for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

— Romans 3:23

Whoever keeps the whole law but stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.

— James 2:10

17 But thanks be to God that, though you once were slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were committed.

18 You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.

19 I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to escalating wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness.

22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the fruit you reap leads to holiness, and the outcome is eternal life.

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

— Romans 6:17-19, 22-23

Thoughts on Today’s Reading

Grace, mercy and love from Christ to you.

It is helpful to use God’s Ten Commandments when sharing gospel. Actually one of the most powerful uses of the Law is evangelism. The 10 Commandments were never meant to be a ladder to climb into heaven. They were a mirror to show people their need for a Savior. Romans 3:23 reminds us that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 6:23 tells us that the cost of sin is death and James 2:10 says if we break even one commandment, we are guilty of breaking the whole Law.

When we use the Law properly, the Ten Commandments show the unsaved that they fall short of God’s righteous requirements and therefore need a Savior. What the Law reveals is God‘s character and our desperate need for grace. It breaks down self-righteousness and replaces it with humility before the good news of salvation can be received.