Back to Fundamentalist Reports
Back to the Home Page
Way of Life Literature Online Catalog

BEWARE OF MAN WORSHIP

[Distributed by Way of Life Literatureâs Fundamental Baptist Information Service. Copyright 2000. These articles cannot be stored on BBS or Internet sites or sold or placed by themselves or with other material in any electronic format for sale, but may be distributed for free by e-mail or by print. They must be left intact and nothing removed or changed, including these informational headers. This is a listing for Fundamental Baptists and other fundamentalist, Bible-believing Christians. Our goal in this particular aspect of our ministry is not devotional but is TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO ASSIST PREACHERS IN THE PROTECTION OF THE CHURCHES IN THIS APOSTATE HOUR. If you desire to receive this type of material on a regular basis, e-mail us, give us your name, address, and the name of the church you are a member of, and request to be placed on the list. Please note that this is not a free service. We take up a quarterly offering to fund this ministry, and each subscriber is expected to participate. To unsubscribe or to submit a change of address, send your name and the request to fbns@wayoflife.org. This is not an automated list. Changes in the database can require two to four days to activate. Some of these articles are from O Timothy magazine. O Timothy is a monthly magazine in its 18th year of publication. Way of Life publishes many helpful books. The catalog is located at the web site: http://www.wayoflife.org. Way of Life Literature, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061-0368. 866-295-4143 (toll free), 519-652-2619 (voice), fbns@wayoflife.org (e-mail)]

November 21, 2000 (David W. Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061-0368, fbns@wayoflife.org) - While it is proper to give honor to whom honor is due (Rom. 13:7), God has warned us about exalting men more than is godly and decent. The Corinthians were guilty of the latter. They were men followers--ãI am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christä (1 Cor. 1:12)--and were rebuked for their carnal folly. The Bible says that all glorying is to be directed to the Lord, not to weak, sinful, imperfect men. ãHe that glorieth, let him glory in the Lordä (1 Cor. 1:31). Elihu was wise when he said, ãLet me not, I pray you, accept any manâs person, neither let me give flattering titles unto men. For I know not to give flattering titles; in so doing my maker would soon take me awayä (Job 32:21).

Sadly, there are many leaders among fundamental Baptists who have exalted themselves beyond the bounds of reason and wisdom and their followers love to have it so. A prominent example is Pastor Jack Hyles, First Baptist Church, Hammond, Indiana. Recently an entire issue of a magazine was devoted to his praise. The magazine, The Baptist Contender, is published by the Berean Baptist Church, Pinellas Park, Florida, and the editor is Pastor Tom Neal. Following are some of the amazing quotes from the April 2000 issue, which is devoted to Jack Hyles as ãthe Man of the Millenniumä:

ãNo one is more responsible for our liberty and freedom, as well as our love for the Bible, church building and life in general, than Jack Hylesä (Pastor Tom Neal, p. 3).

ãWhat we know about being a pastor . . . what we know about being a good father . . . what we know about friendship Jack Hyles taught usä (Pastor Tom Neal, p. 3).

ã[Jack Hyles] may be one of the best Christians who has ever livedä (Pastor Brent Neal, p. 4).

ã·this miracle named Jack Hyles. . . . [he is] the only Baptist pastor in history to have one million souls come to Christ through his ministry. . . .ä (Pastor Bob Gray of Texas, pp. 24,25).

ãAmerica has become Dr. Hyles parish . . . because American Fundamental pastors made it soä (Pastor Bob Gray, p. 24).

ãIf there is one in our generation whom God would label a N.T. prophet, it surely would be Brother Hyles. No other mortal man has had such a great influence on as many lives since Christ and the Apostle Paulä (Pastor John Vaprezsan, p. 21).

ãThink of the grandeur which accompanies the names of Abraham, Elijah, David, Moses, John the Baptist and Paul when the name is spoken. Each of these were great in their time. Each accomplished great achievements for God; each had a special anointing of God and each name is revered thousands of years later. Dr. Jack Hyles is another name to be added to these names of influence and grandeur. . . . Just speak the name of Jack Hyles, and you speak of greatnessä (Pastor Dean Miller, p. 22).

ãI sometimes wonder if he [Jack Hyles] is not one of Godâs favoritesä (Pastor Brent Neal, p. 3).

ãWe will never again see another like Jack Hyles, thus making him the Îman of the Millenniumâ. . . . God chose him to be the epitome of what a real man of God is to be. . . . There is no one who has accomplished what he has accomplished for His Lord. . . . God has miraculously used this man to build the greatest church since the days of the N.T.ä (Pastor Tom Neal, p. 22).

ãBible truths that seem to escape the weary eyes of others jump out and capture his alert mind. . . . America has lived off the legacy of truths overlooked by the nominal Bible study, while the eagle eye of this man has harvested these great truthsä (Pastor Bill Burr, p. 24).

ãNo one could compare with him as a preacher. . . . The only sermon that could ever equal a sermon that he preached was one he preached priorä (Pastor Brent Neal, p. 3).

ã[Jack Hyles is] the most complete man of God ever to mount a pulpitä (Pastor Tom Neal, p. 24).

ãHis crisp manly walk, his impish smile, his sarcastic humor, his wit, to be matched by no living man, woman or beast. . . . His ability to preach such physically exhausting sermons, perfectly prepared, spectacularly delivered and then give his mind to the burdens of others, is beyond comprehensionä (Pastor Bob Gray of Texas, pp. 24,25).

ãHe is the embodiment of all that Fundamentalists hold dearä (Pastor Brent Neal, p. 4).

ãHe has influenced more pastors, more churches and more Christians for righteousness--both the imputed righteousness of Christ and personal righteousness--than any other man aliveä (Pastor John Vaprezsan, p. 21).

ã· the list of those whom Dr. Hyles has served is so long that it can only be kept in heaven with an angel assigned as a full-time recorderä (Pastor Tom Neal, p. 3).

ãHe condescends and ascends at will to be all things to all men . . . when you have been loved by him, you have experienced a love that is unsurpassed by man. . . . you have never been loved, until you have been loved by Jack Hyles. . . . There are character strengths that set him apart from others; strength of love, loyalty, generosity, courage, humility, patience, separation, and of course, faithfulnessä (pp. 3,23,24).

__________________

CONCLUDING NOTE FROM BRO. CLOUD:

Nowhere in the New Testament Scriptures do we see Christian leaders exalting one another in this manner. It is not wise, godly, nor expedient. Those who are giving such praise to men are wrong; those who receive the praise are wrong; and those who stand on the sidelines and say nothing about it are wrong. The Bible warns that to have respect of persons is to commit sin (James 2:9). One of the characteristics of the false teachers who were tempting the church at Corinth was that they exalted themselves (2 Cor. 11:20).

We close by repeating the wise words from the book of Job: ãLet me not, I pray you, accept any manâs person, neither let me give flattering titles unto men. For I know not to give flattering titles; in so doing my maker would soon take me awayä (Job 32:21).