flight. the first man said, 'i heard that during the night, while many of us were sleeping, hijackers took over the cockpit and are now flying the plane'. as he spoke, the plane lunged to the left and thrust a number of passengers against the wall, seriously injuring some of them.
after the second man regained his composure, he said, 'because of what just happened, i don't believe that this plane was designed or manufactured'. even though his statement didn't make sense, he continued to maintain that the entire plane, with its seats. windows, lighting, air conditioning, engines, etc., happened by accident.
as the third philosopher began to respond, the plane again lunged to one side. this time it was so violent that many passengers were seriously injured and two elderly people were killed. the man was obviously shaken, but he was able to share his thoughts about what had happened. he said that despite what was happening on the plane, he believed that all was well in the cockpit.
just then, someone passed a handwritten note to the first man. it read: Hijackers! all to be thrust out of the plane. parachute under seat. put it on now. going to cut the lighting. be ready to jump!
as he read these words, his eyes widened. the note confirmed that something was radically wrong. he quickly reached under his seat, put on the parachute and then passed the note on to the second philosopher.
the second man read the words on the note. he smiled and said, 'i don't believe anyone made this plane. besides, this note hasn't used correct grammar. 'parachute under seat' isn't even a complete sentence'. with that, he crumpled the note and dropped it to the floor.
the third man, still shaken by the recent events, picked up the note and read it. he said, 'it sure looks authentic. it's written on the airline's letterhead. what's happening on the plane does add up to there being something radically wrong. yes, i think i now believe there is something wrong'. yes, i think i now believe there is something wrong'. he sat back in his seat, but he didn't bother to put on his parachute, nor did he pass the note on to others.
here we have three common reactions to the message of the gospel. the first passenger is a genuine convert. he understands that the issue of suffering- disease, pain and death-shows that something is radically wrong between God and man. the knowledge that he must jump through the door of death causes him to trust in the Savior (to 'put on the parachute', the only means of salvation).
the second man is an atheist. he uses the issue of suffering to somehow make an illogical leap into the philosophy that there is no God. despite all evidence, he clings to the belief that the whole of creation with its flowers, its birds, the sun, the moon, the animal kingdom, the beauty of the seasons, the incredible variety of succulent fruit trees, etc., all happened by accident. the notion that such reasoning borders on insanity doesn't enter his unthinking and sin-loving mind. he doesn't bother to humbly study the warning of Scripture. instead, he exalts himself above the mind of his creator and he condescendingly becomes a critic of the Word of God. he maintains that it is full of errors and therefore can't be trusted.
the third man is an average person. he believes in God. he even believes the bible. he is easily convinced that something may be wrong between man and God, but he doesn't see his urgent need to put on the Lord Jesus Christ.
HOW DO WE AWAKEN THESE TO MEN? for the answer, let's go back to the airplane. the first man should ask the other two philosophers to look out the window for a moment and to think about taking a 25,000 foot fall. their knowledge of the unbending law of gravity should kick in and from there, common sense should do the rest. the reality of their predicament should cause both men to look under their seat for the parachute.
the issue of suffering is not something that christians should avoid. it is glaring evidence that man had rejected God-all is not well on board the flight. the reality of suffering works for our cause, not against it. all these things-pain, disease, droughts, tornadoes, earthquakes, etc.-should cause the thinking person to investigate the claims of the 'note'-God's word-and heed its advice.
the ultimate convincing agent, of course, is the unbending Law of God. the knowledge of the Law and the terrifying consequences of transgressing its precepts should cause fear to kick in-and common sense should then cause sinners to seek after the Savior who died and rose again so that they might be saved. THE PLACE OF APOLOGETICS although apologetics (the systematic defence of the faith) plays an important part in evangelism, it's vital to realize that they have a limited function in reaching the lost. (note: do not discount apologetics. ray comfort's evidence bible has much.)if we confine our evangelism to arguing about the existence of God, the inspiration of scripture, the age of the earth, etc., we are like a man who goes fishing with bait but no hook. although he may attract the fish, they will end up fat and happy-and they will get away. the function of bait is to attract the fish and disguise the hook. when the fish comes around, the fisherman pulls the hook into the jaw and catches his fish. apologetics are the bait and the hook is God's Law. it is the law that appeals to a man's conscience and brings the knowledge of sin.
TONE OF VOICE it is imperative that we ask God for the right spirit, tone,and attitude in our witnessing encounters. we don't want to come across like a know it all or as arrogant. our attitude should be humble compassion mixed with a deep concern. be resolute but gentle. don't be smug or condescending with your arguments. we're called to speak with gentleness and respect, like compassionate doctors with a cure. we should never become angry or even raise our voices. we have the freedom to speak very boldly if the hearer senses that we are coming from a place of love and concern. GESTURES be careful of your body language. don't point your finger at someone in a judgmental way. don't stand above people if you can help it; sit down beside them. don't have a smug grin on your face as if you are winning an argument or fold your arms as if you are scolding a child. remember, above all, that you are only a fellow sinner saved by God's grace, pleading with others to come to the Savior. PRACTICE as you've read these principles, you may have thought that you could never remember all the information. you don't have to. just remember the WDJD stepping stones and practice them. find a friend and role play. you've had to practice almost everything else in life-walking, writing, reading, riding a bike, and driving a car. evangelism is no different. once you have the four stepping stones memorized and begin putting them into practice, you will start an incredible evangelistic adventure. you will be amazed that the responses of those you speak to will be very predictable. in no time at all, sharing your faith will become second nature to you. what's more, God will be with you every step of the way.
THE MIND-SET being a witness of Jesus Christ is a mind-set. here's a role-playing scenario to help you put your mind in the proper frame: imagine you're in the garden of Gethsemane. you drop to your knees in prayer and sweat great drops of blood at the thought of sharing your faith. now say, 'not my will but Yours be done'. this exercise will give you the mind set to deny yourself and daily pick up the Cross. you only have to bear the reproach of the cross for a short time. the day will come when you will exchange it for a crown. so, if you have dealt with your fears in the garden, every time fear knocks at the door, you can send  faith to answer it. when your cowardly, cringing heart says, 'you can't do this', you simply ignore its whispering and say, 'i dealt with you in the garden. now i can do all things through Christ who strengthens me'.
the next time a telemarketer calls your home, you may be tempted to get rid of him by saying, 'i'm busy at the moment, so give me your home phone number and i will call you back later tonight'. instead, resist temptation and think of God's will, not yours. no doubt, these poor folks get abused and hung up o, on a regular basis. so, let your little light shine through the phone. when he says, 'my name is greg. i have a real deal for you. it won't cost you a thing. all i need is your name and address'. say, 'hi greg. it's good to hear from you. have you been having a good day?' listen to his reaction. your genuine warmth will probably shock him. then say, 'may i ask you a few questions? (he's been trained to be congenial and will no doubt react positively.) do you consider yourself a good person?' if you mess up, say, 'gotta go, thanks for calling, bye'.
don't stay in the tomb of dead silence. ask God to send His angels to roll the stone of fear away. then come out of the tomb. please. you are needed. as i have said, this chapter may have seemed complicated, but it's not. let me illustrate what i mean by sharing with you a typical witnessing encounter.
sue and i were recently in an appliance store. the assistant was very helpful. while he was serving us, i gave him a few tracts, for which he was genuinely grateful. one was '101 of the world's funniest one-liners'. he laughed as he read the cover. he also loved my business card, it is a tract that looks like a business card, but it says, 'Deparment of Annoyance-Director'. the back is printed in reverse, so that you have to go to a mirror to read it. when he looked at the back and turned it upside down to try to read it, i said, 'annoying, huh?' he laughed again.
as we walked across the store, i thought, 'if i care about this man, i will witness to him'. in came the excuses: 'you can't do this. you don't have time. you shouldn't do this in the store. he will be offended...blah, blah, blah, ad infinitum'. i ignored the whisperings and said, 'those things i gave you were gospel tracts'.
he said, 'huh?' 'they were christian tracts. have you had a christian background?' 'catholic'. 'do you consider yourself a good person?' 'yes'. 'can i ask you a few questions to see if that's true?' 'sure.' 'have you ever told a lie?' 'yes.' 'what does that make you?' 'a liar.' 'have you ever stolen something?' 'yes.' 'what does that make you?' 'a thief.' 'Jesus said that whoever looks at a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart. have you ever done that?' 'yes.' 'will you be innocent or guilty on the Day of Judgment?' 'guilty'. 'will you go to heaven or hell?' 'somewhere in between'. 'there's no such place'. 'hell, then'.
his eyes were wide and his face was sober, so i said, 'do you know what God did so that you would not have to go to hell?' he said that he didn't, so i took him through the gospel. when he heard about God's forgiveness and His gift of everlasting life, his facial expression changed, and he said, 'wow!' there was no offense. none of my fears was realized.
i asked him if he had a bible and then i left him with some more literature. all this happened in about two minutes. (note: if you appreciated this witnessing encounter, you will love Xtreme Adventure-nothing but witnessing.)
FIND ANOTHER HORSE it is very important to realize that you are going to have what may seem like failures. i have given out hundreds of thousands of gospel tracts. i have seen many people react very positively. they say things lie, 'this has made my day! thank you'. i have been hugged by strangers, upgraded to business class, praised, and had people plead for more. however, if i get a thousand positive results and one negative result, for some reason the negative experience remains in my mind. if someone coldly says, 'no thank you', it cuts right into my heart. i never get used to rejection.
when rejection bucks you off your evangelistic horse, don't stay in the dirt. get up. say, 'i've got to find another horse!' then keep reaching out to the lost until the feeling of rejection is lost in the dust of your gospel trail....
...if you will follow the four stepping-stones and allow the law to do its intended work of breaking up the soil of hardened hearts, you will begin to see people respond with repentance. remember, you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you. 

7.8.2015 the way of the master - ray comfort

..who do you know who isn't saved? your mother or father? a sibling? a good friend? your spouse? your child? think of their terrible fate if they die without Christ...

..may i ask you a personal question? when was the last time you shared you faith with an unsaved person? when did you last go out of your way to witness to a stranger?..only 2% of american churchgoers share their faith with others...

did you know that if you allow another human being to die when it's within your ability to save him, you are guilty of something called, 'depraved indifference?" they are applicable words. 'depraved means that it's as low as you can get and ' and 'indifference means that you couldn't care less. think now of the terrible neglect of that firefighter. (previous story of a firefighter who arrived at a fire where people were screaming and falling to the ground in flames (they died) while he had his new cd player on and playing..)..
worship is the highest calling of every christian...but when we look back at the book of acts, we don't find the Church consumed with worship. instead, we find it was obsessed with reaching the lost, to the point that they willingly gave their lives to preach the gospel...

i wonder if you have been praying for revival. many are and that's good. but if we make revival sovereign and don't share our faith with the lost, in effect, this is what we are saying:
Lord, i know that You have commanded us to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. but we will stay here and pray. we know that you have chosen the 'foolishness' pf preaching to save those who believe. but we will stay here and pray. and we know that the bible asks us, 'how will they hear without a preacher?' but we will stay here and pray because it sure is easier to talk to God about people than it is to talk to people about God...

...Church tradition tells us the fate of several apostles and early evangelists:
philip: crucified, phrygia, a.d. 54
matthew: beheaded, ethiopia, a.d. 60
barnabas:  burned to death, cyprus, a.d. 64
mark: dragged to death, alexandria, a.d. 64
james (the less): clubbed to death, jerusalem, a.d. 66
paul: beheaded, rome, a.d. 66
peter: crucified, rome, a.d. 69
andrew: crucified, achaia, a.d. 70
thomas: speared to death, calamina, a.d. 70
luke: hanged, athens, a.d. 93

...preachers: do they faithfully preach against sin?
do they preach righteousness and judgment (as Jesus did)?
do they speak about true repentance (not simply a change of mind') and warn about the reality of hell (as Jesus did)?
...many of today's preachers fill their churches by teaching legitimate life-changing principles. however, although these principles are helpful for daily living, they fail to unmask sin and self righteousness that keep vast numbers of false converts sitting in a fool's paradise, comfortable in the pews, thinking they are friends with God when they are still His enemies...

...disciples in the book of acts...confronted their hearers as guilty criminals-enemies of God who desperately needed righteousness...

re paul...God said He would show him how many things he MUST SUFFER for My name's sake (acts 9.16)...

..sinners don't equate the promise of a 'wonderful plan for your life' with eternity. they think of the here and now.
i would say that i could never tell those people that God has a wonderful plan for their lives..so, if that popular message isn't appropriate for the people who worked in the world trade center, (on 9.11), who is it for. ...

if those who say, 'God has a wonderful plan for your life' were 'converted' under the same gospel they propagate, and they did not repent, then there may be some truth in what they are saying. if they continue to live in lawlessness, they will not have a struggle with the world, the flesh, and the devil. if they are friends with the world, they will flow with it rather than against it and therefore will not have tribulation in it. if they don't 'live godly in Christ Jesus', they won't 'suffer persecution' (II tim. 3.12), and they will not be hated for His name's sake, because their lives will be no different from those who are of the world. if they continue to live according to the flesh, they won't have to struggle to deny fleshly desires. neither will they wrestle against the devil. in fact, satan will be pleased with what he sees.
those who have come to Christ seeking happiness have 'found religion' and think that by going to church on sunday morning they are all right with God, thereby assuaging their nagging consciences.
they may have joined the fellowship of the church...but they haven't found new life in Christ....

and here's the double tragedy. when the church declares the message that 'Jesus solves problems' or 'Jesus provides happiness', it restricts the field of evangelistic endeavor to those in society who are unhappy and caught up in their problems....

...we live in a 'therapeutic' culture that places a high value on feeling good, self-esteem and self-actualization. consequently, when we see words like 'poor', 'brokenhearted' and 'oppressed', we think of people who are beset by life's circumstances, whether it's poverty, divorce, addiction or disease. Jesus, however, is speaking primarily in terms of spiritual poverty and spiritual brokenness, bondage, blindness, and oppression. in other words, He is offering freedom to those who recognize their sinful state and are broken by the realization that their spiritual poverty and bondage separate them from a just and holy God.that isn't to say that He did not minister to those who were beset by life's circumstances-but His message was not only for those people and the freedom He offered was not freedom from the hardships of life. when Jesus speaks of 'the poor', He is not necessarily referring to those who lack financial resources. (mt. 5.3; ps. 51.17)

when Jesus speaks of the brokenhearted, He doesn't mean those unhappy people whose hearts are aching because they have been jilted by a sweetheart, but those who, like peter and isaiah, are contrite and sorrowing for their sin...matthew henry...'Christ was sent to heal the broken-hearted,...to give peace to those that were troubled and humbled for sins,...and to bring them to rest who were weary and heavy-laden, under the burden of guilt and corruption.

the captives are those 'taken captive by (the devil) to do his will' (II tim. 2.26) the blind are those whom 'the god of this age has blinded...(to) the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ' (II cor. 4.4). the oppressed are those who are 'oppressed by the devil' (acts 10.38).

the gospel of grace is for the humble, not the proud. 'God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble' (james 4.6) the scriptures tell us, 'everyone proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord' (proverbs 16.5); 'He has put down the mighty from their thrones and exalted the lowly' (luke 1.52); God looks on the one who 'is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at (His) word' (isaiah 66.2). only the sick need a physician, and only those who are convinced of the disease of sin will appreciate and appropriate the cure of the gospel.

THE ABUNDANT LIFE still, the question may arise, why not use the fact that Jesus said He had come to bring us an abundant life (john 10.10) to draw unregenerate sinners to the Savior? true, the christian life is full. consider the life of paul. read II cor. 11. 23-8 and see if you think he was bored while being stoned (once), shipwrecked (three times), beaten (three times) and whipped (five times). his life was full. there were also times when he wasn't happy. in fact, at one point he was in such despair that he wanted to die (II cor. 1.8)

the apostle gives the carnal minded corinthians a glimpse of the abundant life. (II cor. 4.4.7-5.9; 6.1-13) he told them that he had been condemned to death. he was hungry and thirsty. he lacked clothing. he was beaten and had nowhere to live. even with his established ministry, he was forced to work with his hands. he was reviled, persecuted, slandered and treated as the filth of the world. what a terrible, uninviting path paul walked down. one would think that he would put up a sign saying, 'don't enter here'. however he did the opposite. he told the corinthians to imitate him (I cor. 4.9-16)

...THE PURPOSE OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS in recent years it has become popular in some sectors of the church to ask the question, 'what would Jesus do/....at first glance it might seem worthwhile to ask what Jesus would do in a particular circumstance, but the question has an inherent flaw: it opens the door to speculation. the answer becomes open ended so that people can make up whatever 'Jesus' they want to fit anything they would like to do:  'what would Jesus do? i'll tell you what He wouldn't do. he wouldn't condemn people because they want and abortion and He wouldn't go around ramming religion down people's throats!' or 'He wouldn't go around judging people and telling them that they are 'sinners'!'
the better question to ask is, 'what did Jesus do?' this confines our answers to the safe and reliable boundaries of the bible.
what did Jesus do when He confronted sinners? as we see from scripture, He made the issue one of righteousness rather than happiness (mt. 5.20) He used the Ten Commandments to show sinners the righteous standard of God (mt. 5.17-37)
in mark 10.17-21 Jesus used the Law of God to expose the man's hidden sin.
...every time we witness to someone, we should examine our motives. do we love the sinner enough to make sure his conversion is genuine?
..martyn lloyd-jones..'a gospel which merely says 'come to Jesus' and offers Him as a Friend and offers a marvelous new life, without convincing of sin, is not new testament evangelism. ..true evangelism..must always start by preaching the Law.

when you use the Law
(note:throughout the book we will be using the term 'the Law' to refer to the Moral Law of God or the Ten Commandments.  this is consistent with how Jesus referred to 'the Law' or  'the Law and the prophets' in His teaching (mt. 5.17, 7.12, 22.40, 23.23; luke 1026, 16.16; john 7.19-23). when the apostle paul speaks of 'the Law' in romans 2.20-23 and 13.8-9, he quotes a number of the Ten Commandments, making clear he is referring to the Moral Law. this is also the case with other writers of scripture, including james (2.10-11).
to show lost sinners their true state, be prepared for them to thank you. for the first time in their lives, they will see the christian message as expressing love and concern for their eternal welfare rather than merely proselytizing for a better lifestyle while on this earth. they will begin to understand why they should be concerned about their eternal salvation. the Law shows them that they are condemned by God. it even makes them a little fearful-and 'the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom' (ps. 111.10; prov. 9.10)

..john wesley reconciled the use of the Law to produce the fear of God with love: 'the second use (of the Law) is to bring him unto life, unto Christ that he may live. it is true, in performing both these offices, it acts the part of a severe schoolmaster. it drives us by force, rather than draws us by love. and yet love is the spring of all. it is the spirit of love which, by this painful means, tears away our confidence in the flesh, which leaves us no broken reed whereon to trust and so constrains the sinner, stripped of all to cry out in the bitterness of his soul of groan in the depth of his heart, 'i give up every plea beside, Lord, i am damned; but Thou hast died''.

perhaps you are tempted to say that we should never condemn sinners. however, scripture tells us that they are already condemned-'he that believes not is condemned already' (john 3.18). all the Law does is show them their true state. if you dust a table in your livingroom and think it is dust-free, try pulling back the curtains and letting in the early morning sunlight. you will more than likely see dust still sitting on the table. the sunlight didn't create the dust; it merely exposed it. when we take the time to draw back the high and heavy curtains of the Holy of Holies and let the light of God's Law shine upon the sinner's heart, the Law merely shows him his true state before God. prov. 6.23 tells us, 'the commandment is a lamp and the Law a light'.

you may be familiar with the idea that we should befriend sinners and address their 'felt needs' before speaking to them about salvation. however, it may take weeks, months, or even years before we get around to talking to them about the subject of sin. on the other hand, if we understand sin in its true light as enmity with God and we grasp the urgency of the situation-that our unregenerate friend could die tonight and face God's righteous judgment-would we not be motivated...

let's see how a 'felt needs' approach would work in a court of law with a child molester. take for instance the man who kidnapped a seven year old girl from her southern california home in 2002. he sexually molested her, strangled her to death, set her little body on fire and left her in the desert. imagine the following courtroom scenario when this man is brought to trial: the judge says, 'all the evidence is in. you are guilty. however, i don't want to deal with your guilt at the moment. i want to first address your felt needs. are you happy? do you have an emptiness inside?....52

53 it is an unlawful use of the Law to use it for justification. no one will make it to heaven by keeping the Ten Commandments...'a man is not justified by the works of the Law by faith in Jesus Christ...for by the works of the Law no flesh shall be justified' gal. 2.16 the Law's rightful purpose is simply to act as a mirror to show us that we need cleansing...

neither should the Law be used to produce legalism. we are give incredible liberty in Christ. gal. 5.1 and there are those who would seek to steal that liberty by placing the Law on the backs of christians. 54 obviously, christians refrain from lawlessness. they don't lie, steal, kill, commit adultery, etc. if they fall into sin (as opposed to diving in..), they confess and forsake it, because they know that 'without holiness no one will see the Lord' heb. 12.14 however, a christian's motivation for holy living isn't one of legalism imposed on them by the Law. why do they refrain..to gain God's favor? no. they already have that in Christ. instead,christians live lives that are pleasing..to do all they can to show God gratitude for..incredible mercy..

.,why then would any christian stray into legalism? ...because the law hasn't been used lawfully in the first place...if the spiritual nature of the Law is used in evangelism, it will once and for all rid new believers of any thought of legalism. the Law reveals to them that there is no way they can please God outside of faith in Jesus....guilty sinners see that they are 'by nature children of wrath' eph. 2.3
55 and therefore flee to shelter in Christ from..God's indignation..

true believers are saved knowing that nothing commends them to God. after a lifetime of good works, of reading ding the word, of prayer and seeking the lost, they are still saved by grace and
grace alone.they are 'unprofitable servants' lk. 17.10 who merely do what they should.
however, people who make a commitment to Christ without the law may do so because they are seeking true inner peace and lasting fulfillment. they come to fill a 'God shaped vacuum' in their lives. there is no trembling. there is no fleeing from wrath. there is no fear. to them, god is a benevolent, fatherly figure, not a holy god of wrath. without the Law, they haven't been stripped of self-righteousness. they don'[t truly believe that their just regard is eternal  damnation. therefor..as professing christians, they think  they are..good.

because of this faulty foundation, these converts are likely to think that they are pleasing god by..doing good works. they are susceptible to..thinking that somehow ..good works commend them to god and...liable to stray into legalistic standards such as 'do not touch, do not taste, do not handle' col. 2.21.

OUR BROKEN BACKBONE 57
..the modern gospel has degenerated into a means of happiness rather than one of righteousness..we have failed to show sinners that they are lawbreakers, that they have violated the law of..God.

the bible says that most people think they are good..'most men will proclaim every one his own goodness..prov. 20.6 ..'all the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes... (16.2) despite america's mountain of sin, most think it's a tiny molehill in God's eyes and they look forward to the reward of heaven...

58..only one half of one percent said they were hell bound..the survey..found that 76% of americans believe in heaven and 71% in hell..64% believe they're heaven bound.

...when the Bible speaks of 'good', it means moral perfection in though, word and deed. only God is good mark 10.18, and His Law is perfect ps. 19.7, holy, just, and good Romans 7.12. sinners don't know that. there is none that understands rom. 3.11 i can't overstate this fact-the world has no idea of the nature of sin, that it is a potent and irresistible magnet for the justice of Almighty God-that they live under the avalanche of wrath...My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge...because you have forgotten the Law of your God...hosea 4.6

59..most of the world realizes that they have broken God's Law-the Ten Commandments, but it's no big deal...white lies...stolen..little things..in the past..

can you  see what happens? SIN IS .. TRIVIALIZED and...the person will therefore deceive himself. he is saying that he hasn't actually 'sinned' and the bible warns, 'if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us'. I john 1.8

the truth is, if you have lied, then you are a liar. if you have stolen anything (the value of the time stolen is irrelevant), you are a thief.

what the sinner needs to hear is the judge's ruling for lying and stealing. 'ALL liars will have their part in the lake of fire' rev. 21.8.

60..great tragedy. popular preachers gloss over the issue of sin, because they don't want to offend their hearers or make them feel guilty. ...they deliberately hide the Judge's ruling from them. they refuse to talk about Hell....

..spurgeon...'it is absolutely necessary to the preaching of the gospel of Christ that men be warned..ho, ho sir surgeon, you are too delicate to tell the man that he is ill! ..your delicacy is cruelty; your flatteries are poisons; you are a murderer. shall we keep men in a fool's paradise? shall we lull them into soft slumbers from which they will awake in hell?...

61..why would america's most popular preacher appear on CNN june 20, 2005 ..KING: what if you're jewish or muslin, you don't accept Christ at all? PASTOR: you know, i'm very careful about saying who would and wouldn't go to heaven. i don't know...KING: if you believe, you have to believe in Christ? they're wrong, aren't they? PASTOR: well, i don't know if i believe they're wrong. i believe here's what the bible teaches and from the christian faith this is what i believe. but i just think that only God will judge a person's heart...

here is what the scriptures say:
Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, the truth and the life. no one comes to the Father except through Me. john 14.6
62 whoever transgresses and does not abide in  the doctrine of Christ does not have God. he who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. I john 2.9
but i say, that the things which the gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils and not to God: and i would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. I cor. 10:20

why..his message is one of success in life. he is a popular preacher because that is a popular message. who doesn't want God's best for their lives?

but that message puts him into the dilemma..when it comes to the exclusiveness of Jesus Christ. if the Law isn't preached to show the perfect righteousness that god requires, then there is a chance that people from other religions can make it to heaven. they are sincere. they devotedly fast and pry. they crawl up steps of great temples on their knees until blood flows..they will hold up their right hand in sacrifice to the gods for years, until it withers from lack of use. they sacrifice their time, their money and their own lives in the service of god...surely a loving and merciful God sees their sincere heart. He couldn't send them to hell. that makes sense. Jesus can't be the only way to heaven. that would exclude millions who have never been born again. to say that He is the only way to God, despite what scripture says, is the epitome of narrow minded bigotry. no, that wouldn't be a popular thing to say.

63..the Law shows us how deeply in debt to eternal justice. it reveals that the entire human race is not just guilty before before a holy Creator, but that we are desperately wicked criminals with a multitude of sins, standing exposed before the judgment bar of the God of the universe.

in light of the Law, we begin to see that we cannot bribe Almighty God to simply dismiss our case because we become pious...the sincere religious devotee...the Judge is about to pronounce the death sentence. but before he does, he allows the man to speak. he looks the judge in the eye and says, 'i am guilty of the crimes, but on the way into the courts, i deliberately slammed my thumb in the door. therefore you must let me do because i have suffered for my crimes'.

in heb. 10.22, the scriptures speak of being provoked by 'an evil conscience'. guilt drives us to try and cover our sins. immoral hollywood stars often become pious as they grow older. they sacrificially give money and their time to charities.they had a few 'indiscretions' in their youth and now (in their eye they are evening the scales. but the bible tells us, 'the sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord. prov. 15.8  the ungodly are deceived because they lack knowledge of God's Law.

64 ...not even the apostle paul understood sin, until he was confronted with the Law. 'what shall we say then? is the Law sin? certainly not! on the contrary,i would not have known sin except through the law. for i would not have known covetousness unless the law had said,  'you shall not cove'...rom. 7.7

66  as i looked at the truck, i noticed two women sitting on the steps of our building. one of them called out, 'is this a christian ministry? i said that it was and asked if they wee christians. one of them said that she was. the other said that she belonged to a certain denomination. i sat down with them and asked the church-goer what she thought happened to people after they die. she said that she believed in haven and in hell. i asked where she would do when she died. predictably ,she said 'heaven'.  i said,  there's an easy way to make sure of that. it's a four question test-do you want to do it. it's real easy? (do you consider yourself  to be a good person? have you ever told a lie? have you ever stolen something? have you ever used God's name in vain?....
67   if God judges you by the Ten Commandments on the Day of Judgement, do you think you will be innocent or guilty? guilty. will you go to heaven or to hell? hell. does that concern you? yes! it should TERRIFY you. do you know what God did for you so that you wouldn't have to go to hell? no. he sent His Son-Jesus Christ -to suffer and die for you. He paid your fine in His life's blood, so that you could leave the courtroom what you must do is repent and trust Him.' i could see from her facial expression that she was deeply moved by the gospel, so i said, do you want to pray now and yield your life to Christ-surrender yourself to God? I've never prayed with anyone before. that's okay. you could pray quietly and then i could pray for you. okay. i don't want to push you into it, but if you are ready to surrender to God, i would love to pray with you. do you want to leave it until another time? no. i want to pray.

68  ...i waited for about 30 seconds and then prayed for her and then gave her a copy of a booklet called, SAVE YOURSELF SOME PAIN, which gives principles of christian growth.

this doesn't happen every time i share the gospel with people. most of the time i see evident conviction, but they are in the category of 'awakened', but not 'alamed'. but although their lack of concern concerns me, i'm not overly concerned because i know that when i share the gospel biblically, i am working with the Holy Spirit. He's the One who brings conviction of sin and He will do so in His perfect timing.

let me address your concerns that perhaps what i am doing is too confrontational. admittedly it is. but there is a reason for this.

imagine you have gone to a restaurant to talk personal business with a friend. you find somewhere quiet and you begin your conversation. after a few minutes, someone you don't know comes up to your table and says, 'may i take your order? do you say, 'EXCUSE ME! i was talking about something personal with my friend and you just walked up and butted in. you are very rude. now go away!' that doesn't happen. the waiter knows it doesn't happen and the reason it doesn't happen is because he knows that he has something that you want. FOOD....as christians we have something that the world wants. every single sane person on this earth has a will to live...they have a God-given fear of death and we have found everlasting life. they just don't understand yet...

69...let me now put you with an experienced waiter for a moment-the apostle paul. let's see if he's bold. let's see if he's confrontational or if he carefully shapes his words so as not to offend his hearers. does he avoid words like, 'Law, wrath, judgment,..sin'? ...paul addresses his hearers in romans, chapter two:
'and do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God? or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? but in accordance with 70 your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who will render to each one according to his deeds: eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor and immortality; but to those who are self seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the jew first and also of the greek...v3-10

then in v 12, the apostle warns that God will judge humanity by the moral law. he tells them that the work of the Law is written on the human heart and that it concurs with the conscience (v15). then he begins to use the Law evangelistically, personalizing each commandment to his hearers...steal..adultery..idols..blaspheme in vss 21-4.

paul used the Law to bring 'the knowledge of sin'. he was bold. he was confrontational. he PERSONALIZED sin. they he said, 'be followers of me, even as i also am of Christ'. I cor. 11.3

73 MAKING IT HONORABLE when i talk of using the law in evangelism, i don't mean merely making casual reference to it. rather, the law would be the backbone of our gospel presentation because its function is to prepare the heart for grace. ..luther said..'in its true and proper work and purpose it humbles a man and prepares him-if he uses the Law correctly -to yearn and seek for grace'.

the law is the rod and staff of the shepherd ..the net of the fisherman..the plow of the farmer..it is the ten golden trumpets that prepare the way for the king. the Law makes the sinner thirst for righteousness, that he might live...

..the Law is the embodiment of this gospel we carry, but many have 'neglected the weightier matters of the Law' and counted them as worthless mat. 23.23. they have emptied the Law out of the ark, stripping the gospel of its power.

75..the true convert is not like adam, who ran from God in the garden. instead, he delights to do God's will because God's Law is within his heart. ps. 40.7-9

..the Law is like the fiery serpents in num 21.6-9 and Jesus became the curse for us...if we look to Him we will be healed..

79 WHAT DID JESUS DO? His divine commission-to magnify the Law and make it honorable. mt. 5.17-20
80 the pharisees limited the scope of the Laws precepts to mere outward piety. Jesus opened up the spiritual nature of the Law, showing how God 'desires truth in the inward parts ps. 51.6 (mt. 5.21f

81 He concluded this part of His teaching by saying, 'be perfect..5.48..because the function of the Law is 'that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God rom. 3.19
some say Jesus meant, 'be mature but calling God mature would imply that He was once immature. God never changes mal. 3.6 ...if we are not perfect in accordance with the Law, we will perish on the day of Judgment. that's why paul says that we are to '(warn) every man and (teach) every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect'  col. 1.28

82 free from their blood eze. 3.17-9

83 Jesus always preached Law to the proud and arrogant and grace to the meek and the humble ( lk. 10.25-6; 18.18-20; john 3.1-17:james 4.6..paul at athens 1st and 2nd commandments acts 17.15-34 and on other occasion rom. 2.22-3

84 without the Law, there can be no knowledge of sin: what shall we say then? is the Law sin? certainly not! on the contrary, i would not have known sin except through the Law...for apart from the Law sin was dead (inactive). i was alive once without the Law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and i died rom. 7.7-9

85 spurgeon..'one..reason why this soil (in the parable) was so uncongenial was that it was totally unprepared for the seed.
...robbie flockhart..'you must preach the Law, for the gospel is a silken thread and you cannot get it into the hearts of men unless you have made a way for it with a sharp needle; the sharp needle of the Law will pull the silken thread of the gospel after it'.

what was Jesus referring to when He said, 'do not give what is holy to the dogs' ? what was He pointing to when He said not to 'cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet and turn and tear you in pieces mat. 7.6? the most precious pearl the church has is 'Christ crucified'. when the cross is preached to the proud and a decision is obtained..it's not long until..new converts fall away from the faith and trample the blood of the Savior under their feet.

86 a 'backslider'usually have their own testimony as to why they turned away from God and it's often accompanied by bitter and colorful language. they know how to talk the talk because they think they walked the walk and because of this, they know how to do damage to the kingdom of god. ...they verbally tear to pieces those who had anything to do with their 'religous experience'. the proselyte becomes a two fold child of hell.

those who make a profession of faith without first understanding their complete depravity before a holy God and who haven't therefore truly repented of their sin, are liable to fall back into their former way of life...II pet. 2.22.

false converts have never 'crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts' gal. 5.24

87..according to peter (II 2.20) 'the latter end is worse for them than the beginning.

evangelistic methods often fail to mention the fact of Judgment Day.  acts 17.30-1...wrath to come I thess. 1.10..gospel presented as promoting happiness not righteousness

89 'fall short to God's glory rom. 3.23  we have failed to love God with all of our heart, mind, soul and strength, which is the essence of the Law mk. 12.30-1

90 if my life depends on hitting the target, but i can never hit the target, what hope is there for me?

..the genuine convert, had some things the other hearers didn't have. he had the virtue of 'understanding' mt. 13.23 and he had 'a good and honest heart' lk. 8.15 does that mean that there are only certain people who somehow have understanding and a good and honest heart and we have to keep on sowing until we find them? no. scripture makes it clear that there is no one who understands rom. 3.11 and that the heart of man is not good, but deceitful and desperately wicked jer. 17.9

91 how then did the good soil hearer  obtain these necessary virtues? it is clear that something from outside must have given him understanding and brought him to a point of having a noble and good heart. the plow-that is, the Law-turned the soil of his hear, exposing his wickedness and breaking loos the stones of sin.  when the stones were removed through repentance, it left the good soil of understanding and a heart that was ready to receive the seed of the gospel.

100..another respected minister, whose evangelism program has exploded across the world, said that his evangelism course attempts to get at the heart of the fall away rate of new converts 'by placing great stress on the follow up'. however, 'following up' with a false convert is like putting a stillborn baby into intensive care....

102..increasing number of converts fail to show evidence of moral change in their lives

perhaps you are thinking, 'but i didn't have the Law preached to me when i cam to Christ.. let me ask you a few questions. when you came to the Savior, did you have a knowledge of sin? you must have or you would not have repented. he who reepents turns from sin and 'sin is the transgression of the law' I john 3.4

what then was your sin? was it lust, adultery, or fornication? if wo, then your sin was that you transgressed the 7th commandment. did you steal (8th), hate (6th), lie (9th), or blaspheme (3rd)? were you covetous 10th? werre you selfish or ungrateful to god? did you realize that God should be first in your life 1st,4th)? or maybe you suddenly discerned that God was nothing like you thought He was (2nd). did you feel bad about your attitude toward your parents (5th)? wasn't it because you knew of the Ten Commandments? someone, somewhere, somehow must have said to you: 'you shall not kill, you shall not steal', etc and your consecience bore witness with the law. like paul, you too can say, 'i would not have known sin except through the law' rom. 7.7.

104 ..so many spurious converts who have left the Church and the multitude of false converts who stay within the Chruch.

105...went through commandments..i realized that i had violated God's perfect Law and i was on my way to hell. i understood for the first time that Jesus didn't come to make me 'happy-happy-happy', but to make me righteous...

110 notice...what happens when the law enters the fast lane with red lights flashing. the speeder's heart misses a beat. he is no longer secure in the fact that other motorists are also speeding.he knows the he is personally guilty and he could be the one the officer pulls over. suddenly, his 'mere' 15 mph transgression doesn' t seem such a small thing after all. it seems to abound

now look at the feeway of sin. the whole world naturally goes with the flow....they know they are doing wrong, but their security lies inthe fact that so many others are just as gulty, if not more so. it seems that God has forgotten all about sin and the Ten Commandments. he 'has said in his heart, 'God has forgotten; He hides His face; He will never see' ps. 10.11

now watch the law enter with red lights flashing. the sinner's heart is stopped. he places his hand on his mouth. he examines the speedometer of his conscience. suddenly, it shows him the measure of his guilt in..the light of the Law...moreover the Law entered that the offense might abound'. without introduction of the law, sin is neither personal nor is it a threat: 'for without the Law sin is dead (the sense of it is inactive and a lifeless thing) rom 7.8.

111...according to scripture, '(the real function of) the Law is to make men recognize and be conscious of sin (not mere perception, but an acquaintance with sin which works toward repentance)' rom. 3.20 AMP

to illustrate this point, imagine if i said to you, 'i have some good news for you. someone has just paid a $25,000 speeding fine on your behalf! you would probably answer me with some cynicism in your voice, 'what are you talking about? i don't have a $25,000 speeding fine!' ...if you don't know that you have broken the law in the first place the good news..won't be good news; it will be foolishness...

112..as you begine to see the seriousness of what you have done...'the law was about to take its course...but...is greeted with joy...

115..you may be tempted, as you go through the Commandments, to say things like 'have you lied? i have. everyone lies...in doing so, you will more than likely dissipate the fear of God...

116 prov. 28.23...sin is like an onion. its outer wrapper is a dry and crusty self-righteousness. it is only when its external casing is peeled away that it brings tears to the human eye. the law peels the onion and allows contrition.

..a child broke his father's antizue vase. it was one that he was forbidden to touch or even go near. it was worth $25,000. however the child in his ignorance thought the vase was worth only $2, so he wasn't very concerned. he thought he could easily replace it...

117...spurgeon..'the law serves  a most necessary purpose...they will never accept grace until they tremble before a just and holy Law'.

...many years ago..i told a prostitute of God's love..she immediately began to weep...her tears were not tears of godly sorrow for sin (which i had failed to mention), but merely an emotional response to the need of a father's love...led her in sinner's prayer..she fell away..

118 music can..evoke a tear filled response...

..washington DC..members of a foreign embassy had been issued numerous parking tickets for breaking the law, but because their diplomatic status made them immune..they felt no obligation to pay for their violations..in an effort to force these..to pay their debts. the authorities amended the law  so that vehicles that were driven by traffic violators could not be registered. the violators would therefor be unable to drive their cars.

119 ..a similar thing has happened with the Church. because it has failed to preach future punishment for violation of God's Law. sinners have become bold in their lawlessness. they have lost respect both for the law and for its agency, the Church....strip club..large sign..'we didn't create sin, we just perfected it. one tv channel boasted of their adult programming: 'guaranteed to break more Commandments than any other line up. a magazine cover..'teenage sex romps. stuff so bad, it's good. we're so ashamed'.

the secular world has become devoid of the fear of God..they are storing up wrath that will be revealed in the day of wrath. rom. 2.5if on the day they are found in debt, there will be hell to pay.

121..fear the Lord...ps 119.20..lk. 12.5..ps.128.1..2.11..acts 9.31..prov 16.6

123..in His approximately 42 months of public ministry, there ar 33 recorded instances of Jesus speaking about hell. no doubt He warned of hell thousands of times. the bible refers to hell a total of 167 times.

127..if we exalt one of God's qualities over another, we can get a distorted view of god's character...can lead to heresy...more mercy..less judgment

131..Jesus said not to fear him who has power to kill your body and afterward can do no more, but to fear Him who has power to kill the body and cast your soul into hell...lk. 12.4-5

132..the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him,in those who hope in His mercy ps. 147.11
...many feel secure in their sins with no fear or worry of Judgment Day because God is a God of Love and will overlook my sins'.....on Judgment day..all that will be evident then will be God's Holy burning love for absolute perfection.

133..a wise man once said, 'most i fear God. next to Him, i fear him that fears Him not'..in the US alone, there were 200,000 murders between 1990 and the turn of the century.

135 it is the fear of God that should stop christians from diluting the message with which they've been entrusted and thereby trifling with the eternal well being of sinners. their devotion to the truth will be rewarded: 'those who rebuke the wicked will have delight and a good blessing will come upon them.prov 24.25

..paul reasoned of righteousness, temperance and judgment to come, till felix (hardened as he was) 'trembled' acts 24.5...later in rome paul 'explained and solemnly testified of the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus from both the law of moses and the prophets, from morning till evening 28.23...how did paul preach? he used both prophecy and the Law of Moses. prophecy appeals to a person's intellect and creates faith in the word of God. as a person realizes that the bible is no ordinary book-that it contains hundreds of indisputable prophecies that substantiate its supernatural origin- he begins to acknowledge scripture's credibility. the Law of Moses. on the other hand, appeals to a person's conscience and brings the knowledge of sin. paul used both, because prophecy alone doesn't bring an awareness of sin.

137..if an angel tells us of a gospel (or a method of gospel promotion) that isn't in line with holy scripture, we should reject it without a second thought..gal. 1.8 'but even if we or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed..

(while many are doing so) we should heed paul's warning against 'peddling God's word (shortchanging and adulterating the divine message)' II cor. 2.17, AMP. 

170  ..even though these were godly jews, peter told them that they were 'lawless'-that they had violated God's Law by murdering Jesus acts 2.23 he drove home that fact by saying, 'therefore let all the house of israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ' v36 it was then that they saw that their sin was personal. they were 'cut to the heart' and cried out for help. only after the Law convicted them of their sinfulness did peter offer them grace v38.

173 the constitution has replaced ..scripture as the point of moral reference....it is a 'constitutional right'  to produce unclean literature, even if it is morally offencive. however, ask a man who advocates pornographic literature if child pornography is legitimate and he will usually draw his moral line. ask him then at what age 'immoral' child porn crosses the divide and becomes 'morally acceptable'. with a little digging, you will find that the dividing line is often the line of personal pleasure. he doesn't gain pleasure from looking at a 13 year old child, but he does from a 17 year old young woman. his love for sin clouds his moral judgment.

174 story of the police officer (whom ray comfort did not recognize as such) screaming at him to stop speaking...his BADGE got his attention...the Law was the point of Jesus' authority (mat. 5.17-8; 7.12; 12.5; lk. 16.17

181 ron comfort decided to change his airplane ticket. when i called, the reservation agent gave the name of airline, told me her name was fran and asked how she could be of help to me. i explained my situation, made her laugh a little and got to a point where i felt i had the liberty to ask about her spiritual life. is said, 'fran, are you a christian' she answered, 'no. i don't accept the virgin birth. i explained to her that the virgin birth wasn't the issue with her at the moment, but that her big problem was the "Ten Commandments. i asked , 'have you ever told a lie? she said she had. she also admitted that she had stolen. when i explained that Jesus said that lust was the same as adultery in God sight and asked her if she had lusted, she said 'of course.  i said, 'fran, by your own admission, you are a lying, thieving adulterer at heart and we have looked at only three of the Ten Commandments. you have to face God on Judgment Day. i then said,'i would like a window seat if possible. she didn't appreciate the change of subject. she said, 'don't leave me like this!
gently i said, 'what's wrong, fran? don't you like being left with your conscience? i went on to reason with her about her salvation, about Judgment day, and then about the cross.

182...fran didn't get angry at me. i wasn't judging her. i wasn't unloving. the reason i brought the subject up was because i cared about her and she was the one who admitted her sins..
it is interesting to note that the conscience doesn't join in with the pleasures of sin. 'their thoughts accusing or else excusing them rom. 2.15

217 if we want to reach the lost, we must stop believing that we have to be intellectual know it alls, stop wasting time arguing over every alleged mistake in the bible  and rather think of something infinitely more important-the sinner's eternal salvation. (I cor. 2.1; phil. 2.7 'make ourselves 'of no reputation'.

219..humbling though it may be not to have every answer to every question, learn to relax as you sit on this lowly donkey. trust God. His word is sure and true...they cannot be saved through their intellects. they must be reached through their consciences-driven to the Savior, stripped of their self-righteousness, thirsting for the righteousness of God that comes by faith.

220..spurgeon..'there must be true and deep conviction of sin. this the preacher must labor to produce, for where this is not felt, the new birth has not taken place.

221 ..however, albert proudheart's dilemma is a little deeper than he would have you know. the bible warns us that in these last days men will scoff and say that there is no such thing as the flood of noah (despite the mountain of evidence). we are even told that their motivation for being 'willingly..ignorant' is their love of lust  II pet. 3.1-7 no, albert proudheart doesn't really have an intellectual problem with christianity. he has a problem with his own heart. he loves sin. he drinks it in like water. because of this, he has no concern for his eternal salvation. his mind is overtaken by something far more interesting. he's feeding on sin's succulent pleasures. don't panic. don't argue with him. instead, flick the switch that will suck the air from him. learn to do what the Master did. use the law.

223 why are there so few front line soldiers within the body of Christ? there are many who say that they love God, read the word, pray and praise God with a passion, but there are so few who have what spurgeon referred to as a deep 'tenderness'. these are the ones who carry an anguish of soul for the fate of the ungodly. they break out of their complacency and seek by any means to save the lost. 'the love of Christ compels them II cor. 5.14 the greek word translated 'compel denotes that God's love arrests them, preoccupies and presses them to reach out to the lost. they take off their jackets of condescension, put on the armor of light and go to battle for the souls of men. these harvest workers are the ones of whom Jesus said there was a great and tragic lack mt. 9.37-8. He commanded us to pray that God would send more.

224..just as steaks are made tender by being seared...so 'when a sinner comes under the intense heat of the law of god, it has the effect of sealing within him a tender heart...as the spirituality of the Law bears down on him, it shows him the exceeding sinfulness of his heart.it reveals to him that the very core of his nature is vile..a selfish and ungrateful sinner for whom hell is the only appropriate destination...he begins to see that he has loved what is abhorrent to his creator...coupled with the fact that he has greatly angered god by transgressing His Law...

225 such

7.6.2015 the Rule of St. Augustine

..Au is well known as the restless searcher for truth, as the convert, bishop and scholar.he is less well known as a monk...his sole wish after his conversion was to be 'a servant of God', that is, a monk. he lived also as a monk when he was a priest and even later as bishop...in writing the oldest monastic Rule in the west, Au exerted an unusually great influence on the chrsitian ideal of the religious like. in this way his role is n the development of western monasticism has been highly significant...
Au wrote his Rule around the year 397, about ten years after he had been baptized by ambrose in milan.
...his first foundationhad taken place in 388 at tagaste. later, as a priest, he founded a monastery for lay brothers in hippo (391) and when he became a bishop he set up a monastery for clerics in his bishop's house in hippo (395/6). it was there ..he wrote his Rule..(the following is the masculine version)
   1. THE BASIC IDEAL: MUTUAL LOVE
expressed in the community of goods and in humility
1. we urge you who form a religious community to put the following precepts into practice. 2. before all else, live together in harmony (ps. 67(68): 7), being of one mind and one heart (acts 4.32)on the way to God. for is it not precisely for this reason that you have come to live together? 3. among you there can be no question of personal property. rather, take care that you share everything in common. your superior should see to it that each person is provided with food and clothing. he does not have to give exactly the same to everyone, for you are not all equally strong, but each person should be given what he personally needs. for this is what you read in the acts of the apostles:  'everything they owned was held in common and each one received whatever he had need of'. (4.32,35) 4. those who owned possessions in the world should readily agree that, form the moment they enter the religious life, these things become the property of the community.  5. but those who did not have possessions ought not to strive in the religious community for what they could not obtain outside it. one must indeed have regard for their frailty by providing them with whatever they need, even if they were formerly so poor that they could not even afford the very necessities of life. they may not, however, consider themselves fortunate because they now receive food and clothing which were beyond their nmeans in their earlier lives. 6. nor should they give themselves airs because they now find themselves in the company of people whom they would ot have ventured to approach before. their hearts should seek the nobler things, nopt vain earthly appearances. if, in the religious life, rich people were to become humble and poor people haughty, then this style of life would seem to be of value only to the rich and not to the poor.
7. on the other hand, let those who appear to have had some standing in the world not look down upon their brothers who have entered the religious community from a condition of poverty. they ought to be more mindful of their life together with poor brothers than of the social status of their wealthy parents. and the fact that they have made some of their possessions available to the community gives them no reason to have a high opinion of themselves. otherwise people would more easily fall prey to pride in sharing their riches with the community than they would have done if they had enjoyed them in the world. for while all vices manifest themselves in wrongdoing, pride lurks also in our good works, seeking to destroy even them. what good does it do to distribute one's possessions to the poor and to become poor oneself, if giving up riches makes a person prouder than he was when he had a fortune? 8. you are all to live together, therefore, one in mind and one in heart (acts 4.32) and honour God in one another, because each of you has become His temple. (II cor. 6.16)

   2. COMMUNITY PRAYER 1. persevere faithfully in prayer (col. 4.2) at the hours and times appointed.  2. the place of prayer should not be used for any purpose other than that for which it is intended and from which it takes its name. thus if someone wants to pray there even outside the appointed hours, in his own free time, he should be able to do so without being hindered by others who have no business being there.  3. when you pray to God in psalms and songs, the words spoken by your lips should also be alive in your hearts. 4. when you sing, keep to the text you have and do not sing what is not intended to be sung.

   3. COMMUNITY AND CARE OF THE BODY  1. as far as your health allows, keep your bodily appetites in check by fasting and abstinence from food and drink. those who are unable to fast the whole day may have something to eat before the main meal which takes place in the late afternoon. they may do this, however, only around midday. but the sick may have something to eat at any time of the day.  2. from the beginning of the meal to the end listen to the customary reading without noise or protest against the scriptures, for you have not only to satisfy your physical hunger, but also to hunger for the word of God (cf. amos 8.11). 3. there are some who are weaker because of their former manner of life. if an exception is made for them at table, those who are stronger because they have come from a different way of life ought not to take this amiss or to consider it unfair. they should not think that the others are more fortunate because they receive better food. let them rather be glad that they are capable of something which is beyond the strength of the others.  4. there are some who, before reentering the religious life, were accustomed to living comfortably, and therefore they receive something more in the way of food and clothing: better bedding, perhaps or more blankets. the others who are stronger and therefore happier, do not receive these things. but, taking into account the former habits of life of the rich, keep in mind how much they now have to do without, even though they cannot live as simply as those who are physically stronger. not everyone would want to have the extra he sees another receive, for this is done not to show favour but only out of concern for the person. otherwise a deplorable disorder would creep into the religious life, whereby the poor begin to drift easily along while the rich put themselves out in every possible way.  5. the sick should obviously receive suitable food; otherwise their illness would only get worse. once they are over the worst of their sickness, they ought to be well cared so that they may be fully restored to health as quickly as possible. and this holds good even if they formerly belonged to the very poorest class in society. during their convalescence they should receive the same that the righ are entitled to because of their former manner of life. but once they have made a complete recovery they are to go back to living as they did earlier on, when they were happier because their needs were fewer. the simpler a way of life, the better it is suited to servants of God.
when a sick person has been restored to health, he will have to be careful not to become the slave of his own desires. he will have to part with the privileges granted because of his illness. those who have the strength to lead simple lives should consider themselves the richest of people. for it is better to be able to make do with a little than to have plenty.

   4. RESPONSIBILITY IN GOOD AND EVIL 1. do not attract attention by the way you dress. endeavour to impress by your manner of life, not by the clothes you wear. 2. when you go out, go with somebody else and sty together when you have reached your destination. 3. whatever you are doing, your behaviour should in no may cause offence to anyone, but should rather be in keeping with the holiness of your way of life. 5. when you see a woman, do not keep provocatively looking at her. of course, no one can forbid you to see women when you go out, but it is wrong to desire a woman or to want her to desire you. (mt. 5.28) for it is not only by affectionate embraces that desire between man and woman is awakened, but also by looks. you cannot say that your inner attitude is good if with your eyes you desire to possess a woman, for the eye is the herald of the heart. and if people allow their impure intentions to appear, albeit without words but just by looking at each other and finding pleasure in each other's passion, even though not in each other's arms, we cannot speak any longer of true chastity which is precisely that of the heart. 5. indeed, if a person cannot keep his eyes off a woman and enjoys attracting her attention, he should not imagine that others do not see this. of course they see it; even people you would not expect notice it. but even if it did remain concealed and unseen by men, will it not be seen by God who scans the heart of every man (prov. 24.12) and from whom nothing is hidden? or are we to imagine that God does not see it (ps. 93(94): 7), because just as his wisdom is far beyond ours, so too is he prepared to be extraordinarily patient with us? a religious should be afraid to offend the God of love ( prov. 24.18); for the sake of this love he ought to be ready to give up a sinful love for a woman. whoever is mindful that God sees all things will not wish to look at a woman with sinful desire. for, precisely on this point, the text of scripture, 'the Lord abhors a covetous eye' (prov. 27.20: LXX), impresses upon us that we are to stand in awe of Him. 6. therefore, in church or wherever you may be in the company of women, you are to consider yourselves responsible for one another's chastity. then God who dwells in you (II cor. 6.16) will watch over you through your responsibility for one another.  7. if you notice in a brother this provocative look i have spoken of, then warn him immediately, so that the evil that has taken root may not worsen and so that he may promptly improve his behaviour.  8. if after this admonition you see him doing the same thing again, anyone who notices it should consider him a sick person in need of treatment. at that time no one is any longer free to be silent. first inform one or two others of the situation so that with two or three you may be able to convince him of his fault (mt. 18.15-7) and to call him to order with due firmness. do not think that you are acting out of ill will in doing this. on the contrary, you would be at fault if by your silence you allow your brothers to meet their downfall, when by speaking you could set them on the right path.
imagine, for example, that your brother had a physical wound which he wanted to conceal for fear of undergoing medical treatment. would it not be heartless of us to say nothing about it? rather, would it not be an act of mercy on our part to make it known? how much greater, then, is our obligation to make our brother's condition known and to prevent evil gaining a stronger hold in his heart, something much worse than a physical would.  9. if he does not wish to listen to your warning, then first advise the superior so that he and the brother may talk the matter out in private and in this way others will not need to know of it or be involved. if he is still unwilling to listen, then you may bring in others to convince him of his fault. if he still persists in denying it, then, without his knowledge, others must be brought in, so that his faults may be pointed out to him by more than a single witness in the presence of all (I tim. 5.20), for the word of two or three witnesses is more convincing than that of one.
once his guilt has been established, it is up to the superior or even to the priest under whose jurisdiction the religious house falls, to determine which punishment he should best undergo with a view to his improvement. if he refuses to submit to this punishment , he is to be sent away from the community, even though he himself may be unwilling to go. here again this action is not prompted by heartlessness but by love, bor in this way he is prevented from having a bad influence on others and contributing to their downfall too. 10. what i have said about looking at a woman lustfully holds too for other sins. in discovering, warding off, bringing to light, proving and punishing all other faults, you are faithfully and diligently to follow the procedure set out above, always with love for the people involved but with aversion for their faults.  11. if a brother of his own accord confesses that he has gone so far along the wrong path as to receive letters and gifts secretly from a woman, we ought to deal with him gently and to pray for him. but if he is found out and proved guilty, he is to be severely punished according to the judgement of the priest or the superior.

    5. SERVICE OF ONE ANOTHER  1. your clothes should be looked after in common by one or more brothers who are to see that they are will aired and kept free from moths. just as the food you eat is prepared in the one kitchen, so the clothes you wear are to come form the one storeroom.
and, as far as possible, it should not matte to you greatly which summer or winter clothes you receive. it does not make any difference whether you get back the same clothes you handed in or something that has been worn by another, provided no one is denied what he needs. (acts 4.35) if this gives rise to jealousy or grumbling or if people begin complaining that the clothes they now have are not as good as those they had before, or if they think it beneath them to wear clothes that have previously been worn by others. does that not tell you something? if the external matter of dress becomes a cause of discord, does this  not prove that inwardly, in the attitude of your heart, there is something sadly lacking? but if you are unable to do these things and your weakness is taken into consideration so that you are allowed to receive again the same clothes you handed in, even so, keep them all in the one place where they will be looked after by those charged with this task.  2. the intention behind all this is that no one will seek his own advantage in his work.
everything you do is to be for the service of the community and you are to work with more zeal and more enthusiasm than if each person were merely working for himself and his own interests. for it is written of love that 'it is not self seeking' (I cor. 13.5); that is to say, love puts the interests of the community before personal advantage, and not the other way around. therefore the degree to which you are concerned for the interest of the community rather than for your own, is the criterion by which you can judge how much progress you have made. thus in all the fleeting necessities of human life something sublime and permanent reveals itself, namely love (cf. I cor. 12.31; 13.13). 3. it follows from this that a religious who receives clothes or other useful items from his parents or relatives may not keep these quietly for himself. he should place them at the disposal of the superior. once they have become the property of the community, it is up to the superior to see that these articles find their way into the hands of those who need them. (acts 4.32.35)  4. when you want to wash your clothes or have them washed at a laundry, let this take place in consultation with the superior lest an exaggerated desire for clean clothes sully your character.  5. because bathing may be necessary for good health, the opportunity to visit the public baths may never be refused. in this matter follow medical advice without grumbling. even if a person is unwilling, he shall do what has to be done for the good of his health, if necessary at the command of the superior. but if someone wants to go bathing just because he enjoys it, when it is not really necessary, he will have to learn to renounce his desires. for what a person likes may not always be good for him. it may even be harmful.  6. in any case, if a brother says that he does not feel well, even though he is not noticeably sick, believe him without hesitation. but if you are not sure whether the treatment he wishes to have will be of any benefit to him, then consult a doctor about it.  7. see to it that there are always two or more of you when you visit the public baths. indeed, this applies wherever you go. and it is not for you to choose the people who will go with you; you are to leave this to the decision of the superior.  8. someone should be deputed by the community to care for the sick. at the same time this person ought to take care of those who are convalescing and those who are weak even though they are not running a temperature. the infirmarian may take from the kitchen whatever he himself considers necessary.  9.  those responsible for food, clothes and books should serve their brothers without grumbling.  10. books will be available every day at the appointed hour and not at any other time.  11. the brothers in charge of clothes and shoes should not delay in making these available to those who need them. 

   6. LOVE AND CONFLICT  1. do not quarrel. but if you do have a quarrel, put an end to it as quickly as possible. otherwise an isolated moment of anger grows into hatred, the splinter becomes a beam (mt. 7.3-5), and you make your heart a murderer's den. for we read in the scriptures:  'whoever hates his brother is a murderer' (I john 3.15) 2. if you have hurt a person by abusing him or by cursing or grossly accusing him, be careful to make amends for the harm you have done, as quickly as possible,by apologizing to him. and the one who has been hurt should be ready in his turn to forgive you without wrangling. brothers who have insulted each other should forgive each other's trespasses (mt. 6.12); if you fail to do this, your praying the Our Father becomes a lie. indeed, the more you pray, the more honest your prayer ought to become.
it is better to have to deal with a person who, though quick to anger, immediately seeks a reconciliation once he realizes he has been unjust to another, than with someone who is less easily roused, but also less inclined to seek forgiveness. but a person who never wants to ask forgiveness or who fails to do so from the heart (mt. 18.35), does not belong in a religious community, even though he may not be sent away.
be cautious of harsh words. should you utter them, then do not be afraid to speak the healing word with the same mouth that caused the wound.  3. from time to time the necessity of keeping order may compel you to use harsh words to the young people who have not yet reached adulthood, in order to keep them in line. in that case you are not required to apologize, even though you yourself consider that you have gone too far. for if you are too humble and submissive in your conduct towards these young people, then your authority, which they should be ready to accept, will be undermined. in such cases you should ask forgiveness from the Lord of all, who knows with that deep affection you love your brothers, even those you might happen to have reproved with undue severity. do not let your love for one another remain caught up in self love; rather, such love must be guided by the Spirit.

   7. LOVE IN AUTHORITY AND OBEDIENCE 1. obey your superior (heb. 13.17) as a father, but also give him due respect on account of his office, otherwise you offend God in him. this is even more true of the priest who bears responsibility for you all.  2. it is primarily up to the superior to see that all that has been said here is put into practice and that infringements are not carelessly overlooked. it is his duty to point out abuses and to correct them. if something is beyond his competence and power, he should put the matter before the priest, whose authority in some respects is greater than his own.  3. your superior must not think himself fortunate in having power to lord it over you (lk. 22.25-6), but in the love with which he shall serve you (gal. 5.13). because of your esteem for him he shall be superior to you; because of his responsibility to God he shall realize that he is the very least of all the brethren. let him show himself an example to all in good works (titus 2.7); he is to reprimand those who neglect their work, to give courage to those who are disheartened, to support the weak and to be patient with everyone (I thess. 5.14). he should himself observe the norms of the community and so lead others to respect them too. and let him strive to be loved by you rather than to be feared, although both love and respect are necessary. he should always remember that he is responsible to God for you (heb. 13.17). 4. by your ready and loving obedience, therefore, you not only show compassion to yourselves (sirach 30.24), but also to your superior. for it applies to you as well that the higher the position a person holds, the greater the danger he is in.

   8. CONCLUDING EXHORTATION  1. may the Lord grant that, filled with longing for spiritual beauty (sirach 44.6), you will lovingly observe all that has been written here. live in such a way that you spread abroad the live giving aroma of Christ (II cor. 2.15). do not be weighed down like slaves straining under the law