My Conversion: Futility and the Law
Blogpost from Ray Comfort's 2021 Gospel Life Rally Session
There is a vital element of Christian doctrine that is being increasingly ignored by believers and churches, and I fear that its exclusion could lead to a generation of false converts. Indeed, if we look at surveys and statistics from the past couple of decades, it appears that great damage has already been done.
We talk about Christ’s love. Of His acceptance of all people, no matter their background. We talk of Jesus bringing peace to troubled hearts, of God’s blessings on His children, of the love of the brethren. But if we leave out this single crucial element, we will not see true conversion.
I’d like to share the story of my salvation as an example of why we must preach a comprehensive gospel.
Growing up without religion
I grew up in a home without religious instruction: My dad, a Gentile, married my Jewish mother. Because of that marriage, she was cut off by her family. She blamed that loss on religion, effectively banning any religion from our home. In the next couple of decades, I visited a church maybe two or three times. During the sermons, I found myself exceptionally, unquestionably bored. I remember thinking that if I ever needed help falling asleep, I should call up a preacher and let him witness to me so I could drift off!
But later on, when I was about 21, I had what I sometimes call a Solomon moment. You see, the fact of human mortality struck me in a very real way. If death is the end of every story, what is the point of life? I was just another part of the ultimate human statistic: 10 out of 10 people die. Any accomplishments or relationships any person has all get swallowed up in that vast, hungry void. As long as death is the end, life is futile.
What’s strange is that when this epiphany struck me, I was doing well (by human standards). I was in my 20’s, newly married, and running my own successful surf shop business. I had love and money and even the freedom to go surfing anytime I wished straight from home. Despite that, I remember looking across the bed at my new bride and thinking, “if she were to die, I’d have nothing to live for. Why is that?”
I don’t think those internal groanings count as a prayer, but God heard me anyway. Six months later, I was on a surfing trip when a newly-converted Christian shared the gospel with me. The night he explained salvation to me, I came to Christ and was saved.
But here’s the pivotal point in that process that I want to talk about today. I remember reading the sermon on the mount where Jesus said, “you’ve heard it said, ‘do not commit adultery.’” I thought, well, I don’t need to worry about anything. I’ve never committed adultery, so I’m going to heaven!
But then came the next part: “whoever looks upon a woman to lust for her has committed adultery already with her in his heart.” And it was like an arrow hitting my chest.
I thought, God sees my thoughts? This changes everything. I'm in big trouble on judgment day. And that night, once I understood that I'd violated God's law when I'd broken the seventh commandment, I understood the cross. When I understood that Christ died for me on the cross, taking away that sin, I humbly asked for forgiveness and was made a new creature.
The crucial element in repentance
You see, I knew that life was futile. I knew that there had to be more. But it wasn’t until I was convicted of sin that I saw my need for the cross. And it wasn’t until I read God’s will in scripture that I understood my sin.
The Law is necessary to bring conviction of sin. Conviction of sin is necessary to bring about repentance. Repentance is necessary for salvation.
And that is what many well-meaning Christians are trying to leave out of the gospel. Because the law hurts. Facing our own rebellion and wrongdoing is a sort of spiritual injury, which is why modern philosophy is so bent on shifting blame anywhere but toward the self. Nobody wants to feel guilty.
But we are guilty. And if unbelievers are never made to see that guilt, they will continue walking on unhindered, in their chains of sin, straight into the maw of Hell.
Thankfully, God has given us the law in His Word. It was Christ’s words about sin that made me see I needed someone to take the punishment I deserved. We mustn’t be bashful about sharing the whole gospel from scripture when talking to our lost friends.
God also left us a conscience, so that even the most warped sinner has some idea that right and wrong exist. Sin and culture may warp it, but that conscience can be an excellent way to help unbelievers at least recognize the existence of the Lawgiver.
Without admitting that a higher power has established a moral code, we can’t begin the discussion about sin, or repentance, or the need for a Savior. Without bringing in the law we can’t even argue that it’s wrong to murder an unborn baby!
The first word from John the Baptist: repent. Jesus’ first word when he came from the temptation in the desert: repent. Peter’s conclusion of his speech at Pentecost: repent.
So don’t be afraid to talk about sin and repentance if you want to see souls saved. You’ll be in good company!
Ray Comfort is the Founder and CEO of Living Waters and the bestselling author of more than 90 books, including God Has a Wonderful Plan for Your Life, How to Know God Exists, and The Evidence Bible. He cohosts the award-winning television program Way of the Master, airing in every country in the world, and is an Executive Producer of “180,” “Evolution vs. God,” “Audacity,” and other films. He is married to Sue and has three grown children, and hasn’t left the house without gospel tracts for decades.