Program #L8—“The Theological Adventures of Johnny Lukewarm and Pastor Loophole:  What Must I Do To Inherit Eternal Life?”

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Radio Show Transcript, © 2001, Persuade The World Ministries, Gordon James Klingenschmitt, Servant.  Copying and distribution (without editing) is highly encouraged. 

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Opening introduction by Mark McWilliams…

Welcome and thank you for joining this radio broadcast of Persuade The World Ministries.  You’re about to hear our radio production of the book written and taught by Gordon James Klingenschmitt, entitled “License To Sin, The Number One Reason America Is Losing Its Moral Foundation.”  If you call us in the next hour, we’ll mail you a free cassette tape of today’s broadcast, which you can copy and give to your friends.  Just call our toll-free phone number:  866-Obey-God.  That’s toll free, 1-866-O-B-E-Y-G-O-D.  Gordon James Klingenschmitt is a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy, and a seminary graduate of Regent University, holding both M.B.A. and Master of Divinity degrees.  He’s also the founder and servant of Persuade The World Ministries, a 501(c3) tax-exempt religious non-profit corporation in Colorado Springs, dedicated to persuading individuals in America and throughout the world to forsake their sins and submit their hearts and minds to the loving rulership of our Lord, Jesus Christ.  And now with today’s teaching, here is Gordon James Klingenschmitt. 

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Teaching by Gordon James Klingenschmitt…

Thanks Mark.  Today we continue our mini-drama entitled “The Theological Adventures of Johnny Lukewarm and Pastor Loophole.”  You may remember our characters, Johnny Lukewarm, and Pastor Loophole from our last broadcast.  But before we re-introduce these two characters, let’s read again from 2^nd Timothy chapter 3.  “For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine.  Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.  They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.”  People often turn to counselors who tell them what their itching ears want to hear.  As is the case with our character, Johnny Lukewarm, who comes into Pastor Loophole’s office to get advice…

            (Lower) “Please have a seat, Johnny.  What seems to be bothering you today?” 

            Johnny’s brow furrows with concern.  (Higher) “Pastor Loophole, I’m very upset about this particular passage of scripture.  It seems as though God is commanding me to do something I really don’t want to do.  Do I really have to repent, and stop sinning, and obey God?  Or is there some other alternative? 

            (Lower) “Why, certainly there is, Johnny, you just relax.  I can offer you dozens of alternatives, and give you very logical reasons why you don’t have to obey God.” 

            (Higher) “Oh, thank goodness.  For a minute there, I thought I’d actually have to change my behavior and obey God!”  Johnny breathes a sigh of relief.  He sits forward eagerly, with his itching ears searching for some way of escape from the Holy Spirit’s conviction.  But the Spirit of God is grieved away, and He slowly withdraws his conviction from Johnny’s life. 

(Start) But Pastor Loophole continues his excuses with Loophole #5, entitled “Let’s not get into legalism.”  So Here’s Loophole #5: 

(Lower) “Jesus came to abolish the laws of God, Johnny, so any preacher who says ‘you have to be holy in order to be saved’ is preaching legalism.  That’s why Paul wrote to the Galatians: ‘You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.’ [1]   So don’t fall away from grace, Johnny, by thinking that holiness, or obedience to God’s law are required for salvation.  Grace means that God forgives you even while you continue to enjoy your sins.  Grace alone through faith alone, Johnny.  Just believe you’re forgiven and that makes it true.  You don’t have to repent or be holy, and you can still go to heaven.  Preachers who demand repentance are just being legalistic.  And we don’t want to get into legalism, do we?”

TIME OUT !!  Let’s look at the scriptures everybody, and analyze Pastor Loophole’s advice.  Let’s rightly divide the word of truth, and separate the truth from the lies in the advice given by Pastor Loophole.  First, I want to acknowledge the true part.

            It’s true that Christians are not justified by obedience to the laws of Moses.  The Old Testament laws of Leviticus and Deuteronomy are no longer required for salvation.  We don’t have to obey the laws of Moses in order to be saved and going to heaven.  But the false part is that Christians can be saved without obeying any laws of God or laws of Christ also known as the laws of love.  The lie is that you don’t have to love God with all your heart, and you can still go to heaven.  But here’s the truth to replace that lie.  Christians are justified, made right with God, saved from hell, granted entry to God’s kingdom, sent to heaven, given eternal life, by one thing:  obedience to the law of Christ, or the law of love.  You know the Apostle Paul taught salvation by faith, but Jesus taught salvation by love.  Now I’m not saying Jesus and Paul disagree, but if I have faith that can move mountains but have not love, I am nothing.  The Bible says Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for…[2] 

            There’s a lot of theories out there about “how to get saved” and “how to know for certain you’re going to heaven when you die.”  Christian theological giants like Augustine, Aquinas, Luther, Calvin, Wesley, Finney, and even Billy Graham today all have their opinions about how to get saved.  But there’s one theologian who has more authority than all these preachers combined—His name is Jesus Christ.  

            “On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”   I want you to read this for yourself, in Luke chapter 10.  This is what I call Luke 10 soteriology.  He asked Jesus, what must I do to inherit eternal life? 

            “What is written in the Law?” Jesus replied. “How do you read it?” 

            The man answered: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” 

            “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” [3]

Oh my.  Did you hear what Jesus said?  Love God and neighbor.  Do this and you’ll inherit eternal life.  Now does any theologian in history have enough authority to overrule this commanded way to get saved?  Jesus demanded love the Lord your God with all your heart and love your neighbor as yourself.  Do this and you will live.  Now does anybody out there think there’s a different way to get saved, without obedience to these two laws?

Let me to label these two laws “The laws of Christ.”  These are the laws of Christ.  Jesus said “love God wholeheartedly, and love your neighbor as yourself.”  If you obey these two laws, you’ll gain eternal life.  Look that up for yourself in Luke Chapter 10. 

            Jesus didn’t recite “the four spiritual laws,” or lead the man down “the Romans road.”  He didn’t even pray “the sinner’s prayer” or tell him to just “believe and receive.”  Jesus gave a different method—almost never demanded by today’s evangelists—If you want to inherit eternal life, you must obey the laws of Christ.  Love God and neighbor.  Do this and you will live. 

And Jesus also said, This is love for God: to obey his commands.[4]  Now I ask, can you claim to love God with all your heart, while you refuse to obey his commands? Jesus said, “If you love me, you will obey what I command.” [5]  So can you love God, without submitting to his authority as your commanding Lord?  Can you be saved from hell without inviting Christ to rule your heart?  Johnny Lukewarm, if you’re out there listening, obey what Jesus commands.  Love God and neighbor.  Do this and you will live. 

            Now when Jesus says you have to love God in order to be saved, it causes great consternation and anxiety in Pastor Loophole’s mind.  All his lies will come to the surface at once:  (Lower) “But we’re saved by grace (tolerance) not by the law.  We’re saved through faith alone (or mental assent alone).  If you require obedience to God’s law to be saved, that’s legalism!”  But Pastor Loophole’s argument isn’t against me, it’s against the words of Jesus Christ.  If preaching obedience to God’s law as a requirement of salvation is legalism, then Jesus Christ is the biggest legalist of all time.  Jesus directly made obedience to God’s laws of love the primary requirement for salvation.  Let’s read that passage again.  Let Christ’s words sink in. 

            ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’…Do this and you will live.[6]  Now what must you do to inherit eternal life?  Write this down.  Post it on a wall somewhere.  Memorize Luke chapter 10, so you’ll never get it wrong again.  Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and love your neighbor as yourself.  Obey the laws of Christ.  Do this and you will live. 

            Now what if you don’t love God with all your heart and you don’t love your neigbor as yourself, are you going to hell?  The Bible says this:  We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death.  Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him.[7] Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.  Whoever does not love does not know God.[8] 

(Higher) “But who is my neighbor?” asks Johnny Lukewarm.  “I mean, do I have to love all my neighbors to get into heaven?”  Well that’s the same question the expert in the law asked Jesus.  But Jesus eliminated every loophole when he answered with the parable of the good Samaritan.

            Why did Jesus tell the parable of the good Samaritan?  Why did Jesus compare the priest (who did not obey the law of love), and the Levite (who did not obey the law of love), to the Samaritan (who did obey the law of love, by providing food, shelter, and care to a stranger)?  Why did Jesus compare these three men?  Here’s why:  To distinguish those who are saved and going to heaven from those who are unsaved and going to hell.  People who don’t love God and neighbor are going to hell; but people who love God and neighbor are going to heaven.

            (Higher) “So are you saying, that if I don’t go out onto the highways and take care of poor people, then I’m going to hell?” asks Johnny Lukewarm. 

            Well, what if it were true, Johnny?  Would it change your behavior?  How can you claim to love God, whom you haven’t seen, when you don’t even love your neighbor, whom you have seen?  If you don’t love God wholeheartedly, and love your neighbor as yourself, Luke chapter 10 says you don’t have no hope of inheriting eternal life.  The entire law is summed up in a single command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” [9] Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.[10]

            In Matthew 25, Jesus told another parable, the parable of the sheep and the goats.  So why did he distinguish the sheep from the goats?  Why will Jesus say to some,

            “Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.  For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.” [11]

And why will Jesus say to others, “Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.  For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.” [12]  Why the big contrast in this parable?  To distinguish the saved (who love their neighbor) from the unsaved (who don’t love their neighbor.) 

            (Higher) “So are you saying,” asks Johnny Lukewarm, “that if I don’t feed the hungry and thirsty, or clothe the naked, or welcome strangers, or visit people in prison, then I’m going to hell?”

            What if it were true, Johnny?  Would it change your behavior?  Jesus said, Whatever you didn’t do to the least of these, you didn’t do it unto me.  If you don’t love God and love your neighbor, Matthew 25 says you have no hope of inheriting eternal life.  But on the other hand, Jesus says in Luke chapter 10, Love God and love your neighbor.  Do this and you will live.

            Think about that for a moment, while we take a 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 know somebody who needs to hear today’s message?  If you call our toll-free number in the next hour, 866-Obey-God, we’ll mail you a free cassette tape of today’s broadcast, which you can copy and give to your friends.  All our tapes are copyable and free, but please remember we need your donations to stay on the air and to give away these free tapes.  So please pray and obey, then send us your best possible donation, after you receive your free cassette.  (Gordon:  Hey time out!  If it’s your first time calling us, no donation is required!  Just call us!)  Our toll free number 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’s Club with a monthly pledge of just $15.  If you join the Persuader’s Club, we’ll also send you an autographed copy of Gordon’s book that you’ve been hearing.  Just visit our web-site at persuaders-club.com.  Or call us in the next hour at 866-Obey-God.  Right now, let’s return to Gordon James Klingenschmitt. 

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Teaching continued by Gordon James Klingenschmitt…

Pastor Loophole doesn’t want to believe that loving God and loving your neighbor are requirements for eternal salvation.  (Lower) “Oh, no.  We don’t want to get into ‘Legalism,’ here.  We can’t require that people obey God’s laws in order to be saved.  That’s legalism.”  But that’s a lie.  Here’s the truth.  Jesus said: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law...not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law...Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom....unless your righteousness surpasses that of the teachers of the Law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.” [13]  But Pastor Loophole says the opposite.  (Lower) “You don’t have to obey God’s laws, and you can still go to heaven.”  

Jesus didn’t excuse people from God’s laws, he made them more strict.  “You have heard that it was said...‘Do not murder’...but I tell you that anyone who is angry...will be in danger of the fire of hell.”  And again, “you have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” [14] 

When Jesus demands we repent, and change our hearts, and obey the spirit of God’s law, Pastor Loophole cries (lower) “Legalism!  Judaizers!  Pharisees!  Don’t put me under that yoke of the law!”  But in avoiding legalism, but he preaches lawlessness.  Holiness and obeying the laws of love are not legalism.  If obeying spirit of God’s law is legalism, then Jesus was preaching legalism when he told us to love our neighbors.    

Now Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for teaching legalism.  What is real legalism?  It’s when you obey the letter of the law, but ignore the spirit of the law.  The Pharisees obeyed the details of the law, but they didn’t love God or love their neighbor.  Jesus said to them: “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices— mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of law— justice, mercy and faithfulness.”

These Pharisees didn’t love God or love their neighbors.  Sure they looked righteous on the outside, because they attended church and paid their tithes and they memorized all the rules, but in their hearts they didn’t love God or love their neighbors.  Jesus said to them, “On the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness…You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell?”[15]  So why did the Pharisees go to hell?  Because they didn’t love God or love their neighbor.  Do this and you will live.    

Jesus said to the Pharisees, “You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life.  These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.” [16]  Yeah, the Pharisees obeyed all the detailed rules, but they loved God so little that they didn’t even recognized God when he was standing right in front of them!  Why do you think they didn’t know God when they saw him? Because they didn’t love God with all their hearts!  Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.[17]

Paul taught the same thing when he confronted the Judaizers.  Judaizers taught that you had to get circumcised in order to be saved.  They preached the letter of the law.  But Paul preached the spirit of the law, the law of love.  He taught that Christian salvation requires a change of heart—from selfishness to love.  When you change your heart from selfishness to love, that’s called being born again.  Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is a new creation.[18]  A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical.  No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code.[19]  Paul said, “though I myself am not under the law [of Moses]… I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law…” [20] Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God’s commands is what counts.[21] So love God and love your neighbor.  Do this and you will live. 

            Legalism, technically, is just expanding the bigger law of love into smaller, more detailed laws, like “don’t steal, don’t murder, don’t lie.”  You take the spirit of the law, and you “legalize it” into specific details.  This in itself is not a bad thing.  Even God “legalized” the laws of love into many detailed pieces, when he gave the Old Testament law to Moses.  When people’s hearts are hard and stubborn, sometimes they need more detailed laws.  For example, if people won’t obey the bigger command to love their neighbor, maybe at least they’ll obey a lesser, more specific law which says, “don’t kill your neighbor.”  Sometimes people need more details to help them understand what the spirit of the law means.  But the problem comes when people say “OK, I won’t murder you, but I can still resent you.”  Well, yeah, they’re obeying the letter of the law by not killing their neighbor, but they still disobeying the spirit of the law, because they still refuse to love their neighbor.

            Or here’s another example.  Let’s imagine that in a particular city the crime rate is really high, and a thief is stealing car stereos.  So an outraged lawmaker begins with the spirit of the law “Thou shalt not steal.”  But since he’s a lawyer, he legalizes it, and writes a more detailed, more specific law.  “Anyone caught stealing car stereos in our city will spend 30 days in jail.”  He takes the spirit of the law, and “legalizes it” into a specific detail for a specific time and place.

            So the thief thinks to himself, well, I don’t want to go to jail for 30 days, so I’ll steal truck stereos instead of car stereos.  Or I steal them out in the country instead of in the city.”  So he obeys the letter of the law, but breaks the spirit of the law.  He stays out of jail, but in his heart, he’s still a thief.  The local authorities don’t punish him, but God casts his soul into hell.  That’s how legalism can deceive you into thinking you’re safe, when you’re really not.  If you obey all the rules in the Bible but you don’t love God with all your heart, you’re still a lawless rebel bound for destruction in hell.