Extract from a sermon by Jack Hyles

by Jack Hyles

Hebrews 12:4-8

"Here we learn that if you are really a child of God and have really been born into God's family, when you do wrong and stay in that wrong, Jesus says, "Let me pick you up." If you say, "No, I will go ahead again, I'll curse again; I'll drink again; and I'll lust again," then Jesus Christ will do what any parent would do. He'll say "Okay. Bend over."

You are going to get a tanning. You can expect it. You know, spankings are wonderful because they tell you that somebody owns you. I don't spank your children. Just in case I pickyou up this morning and spank you, then you can say "Well he is still my daddy." I spank mine.


When you stumble in sin, the Lord says tenderly and lovingly, "I've come to pick you up." If you won't let Him pick you up, then He says "Bend over!"

You mark my word, dear brother, you are going to have a car wreck; you are going to lose your job; you are going to go to hospital. If you're a Christian and refuse to get back up, you are ruined for being happy in this world any more. God made you a new creature, and just as the old man fights against the new man when you are doing right, the new man puts up a stiff battle. You will not be happy in this world because that new man is going to fight you and prick your conscience over and over again. So let me say, when you fall and stumble, let Jesus pick you up, lest He put His chastening rod upon you.

First, Jesus reminds you that He wants to pick you up. If you refuse, He will spank you. God will take you on to heaven.

You have said to your children "Now listen, if you can't behave yourself, you have to come into the house. You are not going to play outside and be bad."

Finally you will say, "Come on in. If you can't behave yourself outside, come in and sit right beside Mama."

If God asks you to get right and you don't, He spanks you. If He spanks you and you still don't do right, God will say "Okay, come on up to heaven where I can keep my eyes on you."

Christ is not going to let you smear His testimony and His name. When it comes to the place that your life will do more harm to the Gospel of Jesus Christ than your death, He will take you home. In John 15:2 we read "Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away..."


You are back in sin, you are miserable. You are not happy. What can you do? First realise the harm that your stumbling has done to your testimony. Somebody has been watching you. Somebody has had his eyes on you. Somebody has been saying that 'if he sticks, I am going to come to God.' All of a sudden you hurt your testimony. Realise the awfulness of it!

Secondly, claim 1 John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.""

(Taken from The Hyles Church Manual, p.298-299)