Rom 7:9 I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived
Have you asked, how can I reach the lost, is there a key to reaching them? There is—and it seems that many in the church have “allowed it” to become rusty through lack of use. The Bible calls it “the key,” to bring us to Christ, to unlock the Door of the Savior (John 10:9). It has been utilized throughout church history to unlock the doors of revival., during periods such as the Great Awakening under the preaching of George Whitefield. Many in the church seem to be ignorant of its existence in its evangelistic application. It seemed to get lost around the turn of the twentieth century, as keys have a way of getting lost. However keys don’t lose themselves, but rather those that use the keys are the ones that lose them.
Jesus used it (Mark 10:17-22), as well as Paul (Rom 3:19, 20), James (James 2:10), and Stephen when he preached to the Jewish leaders unto his own death (Acts 7:53). Peter used it to unlock the door to releasing and drawing 3,000 imprisoned souls into the evangelistic net on the Day of Pentecost. Jesus chastised the lawyers which had “taken away” the key, refusing to use it to let people enter into the kingdom of God (Luke 11:52). Perhaps you can relate to a time when you had the right key, but it didn’t work for the purpose for which it was intended because it was bent out of shape. This is not unlike the Pharisees which bent it out of shape so that it might be obsolete (Mark 7:8). However, Jesus returned it to its true shape, just as the Scriptures prophesied that He would do (Isaiah 42:21). Satan has tried to blind and prejudice the modern church against the key. Ray Comfort writes “He has maligned it, misused it, twisted it, and, of course, hidden it—he hates it because of what it does“. What is the key? It is the use of God’s Law in evangelism to act as a mirror to display what sinners look like in truth. It doesn’t have the power to save, only to expose, and to kill that man might turn to Christ.
People try to justify their sin, and negate God’s righteous standard. Martin Luther said, “So it is with the work-righteous and the proud unbelievers. Because they do not know the Law of God, which is directed against them, it is impossible for them to know their sin. Therefore also they are not amenable to instruction. If they would know the Law, they would also know their sin; and sin to which they are now dead would become alive in them.”
Might we once again use the Law of God (The Ten Commandments) to bring sinners to the Savior, and warn them they are Lawbreakers, and God, the Good Judge must punish lawbreakers. All must therefore repent, turn to and fully trust Christ, alone, the only Law-keeper, for salvation. As you share the Gospel with the lost use this key to unlock the self-righteousness, which acts as a schoolmaster toward sinners to lead them to trust Christ alone for salvation (Gal 3:24).
Soli Deo Gloria: Oh saint of Christ, won’t you memorize God’s Law, and use it wisely as you break and unlock (under God’s power), the hearts of sinners, that they might see their need and come to Christ?