The Backbone of the Gospel Message

In Chapter 8 of "The Way of the Master" book, there is a list of statistics that most churches and evangelical crusade workers would NOT want people to read or even know about. It is, to say the least, VERY disheartening for any Christian to find out. These aren't just "statistics", they are tragic results of the modern evangelical methods that omit first preaching the Law in order to prepare sinners hearts for genuine conversion.

Here are two examples:

At a 1990 crusade in the U.S., 600 "decisions for Christ" were obtained. No doubt there was much rejoicing. However, ninety days later, follow-up workers couldn't find even one who was continuing in his or her faith. That crusade created 600 backsliders - or, to be more scriptural, false converts.

In 1991, organizers of a Salt Lake City concert encouraged follow-up. They said, "Less than 5 percent of those who respond to an altar call during a public crusade....are living a Christian life one year later." In other words, more than 95 percent proved to be false converts.


Why is it that modern preachers have allowed the gospel to degenerate into a means of happiness rather than one of righteousness? Why have they failed to show sinners that they are lawbreakers who have violated the Law of holy God?

Maybe it is because the use of the Law seems confrontational and judgmental. Maybe it is because they assume that sinners know that they are sinners and therefore don't need to be confronted with that fact. But, if unsaved people only find out that God loves them and can forgive them WITHOUT pointing out WHAT constitutes sin according to the Law of God, then how are they to understand sin's true nature and how it separates them from God?

There are many who think that they are good (see Proverbs 20:6). In one Los Angeles Times article and survey, nearly two-thirds interviewed think they are heaven bound. Only one-half of one percent said they were hell-bound.

Most of these think they are heaven bound because they are deceived into thinking that they are morally good. (See former blog post for a "test" on how "good" you are). The problem is that many do not have any idea what sin is until the Law gives them that knowledge!

Look at our world today. Look at the things that are being touted as "normal", "rights" and demanded to be "accepted." The new book that is out called, "The Marketing of Evil" goes into great detail about how mind-seige types of propaganda have affectively glossed over what used to be unequivocably viewed as evil and sinful in the past. But now, much of these dangerous and deceptive ideas are being indoctrinated into the minds of people in America as the "norm." In fact, it is the Christians who are now being labeled as "abnormal", "bigoted", "hateful", "intolerant" , "undesirable" and some of these propagandist leaders are even calling for the need for Christians to be "eliminated"!

Does this sound hauntingly like the Islamic extremists rhetoric against Jews and Christians or what?!!

How true, faithful and filled with wisdom God's ancient Word is! The Bible's ancient wisdom is as revealing now, as it was then, as well as throughout history! When it comes to describing today's contemporary culture, we see the examples included in the "marketing of evil" being presented to an unsuspecting public as "good" and the true Good being labeled as evil!!

Isaiah 5:20 - Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

Jesus' own words!

John 15:18 - If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before [it hated] you.

John 15:24 - If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father.

John 15:25 - But [this cometh to pass], that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.

The Law needs to be presented as the backbone of our gospel presentation because its function is to prepare the heart for grace. Martin Luther said of the Law, "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."

In Chapter 6 of "TWOTM", we see the extreme importance of the Law:

1. If the Law didn't demand death for sin, we wouldn't need a Savior.
2. God chose the Ten Commandments to carry the message for the need for repentance.
3. The true convert comes to the Savior, Jesus Christ, to satisfy the demands of a holy Law because he/she realizes that he/she could never satisfy it!!
4. The true convert isn't like Adam who ran from God in the Garden after sinning.
5. The true convert delights to do God's will because God's Law is within his heart (Psalm 40:7- 10)
6. The Messiah became a curse for us and redeemed us from the curse of the Law.
7. The Old Testament said of the Messiah that He would "magnify the law and make it honourable" (Isaiah 42:21).
9. Jesus said, "If you love me, you will keep my Commandments."

Next, look at what the religious leaders did by their tradition. They had twisted God's law and rendered it ineffectual (Matthew 15:6)!! They even hindered others from entering God's kingdom. This is what Jesus said to them:

"Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter in yourselves, and those who were entering in you hindered" (Luke 11:52).

The lawyers were professing to be experts in God's Law. But because they didn't use the "key of knowledge" to bring sinners to the Savior, they hindered the work of the Law as a "groundbreaking" instrument in people's hearts!

God's Law prepares the heart of the sinner for the good news of the gospel. Without this preparatory work, his heart is hardened, and he therefore becomes a candidate for a false conversion.

(Next: Catching a glimpse of the difference between the true and false converts.)