Here's an illustration - A person goes down into a dark and dingy cellar that has been shut up for a long time, and there are lots of foul odors in the air and vile creatures on the floor and spiders creeping along the walls. The first time he goes down into the cellar without a flashlight, and he doesn't see the disgusting things dwelling there. But the next time, he takes a flashlight, and he soon wishes to get out of that place.
Now understand, this time the flashlight shows him all the rats, roaches, spiders, and all the other vile creatures that were lerking so closely to him. The flashlight (the commandment) did not create the vile creatures, but it only revealed and excited them. The Law does this in the heart of sinful man. The vile creatures (your sins) are all quiet, sleeping, and at rest while there is only darkness, but when the flashlight (the commandment) comes, your sins all scurry to and fro to escape the light. When the 'commandment' comes to the sinful heart of man, it does just that - it excites and reveals all the vileness of your sinful nature which has hidden before - it stirs up your sins, and you find out in reality that your sins were there all the time, always there, and then you will say, "Sin revived, and I died." The great "I" (righteous self) in all of us must die, before we will seek Christ Jesus sincerely.
The power of the divine Law begins to work in your soul. There is no sharper instrument with which to cut the soul than the broken law of God. There is no plow that can turn over the soul's fallow ground like that plow of the Ten Commandments. There is no arrow that can shoot and stick deep in the heart, and slay the soul's self-satisfaction as God's quick and powerful commandments. The Law opens up a man to himself, and makes him see himself as he really is. The Law searches and tries and weighs the spirit of man along with his motives and desires. When you see that they are holy, just, and good, you'll see that you've broken every one of them. Every breach of the Law is calling out for vengeance against you this very moment. The 'coming of the commandment' is a dreadful, but a necessary thing, that must come to heart of every sinner. You may think your sin is dead and buried by your good works or religion, but then 'the commandment comes' directly to you, your sins will revive and overwhelm you. Your sins LIVE, and every one of the them will torment you, and point at you, and accuse you as the Law condemns you. The way of transgressors is hard, and be sure your sin will find you out.
Sin also revives in another sense - You will begin to think that God is too stern and strict, and realize that you do not love God or His Law. The rebellion which has always been in your spirit begins to raise its ugly head and show itself in your thoughts, words, imaginations, and deeds. You will begin in your to feel a hatred against the Law that condemns you, and against God whom you have offended. Sin revives in your soul. Remember - Sin hates God, and God hates sin. Once the Law has visited your heart and revealed your real sinful state to you, He then point you up the stairs to the True Light, the light of the world, the Lord Jesus Christ. Coming out of the cellar of sin is Repentance. You can't stay in the dark cellar of Sin, and go to Heaven - you must Repent and Believe the Gospel.
You must acknowledge you're a sinner, and in need of a Savior, and then you can be saved by receiving Christ into your body and soul, and believing (that is, trusting implicitly) on His name and blood. Simply trust God's promise to save you from sin. Jesus said this, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on Me hath everlasting life." (John 6:47) You must admit that you are helpless to save yourself. It is impossible for Jesus to cure those, that will not admit they are sin-sick. Jesus did not die for good people that think that can save themselves. The only people that Jesus came to save was sinners. Jesus is God as well as man - He was God manifest in the flesh. JESUS offered Himself up as a Sacrifice for ungodly sinners, not the righteous. He paid the price for redemption with His own life's blood. He saves all lost and guilty sinners that come to Him by faith in His precious blood. He then gives them assurance that their sins are forgiven and delivered from the just Judgment of God. Jesus received what He didn't deserve (the wrath of God on the Cross), so we could receive what we don't deserve (the mercy of God). There is only one way to get rid of your sin - Trust Only in the atoning blood of Christ.
The good things you've done, or will do, are not sufficient to save your soul. Church membership and baptism is not adequate, any amount of money you may give to charity or church is not satisfactory. When it comes to salvation - it is the man Christ Jesus Himself, the living God, that saves the guilty soul. You only need to know two things to go to Heaven - you are a sinner, and Christ is the Savior. You must first provide the sinner, and God will provide the Savior. Salvation is a miracle, man cannot perform miracles, God must get all the glory for the miracle of Salvation.
This is the strange process and experience that the soul of man 'must' encounter prior to receiving Christ. You must die, before you are born again. This is the only way a sinner is brought to Christ, and when the 'commandment' comes to you, remember it is only in tender mercy, so you will forsake all your self-trusts and place your soul's entire trust simply in the blood of the Crucified and Risen Savior - the Lord Jesus Christ. The blood of Christ is your only escape from the damnation of hell. What is Hell? Hell is SIN and SELFISHNESS on fire. If you are Selfish and think that you can help save yourself from Hell by your religious efforts and good works, you will end up burning forever. Abandon all your carnal trusts and self-goodness. Flee from the wrath of God to come. Only the blood of God can save you from the wrath to come. Seek ye the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved. You may be a deceitful scoundrel, or a horrible wretch, a lustful prostitute, or a covetous thief, or a respectable dignified bill-paying church-going citizen - but it doesn't matter - you still need Christ and His precious blood today. Look to the dying Lamb of God, He is alive forever more, Call upon His name, and trust Him now.
