2nd Timothy 2:3-4, “Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.”
I have a wonderful book in front of me that I purchased a couple years ago titled, “When Principle Was King: The Life Principles Of Dr. Jack Hyles,” by Dr. Bob Gray Sr. It's an awesome book! Here's a great quote from pages 96-97...
“Dr. Hyles vision grew constantly because he experienced spiritual growth. Age was not a factor. Health was not a factor. Trials were not a factor. He had watched too many men do a great work and then just stop, right where they were. They lost their vision and began to maintain, and then when they began to maintain they began to change. He refused to allow that to happen, so he had to keep growing. Men, do not mistake jealousy, envy, and peer pressure for vision. Vision is when it is not about you and when it is going to cost you something for it to happen. If you want more vision, then you better get ready because the trials are coming. However, so will your growth.
Courage verses fear! Growth has a price. Men become better soldiers. Not so they can sit in a safe and comfortable office, but to be battle-ready. Navy seals are the bravest, most prepared men in the military. They are, also, the most tested and are required to go on the most dangerous missions. Dr. Hyles stayed battle-ready because he knew there would always be a battle that someone had to fight.
The good old days of the 1960's and 70's when Independent Baptist churches were on the rise were pretty much gone by the 1980's and are barely a memory for most of us today. Some are trying to recreate the great movement by means of methods we do not even understand. It is like expecting a Cub Scout to successfully operate a missile launcher.
What made that movement great were the battles that were raging and men who were battle-ready because they were growing. There were issues worth fighting for with those men and that was the catalyst of the movement. Men, like Dr. Rice and Dr. Hyles and Brother Roloff, knew that the consequences of growth were battles. However, they also knew that the byproduct of battles were victories.
There is a battle that Dr. Hyles told us was coming. Many men are shunning it with excuses such as “unity” and a sense of false “loyalty.” I think it is more than that. It is fear. Instead of growing with courage to fight the battle, they conform to fear and pretend it does not exist.
What would Dr. Hyles do? He would stand up and fight the battle that must be fought. He did not retire with honors, my friend. He died in combat uniform with his weapon, the inspired King James Bible, in his hand.
Dear God, please let the next generation catch this principle!
SOURCE: Dr. Bob Gray Sr., When Principle Was King: The Life Principles Of Dr. Jack Hyles; pp. 96-97; IndependentBaptist.com Publishers.
That is some great stuff folks! I couldn't agree more. We've become complacent in our fundamental circles. You can't tell which camp is which anymore. I know an Independent Baptist church that allows two plans of salvation—1) Lordship Salvation; 2) and the simplicity that is in Christ. The church's official position is Lordship Salvation, but they straddle both sides of the fence.
This is largely because of Moody Bible Ministries in Chicago, who today publish John MacArthur's heretical books, but have had many godly men in the past (e.g., Harry Ironside) who taught the simplicity that is in Christ. Thus, since Moody Bible Church has changed for the worse, and today tolerates blatant heresy concerning the plan of salvation, so do their fans. Moody influences thousands of pastors across America and the world. The Word of God warned us that FALSE TEACHERS WOULD CREEP INTO THE CHURCHES WITHOUT DETECTION!!! Jude 1:4, “For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.” When a preacher errantly teaches that forsaking sinful behavior is necessary to be saved, he is effectively denying the Lord's sacrifice on the cross for men's sins. Why Men Go To Hell (MP3 sermon by Dr. Hutson, “Men are not lost because they won't quit their sinning!”).
The Independent Baptist church I just mentioned admirably approves of Dr. Curtis Hutson, who preached the simplicity that is in Christ; but at the same time they woefully promote Dr. John MacArthur, who teaches the Calvinistic heresy of Lordship Salvation. What does this say about that church? It says they are New Evangelicals, who prioritize having a great music program over Biblical doctrine. There is no concern over the purity of the Gospel. The members of that same church on any given Sunday bring dozens of different Bible versions with them to church. The pastor surfs the internet in church during special music, admittedly searching different Bible versions in preparation for his sermon. My God, what has happened to our churches? Here's a needful MP3 sermon by Dr. Bob Gray Sr. titled, “How A Fundamentalist Becomes A Liberal.”
Whether you like it or not, every born-again Christian is engaged in a spiritual war with the flesh, the world and the Devil. This includes the Luciferian New World Order. Ephesians 6:12, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Most Christians and pastors these days are A.W.O.L. (absent without leave). As Brother Lester Roloff beautifully sings, “It's a battlefield brother, not a recreation room—a fight and not a game—run if you want to, run if you will, but I came here to stay!” You can hear Brother Roloff sing in this awesome MP3 sermon titled, “THEY STOOD!”
As Brother Hyles decided, I will fight until my dying breath for the BOOK (the King James Bible), the BLOOD (the literal blood of Jesus sprinkled upon the heavenly Mercy Seat), and the BODY (the local New Testament church). We are at war with the Devil's new Luciferian Bible versions that all change the meaning of “repentance,” and thus pervert the Gospel. We are at war with the satanic heresy of Lordship Salvation, which has infected most churches today because of false teachers; namely, John Piper, Paul Washer, John MacArthur, Ray Comfort, Kirk Cameron, Rick Warren, Joel Osteen, John Hagee, Beth Moore, Charles Stanley, Chip Ingram, R.C. Sproul, Billy Graham, Franklin Graham and many others. We are at spiritual war!!!
