Program#L18—“The Secret To Consistent Holiness/The GloriousBride”
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Radio Show Transcript, © 2001, Persuade TheWorld Ministries, Gordon James Klingenschmitt, Servant. Copyingand distribution (without editing) is highly encouraged.
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Opening introduction by MarkMcWilliams…
Welcome and thank you for joining this radiobroadcast of Persuade The World Ministries. You’reabout to hear our radio production of the book written and taughtby Gordon James Klingenschmitt, entitled “License To Sin,The Number One Reason America Is Losing Its MoralFoundation.” If you call us in the next hour,we’ll mail you a free cassette tape of today’sbroadcast, which you can copy and give to your friends. Justcall our toll-free phone number: 866-Obey-God. That’stoll free, 1-866-O-B-E-Y-G-O-D. Gordon JamesKlingenschmitt is a graduate of the United States Air ForceAcademy, and a seminary graduate of Regent University, holdingboth M.B.A. and Master of Divinity degrees. He’s alsothe founder and servant of Persuade The World Ministries, a501(c3) tax-exempt religious non-profit corporation in ColoradoSprings, dedicated to persuading individuals in America andthroughout the world to forsake their sins and submit theirhearts and minds to the loving rulership of our Lord, JesusChrist. And now with today’s teaching, here is GordonJames Klingenschmitt.
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ThanksMark. Today we’re continuing our teaching on thesecret of consistent holiness. Now some of you havestruggled and struggled with besetting sins, and you can’tfigure out how to live in consistent holiness. “But Ijust keep failing,” you say. “It is too difficultto be holy. I have tried to repent again and again, yet Ifall and fall and fall.”
You knowthe secret to consistent holiness? It’s knowing Godintimately. The Bible says, Whoever does not love doesnot know God.
13. Everybody say Jesus is the Holy One of God: Simon Peteranswered him, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have thewords of eternal life. We believe and know that you are theHoly One of God.’
14. Everybody say Jesus is My All in All: There is no Greekor Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised…slave or free, butChrist is all, and is in all.
15. Everybody say, Jesus is The Word of Life: This weproclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; wehave seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you theeternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us.
16. Everybody say, Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life: Hesaid, I am the resurrection and the life. He whobelieves in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever livesand believes in me will never die.
17. Everybody say, Jesus is My Shepherd: He said, I am thegood shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—just asthe Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down mylife for the sheep.
18. Everybody say, Jesus is my Gateway to Salvation: He said, Iam the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. Hewill come in and go out, and find pasture.
19. Everybody say, Jesus is the Way of Salvation: He said, Iam the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to theFather except through me.
20. Everybody say, Jesus is My Truth: He said, You will knowthe truth, and the truth will set you free…If the Son setsyou free, you will be free indeed.
21. Everybody say, Jesus is The True Light: In him was life,and that life was the light of men. The light shines in thedarkness.
22. Everybody say, Christ in Me: You…are controlled notby the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of Godlives in you…And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus fromthe dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the deadwill also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, wholives in you.
23. Everybody say, Jesus is My Strength: I love you, O Lord,my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress and mydeliverer, my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He ismy shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. Icall to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from myenemies.
24. Everybody say, Jesus is the Keeper of My Soul: The Lordwill keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life;the Lord will watch over your coming and going, both now andforevermore.
25. Everybody say, Jesus is The True Vine: Jesus said, Iam the true vine and my Father is the gardener…Remain in me,and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit byitself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bearfruit unless you remain in me.
26. Everybody say, Jesus is my Shield and my Reward: He said toAbraham, Do not be afraid…I am your shield, your verygreat reward.
27. Everybody say, Jesus is My Hope: By the command of Godour Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope.
28. Everybody say, Jesus is My Salvation: The Lord is mystrength and my song. He has become my salvation.
29. Everybody say, Jesus is My Rock: O Lord, my Rock and myRedeemer.
30. Everybody say, Jesus is the Strength of My Heart: God isour refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble.
Nowdoesn’t that encourage and strengthen your heart? Ican already feel myself falling in love with Him. You know,the more I know Him, the more I love Him. And the more Ilove Him, the easier it is to love Him consistently, and knowingHim is the secret to consistent holiness. Now I’m notsaying you have to know Jesus in all these ways before you canrepent—repentance and holiness must be immediate, for withoutholiness, no one will see the Lord. But the better youknow the Lord, the more consistent you can be in holiness, andyou won’t fall into sin nearly as often. He is ableto keep you from falling and to present you before his gloriouspresence without fault.
I wantto give you one more secret to consistent holiness, andthat’s reading your Bible. Do you remember how Jesusfought temptation when He was out there in the desert? Thedevil tempted Him three times, and every time he said, away fromme Satan, for it is written. It is written. It iswritten. That’s how Jesus consistently defeatedtemptation. He loved God with all His heart, but then Hequoted God’s word.
Some peoplethink Jesus had some special ability to resist temptation, but Heonly had the same ability that you and I have. The Biblesays He was tempted in every way, just as we are—yet waswithout sin.
So whenthe devil tempted Him to tell these stones to becomebread,Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does notlive on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouthof God.’” He quoted God’s Word. Andwhen the devil said, “If you are the Son ofGod,…throw yourself down [from this temple], but Jesusanswered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lordyour God to the test.’” And when the devil said, bowdown and worship me. Jesus said… “Away from me,Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, andserve him only.’” Now Jesus fought temptationand won, because he knew God’s word and spoke it out loudwhen he was being tempted. It is written, it is written, itis written. Notice for every different temptation, Jesusquoted a different scripture. I believe there’s adifferent scripture we can
useagainst every different kind of temptation—God will alwaysgive you with a scripture that you can use to escape yourtemptation. For no temptation has seized you except whatis common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you betempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, hewill also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
So thoseare the secrets to consistent holiness: know Godintimately, and know the Bible so well you can quote it out loudwhen you’re being tempted. So remember those later on,when you’re being tempted. Now think about that, whilewe take this short break.
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Middle segment by Mark McWilliams…
Thanks Gordon. He’ll be back in just a moment. But first, do you knowsomebody who needs to hear today’s message? If youcall our toll-free number in the next hour, 866-Obey-God,we’ll mail you a free cassette tape of today’sbroadcast, which you can copy and give to your friends. Allour tapes are copyable and free, but please remember we need yourdonations to stay on the air and to give away these free tapes. So please pray and obey, then send us your best possibledonation, after you receive your free cassette. (Gordon: Hey time out! If it’s your first time calling us, nodonation is required! Just call us!) Our toll freenumber is 866-Obey-God, that’s 1-866-O-B-E-Y-G-O-D. And please specify you’re requesting today’s program. Do you believe America needs to hear these messages? If so,then we need you to sponsor us, by joining the Persuader’sClub with a monthly pledge of just $15. If you join thePersuader’s Club, we’ll also send you an autographedcopy of Gordon’s book that you’ve been hearing. Justvisit our web-site at persuaders-club.com. Or call us inthe next hour at 866-Obey-God. Right now, let’s returnto Gordon James Klingenschmitt.
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Thanksagain, Mark. Revelation 19 says, The wedding of the Lambhas come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen,bright and clean, was given her to wear. (Fine linen stands forthe righteous acts of the saints.)
As I waspraying one day and worshipping the Lord, the eyes of my heartwere opened, and I had a vision, and I saw Jesus the Christ,standing gloriously in heaven. He was beautifully dressedas a groom, patiently waiting for the day of His wedding. AndI saw the angels running back and forth, making a wedding dressfor the bride, or the church. The angels had measuringtapes and chalk, and patterns for making the wedding dress. And they brought a bolt of fine linen before the Lord, for hisinspection [this linen represents the deeds of Christian people]. But the look on the Lord’s face revealed somethingwasn’t right.
“Thiscloth is gray,” said the Lord, to His angels. “It’snot white like a wedding dress should be. This linen’snot pure, it’s not fit for my beautiful bride to wear on herwedding day.” The angels looked down, with no answerto give.
“Thisis what I shall do,” said the Lord, “I’ll send myliving and active word, sharper than any double-edged sword,it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit.”
And the Lord spoke a word toward the cloth. His word cameout of His mouth, and became like razor-sharp shears, swiftlycutting the length of the cloth, until the entire cloth fell intwo pieces. Half of the cloth changed from gray into purewhite. The other half of the cloth changed from gray topitch black. [This cutting of the cloth represents thedecisions of all people, who get off the fence, and go radicallyinto holiness and love, or radically into sin and selfishness.]
The Lord pointed to the black cloth. “This cloth isonly fit to be burned and destroyed.” And the angelstook the black cloth away and cast it into the lake of fire.
Then the Lord pointed to the white cloth. “This clothis suitable for my bride to wear. It is pure and spotless,without blemish, without stain or wrinkle. Put it on mybeautiful bride.” And the angels took the white cloth,and made the most beautiful wedding dress the universe has everseen.
And so, Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her tomake her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water throughthe word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church,without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy andblameless.
That’s the vision I saw. Now the words of this vision,indeed the words of this entire 18 part teaching series, arehighly divisive, and intentionally so. Christ is comingwith vengeance, out of his mouth comes a sharp sword withwhich to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with aniron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of thewrath of God Almighty.
And despite everybody who wants cultural tolerance, and politicalinclusiveness, and ecumenical unity between denominations, in theend there’ll be one great division between the saved and thedamned. In the end, people will either submit to God’sloving rulership and be holy, or reject God’s rulership anddie in their sins.
Jesus Christis divisive. Jesus said, “Do not suppose that Ihave come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bringpeace, but a sword. For I have come to turn ‘a managainst his father, a daughter against her mother…—aman's enemies will be the members of his ownhousehold.’”
I’ve said some hard things in this series, not to hurtpeoples feelings, but to prepare them for the day of judgment. In the end, Jesus will return, not to unify, but to separate. Allthe nations will be gathered before him, and he will separatethe people one from another as a shepherd separatesthe sheep from the goats.
Now in the19th century we got a lot of good teaching on baptismin water, and in the 20th century we got a lot of goodteaching on the baptism in the Holy Spirit, but now in the 21stcentury we’re finally going to understand the Baptism infire. John said, I baptize you with water forrepentance…He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and withfire.
I see a holy divisiveness coming to the Church in American. There will be no lukewarm believers. People will get offthe fence and radically choose holiness, or radically choose sin.
God’speople will live in consistent holiness, empowered by the Spiritof God and by His influential grace. I see Christiansloving their enemies, even those who mock and persecute them. I see God’s people talking about Jesus openly without shame,and boldly proclaiming His truth to the nations. I see themloving their neighbors, and I see Christian charities taking careof the poor, filled with volunteers and donors, stepping up torelieve the government of any such burden. I see AmericanChristians radically forsaking their sins, and consecratingthemselves entirely to God alone. I see homes, schools,businesses, courts and congresses, filled with people who loveGod—doing everything possible to glorify Him. I seeradio and television and church pulpits filled with truth-sayers,telling nobody what their itching ears want to hear, but speakingGod’s truth in love. I see holiness churches full, andliberal churches empty where false teachers once stood. Isee a radical reformation of holiness, not just a revival but agreat awakening, marching across America, as the poundingfootsteps of God’s authority take hold in the hearts of men.
But at the same time, I see a great rebellion against AlmightyGod. As the purest white becomes brilliant, the blackestpitch grows darker still. Millions of Americans, slaves totheir lusts, will get off the fence and rush into their sins. Pleasure is their first love, sensual gratification is theirhighest aim. Pride is their motivation, they join Satan inserving no god higher than themselves. As the weeds arepulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of theage.
False teachers will hate this holiness reformation, finding everyargument to remain in their sins, promoting every excuse, everyloophole to avoid submitting to the rulership of God. Ifyou’re a liberal pastor who says holiness is optional, andyou can go to heaven without holiness,
Ideclare war against your ideas and I’ll fight them withevery ounce of strength God gives me until I die. You andall your lies will be destroyed in eternal fire. The Sonof Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out ofhis kingdom everything that causes sinand all who do evil. They will throwthem into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping andgnashing of teeth.
So Iplead with you one last time, for join with me, arm in arm,brother and sister in Christ—let’s forsake all ourknown sins and submit our hearts and minds to the lovingrulership of our Lord Jesus Christ. And let’s runtogether into our brightest future. I see the bride ofChrist, shining in the sun, brilliant and radiant, loving Godwith all our hearts, and loving our neighbors as ourselves. Can you see it? Will you be there? The righteous willshine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He whohas ears, let him hear.
Let’spray together. Would you pray these words along with me, toGod? Go ahead and say them out loud with me. “Fatherin heaven, prepare your church for the glorious wedding toChrist, and prepare me too. Let your kingdom come, and letyour will be done on earth and in my heart, in the same way youalready rule up in heaven. Help me walk blamelessly, theway you deserve, and help me love You supremely and love myneighbors as myself. I reject sin and every false teacherwho allows sin, and I embrace holiness and every teaching whichrequires holiness. I know holiness isn’t optional, andI invite you to come and rule my heart, now and forever, in Jesusname. Amen.”
Did you pray with me just now? If you prayed with me, wouldyou say Amen? Go ahead, say it out loud. Amen, LordJesus. Some of you are receiving a physical healing in yourbodies right now, as God’s loving rulership takes over inyour heart. I hope you’ll write to us and tell usabout that. But if you said Amen just now, whoever you are,can I ask you to write to us and get a copy of this bookyou’re hearing me teach from. I’ve been veryfortunate and blessed to have this book read and endorsed bypeople like C. Peter Wagner, and professors Tony Campolo and JonMark Ruthven, and Pastors Ted Haggard and Floyd McClung, and JoyDawson and Bill Hamon. So you know it’s trustworthy. If you missed any parts of this series, write to us and get thebook or the tapes. And stay tuned, because we’re goingto play it again. Now I love you, and I care about you. So here’s Mark with more information.
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Closing trailer by Mark McWilliams…
Thanks Gordon,and thanks everybody for listening. Do you know somebody whoneeds to hear today’s message? If you call ourtoll-free number in the next hour, 866-Obey-God, we’ll mailyou a free cassette tape of today’s broadcast, which you cancopy and give to your friends. All our tapes are copyable andfree, but please remember that we need your donations to stay onthe air and to give away these free tapes. So please prayand obey God about how much these teachings are worth to you, andreturn to us your best possible gift after you receive your freecassette. (Gordon: Hey time out! If it’syour first time contacting us, no donation is required! Justcall us!) Our toll free number is 866-Obey-God, that’s1-866-O-B-E-Y-G-O-D, and please specify you’rerequesting today’s program. Now do you believe
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<Manymore transcripts and free MP3 radio shows CLICK HERE>