John R. Rice Quotes of the Week

In Matthew 7:21 Jesus said, "Not every one that saith unto me Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in Heaven." The complaint that Jesus has against those who too late will seek to enter Heaven is that with their mouths they have honored the Lord, saying, "Lord, Lord," but such people have never done the will of the Father. Of course, this Scripture does not mean that only those who have perfectly done the will of the Father in ALL THINGS are saved. That would mean only those could be saved who were sinless and perfect. That would make of no effect the blood of Christ. That would be salvation by man, and not by God; salvation by works and not by God's grace. No, Jesus meant that those are saved who do the will of God CONCERNING CHRIST AND SALVATION - that is, those who trust Jesus Christ as the Lamb of God who died for our sins and so depend upon Him for forgiveness and salvation. - John R. Rice

What works are pleasing to God? That question came up and was very clearly answered by our Saviour in John 6:28, 29:
"Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent."
There it is! "This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent"! Not those who do good works, who join churches, who pray, who tithe, who preach; no, no, those are not the will of God as a plan of salvation. The way to work the works of God is to believe on the Saviour that He has sent. The only way one can be saved is to trust the matter wholly with Jesus Christ. - John R. Rice

All who trust in good deeds have too shallow a remedy. They patch up the outside of the life where men can see. The best they can they make a good appearance. But they cannot touch the filthy heart which is so black it must bring upon them the wrath of God. - John R. Rice

Men want to get to Heaven on their own goodness. They want the credit for it. They want to exalt self instead of humbling self. They want to ignore sin instead of confessing it and condemning it. That is simply a part of the wicked rebellion of carnal man. The natural heart is not willing to bow the knee to Jesus Christ as man's only Saviour. The man who went to the wedding feast without a wedding garment was simply a picture of those who choose to depend upon their own righteousness instead of the pure righteousness of the sinless Saviour who died for us. - John R. Rice 

It is a sad and shocking fact that many religious people are in Hell. Remember that there are many religions besides the true religion of Jesus Christ. Religion is no guarantee of salvation. The Pharisees were religious but they crucified Christ. They were wicked in their hearts though outwardly they appeared to men to be righteous. Remember that Cain was religious. He offered sacrifices, but God was not pleased with them. He prayed, but God did not hear favorably. So Christian Science, so-called, is a religion - a religion without confession of sin, a religion without a blood atonement, a religion without the new birth. So Spiritualism is a religion - a false religion, putting people at the mercy, often, of evil spirits. - John R. Rice

Many Catholics are very religious and very devout, but know nothing about peace in heart and the new birth. Some Catholics surely, we believe, have trusted in Christ alone for salvation, but how many there are who bow before idols and depend upon the church and its ordinances, on confession, on the prayers, on the intercession of Mary and the saints and of masses said by the priests! Clearly, one can be very religious but be utterly lost. Those who say, "Lord, Lord, open unto us," will be very religious, but religion does not keep people out of Hell. Saying prayers, going to church, giving money, being baptized, observing the Lord's Supper - these are religious exercises but they do not save the soul. - John R. Rice

You remember that Cain brought an offering, but it was an offering of the fruits of the ground, an offering after his own choice and not after God's choice. It had no blood in it. Cain did not believe in the blood atonement of Christ. He had no faith in God's Lamb who would take away the sin of the world. He is a type of all those religious men who depend upon religious ceremonies to save them, though their hearts are still black, and their sins are still unforgiven. - John R. Rice