John R. Rice Quotes of the Week

"That is way back in the Old Testament," you argue.
Yes, but fortunately the God who wrote the Old Testament wrote a New Testament, too. - John R. Rice

Because the tendency is so strong to be hypocritical in prayer, most of our praying should be in secret to be heard only by God. Otherwise, we may well pray to be heard of men. Flowery prayers and beauticul cliches do not appeal to God. Anything, such as organ music during prayer, intended to appeal to the sensual or to the aesthetic, rather than to God, Jesus called hypocritical. - John R. Rice

The Bible never gives a command without good reason. It is always safe to follow the Bible because there are always weighty reasons why one's own happiness will be promoted by doing what God said. God loves His children. God provided everything good for mankind. When the Scripture says, "Thou shalt not," then one had better not. One will be happier not to do it. When God says to do a certain thing, you may be sure that your own happiness and joy will be greatly increased by doing what God commanded. - John Rice

When I say I am a Baptist, I do not have reference to being part of an iron-bound sect or denomination. I am a Baptist because I believe in the independence of a local church, in converted church membership, baptism of believers only and baptism by immersion. In other words, I am what Baptists have been historically in doctrine and in convictions. - John R. Rice

People say, "These days God does not want people to die for Him. He wants them to live for Him." Find me the chapter and verse for that, will you? It isn't there! It hasn't been changed. If you follow Jesus, it is Calvary and Gethsemane, and shame and spitting. First the cross, and then after a while, the crown! - John R. Rice

I am sorry that we do not have more preaching on sin. We do not have much punishment for sin. In a Christian academy like this everyone gripes. Everybody complains if there are strict rules. And if people are expected to act like Christians, they fuss about that. We do not, these days, have much sharp Bible teaching and preaching about sin. But we should have. God is a dreadful God because God is going to punish sin. [Neh. 1:5, Daniel 9:4, Heb. 10:31] - John R. Rice

Somebody says you believe in the inspiration of the thought but not of the words. Really, nobody can ever express a thought until he gets some words. Words go with thought.
How can you have written music without notes? Or arithmetic without figures? Or thoughts without words? "Which things also we speak, not in words which man's wisdom teacheth." Paul says, "I give you divine inspiration, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth: compari...ng spiritual things with spiritual." The American Standard Version of 1901 says, "Comparing spiritual things [matter, content] with spiritual words."
God gives both the content and words of the Bible. That is a great doctrine often repeated in the Bible, that the Holy Spirit gives the material of the Bible, in miraculously given words. Of course He speaks of the original manuscripts. - John R. Rice