How can we prove that we have all sinned?
Introduction
The question of how to prove sin is central to sharing the Christian message. Evangelist Ray Comfort, through his ministry The Way of the Master, operates on a profound biblical principle: no one appreciates the cure until they understand their disease. The "disease" is sin, and the "cure" is Jesus Christ. He argues that most people today believe they are fundamentally "good people." Therefore, if you simply tell them "Jesus died for your sins," it sounds like a wonderful plan for someone else's life, not their own.
Ray Comfort’s entire evangelistic method is built on the truth found in Romans: the purpose of the Law is to bring the knowledge of sin, thereby preparing the heart for grace.
“For by the works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.” (Romans 3:20)
He proves that every person has sinned by first engaging the conscience, not the intellect, using the Ten Commandments as a moral mirror.
The Spiritual Application of the Ten Commandments
Comfort typically begins by asking a person, "Do you consider yourself a good person?" When the person answers "Yes," he explains that a "good person" is defined by keeping God's moral law (the Ten Commandments) perfectly. He then selectively walks them through a few Commandments to show their heart-level guilt:
Breaking the Law on Earth: He starts with commands like You Shall Not Steal (Exodus 20:15) and You Shall Not Bear False Witness (Exodus 20:16). By asking, "Have you ever stolen anything, regardless of its value?" or "Have you ever told a lie?" he gets the person to admit they are a Thief and a Liar—lawbreakers who have sinned against a holy God. The Bible clearly warns against such behavior, even stating that liars will face judgment (Revelation 21:8).
Breaking the Law in the Heart: He then turns to the deeper, spiritual meaning of the Law as taught by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount. Specifically, concerning You Shall Not Commit Adultery (Exodus 20:14), he asks, "Have you ever looked at another person with lust?" He then quotes Jesus:
“But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Matthew 5:28)
By their own admission, the person realizes they are an Adulterer at heart.
Breaking the Law Against God: He also often touches on You Shall Not Take the Lord's Name in Vain (Exodus 20:7), asking if they have ever used God’s name as a curse or a common expression. This proves they are a Blasphemer and shows a profound disrespect for the God who created them.
After reviewing just a few Commandments, Comfort summarizes the person’s self-admitted guilt: "By your own admission, you are a lying, thieving, blaspheming, adulterer at heart." This process effectively strips away self-righteousness, moving the conversation from the abstract concept of "sin" to the concrete reality of personal guilt and inevitable judgment.
Conclusion
Having established the person's guilt, Comfort then poses the final, powerful question: "If God were to judge you by the standard of your own admission on Judgment Day, would you be innocent or guilty? Would you go to Heaven or Hell?"
Once the conscience is convicted and the person realizes they are guilty under the Law, the news that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, paid the fine for that guilt on the cross becomes true Good News.
The good news that Jesus died and rose again is no longer foolishness (1 Corinthians 1:18) but is recognized as the only hope for salvation. Ray Comfort’s method simply follows the biblical flow: the Law is the schoolmaster designed to lead us to Christ.
