John R. Rice Quotes of the Week

I believe that God does have a work for women to do in the church. I believe that a woman may teach women or children (Titus 2:3). I think she may testify in a public service if the pastor or some other man is in charge, leading the meeting, and if she is, perhaps, one of several. First Corinthians 14:31 says that "ye may all prophesy." That is, all Christians filled with the Holy Spirit may give a testimony in the power of the Spirit. I believe that when there is a circle of prayer and a number volunteering to pray, women may pray publicly. But I do not believe that a woman ought to be pastor of a church, or that a woman ought to be in charge of a service in which there are men. "I suffer not a woman to teach, not to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence," says I Timothy 2:12. This teaches that a woman should not expound the Word nor in any other way take charge of a mixed service, teach men, or have authority over men. - John R. Rice

In John 13:2-15 we are told how the Saviour washed the disciple's feet. They had no shoes except open sandals, and wore no socks or stockings in those days. When they came in from their dusty walk, naturally their feet needed washing. Jesus took the part of a servant and washed their feet. Then he said in John 13:14, "If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet."
That is the only command given us about footwashing. one ought to wash another's feet. That should make it clear that Jesus did not intend for this to be a public ceremony or ritual of the church. There is no record that any church in New Testament times used it as such. If someone comes to your home who needs his feet washed, you should be humble enough to do it. The Scripture means exactly what it said, no more, no less. We should learn the lesson of humility from this teaching of Jesus, but we should not make a church ordinance out of that which He did not give for that purpose. - John R. Rice

Prayer is not a way of making God do what may be wrong, but of finding the will of God and getting what it is God's will to give. - John R. Rice

Since the World Council of Churches and the National Council of Churches are controlled principally by unbelievers who are not Christians in the historic and well-defined meaning of the term through the centuries, that is, they do not accept Christ as deity, they have not trusted in His atoning blood, they do not claim to be born again, they do not acknowledge the authority of the Bible- therefore I have no fellowship with the World Council of Churches and the National Council of Churches. And I base this on explicit commands in the Bible like II Corinthians 6:14-18, Galatians 1:6-9, and II John 9-11. Note carefully. Since I am a Bible-believer and have set out to obey and follow Jesus Christ, I have no choice in these matters. - John R. Rice

Neo-orthodoxy is just another form of modernism. Neo-orthodoxy does not accept the authority of the Bible, does not believe it is infallibly inspired. Neo-orthodoxy does believe that man has sinned, and some Neo-orthodox people believe in conversion. But they are modernistic because they are still going by man's judgment and not by the Word of God. No one is a safe leader who does not base his doctrine squarely on the Word of God. Christianity is based on the Bible. It is no true Christianity which does not bow the knee to the statements of the Word of God. - John R. Rice

I know of no Scriptures which teach that selfish prayers will not be answered. In fact, Christians are clearly encouraged to pray for what they need- daily bread, forgiveness, deliverance from the evil one, etc. These prayers are all for things that people want for themselves, and so you might say they are selfish. A child may be selfish in asking for bread or milk, but it is not wrong.
However, if one's desires do not please God, then the prayer may not be answered. James 4:3 says, "Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts." To "ask amiss" means to ask something that is wrong. Where one's desires are wrong or hurtful, then God does not answer his prayers. - John R. Rice

Salvation is not by feeling; it is by faith. It is not by seeking an experience, but by accepting a person. - John R. Rice