Concerning The Four Spiritual Laws

Concerning The Four Spiritual Laws and the late Dr. Bill Bright:
(Taken from The Way Of The Master, by Ray Comfort, Chapter 10, page 78.)

Over the years that I have shared my concerns about contemporary evangelism, I have been careful never to name names. However, many have guessed that on occasion I have been referring to the incredibly popular tract The Four Spiritual Laws, penned by the late Dr. Bill Bright of Campus Crusade for Christ. More than a billion copies have been distributed in all the major languages of the world, and his approach has become the model for the modern gospel presentation.

In July 2002, Kirk and I were invited to Orlando, Florida, to join Dr. Bright at his home for breakfast. After breakfast, we sat down in his living room and heard this warm, humble, sincere man of God (then eighty-one) confess that he had been in error. Let me use his own words from his book Heaven or Hell - Your Ultimate Choice (published the same year) to tell you what he said to us:

"In his approximately 42 months of public ministry, there are 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. I wonder with what frequency this eternal subject is found in today's pulpits. I confess I have failed in my ministry to declare the reality of hell as often as I have the love of God and the benefits of a personal relationship with Christ. But Jesus spent more of His time warning His listeners of the impending judgement of hell than of speaking of the joys of heaven....I have never felt the need to focus on telling people about hell. However, as a result of a steady decline in morals and spiritual vitality in today's culture and a growing indifference to the afterlife, I have come to realize the need for greater discussion of hell....I have thus come to see that silence, or even benign neglect on these subjects, is disobedience on my part. To be silent on the eternal destinations of souls is to be like a sentry failing to warn his fellow soldiers of impending attack." [Bill Bright, Heaven or Hell - Your Ultimate Choice (Orlando, Fla.: New Life Publications, 2002), 32, 48]

Dr. Bright even took the time to use the Law lawfully, by quoting every one of the Ten Commandments, then expounding the Law by saying, "Breaking these commandments will take us to hell without the intervening grace and mercy of Jesus Christ." [Ibid., 37] By admitting that "benign neglect on these subjects is disobedience on my part," Dr. Bright revealed his honest humility and his genuine love of the truth.

Please, follow Dr. Bright's example and examine your evangelism methods in light of God's Word. At stake is the eternal salvation of millions of people. You don't have to throw away The Four Spiritual Laws. Simply make four important changes. First, don't tell sinners that Jesus will improve their lives with a wonderful plan. Second, don't make the unbiblical mistake of giving the cure before you've convinced them of the disease. Third, take the time to follow in the way of the Master by "opening up" (or explaining) the Ten Commandments. And fourth, faithfully remember to include the terrible realities of Judgement Day and hell.