John R. Rice Quotes of the Week

The question you asked as to whether Jesus could have sinned or not is an old question that has been discussed many times. The fact is that it was physically possible for Jesus to sin. In fact, He was tempted to sin. The Scripture says He "was in all points tempted like as we are" (Heb. 4:15). Satan made the same trial of Him as Satan makes of us. That temptation was very real, as you can see from Luke 4, of Matthew, chapter 4. If sin had not been a real temptation for Jesus, then the Bible could not say that He was tempted in all points "like as we are."
However, it was morally impossible for Jesus to sin. I mean simply that He was so good that He would not sin. He could have sinned, had He wanted to, but He did not want to. Jesus in His humanity was sinless and perfect because He chose to be, not because He could not have sinned. - John R. Rice

Now what is wrong with chain letters is that they depend on a little rigmarole to please God instead of an honest prayer from the heart. The idea that "one who breaks the chain has bad luck" is a silly superstition. Heathen people make "vain repetitions," but Jesus plainly said not to do so. And any prayer that is not an honest prayer from the heart is unscriptural. - John R. Rice

People are invited to be saved, but they do not turn. So God chooses for salvation and Heaven only those who accept His call, His invitation. - John R. Rice

In Matthew 22:1-14, in the story of the marriage feast, it seems that Jesus indicates many would like to go to Heaven but they do not want to go on the basis that God requires. They want to go in their own righteousness, instead of covered in the white robes of Christ's righteousness. And thus they are not chosen. A lot of people would like to get to Heaven and not go to Hell, but they do not want to repent and be born again so they are not chosen, though they are called. - John R. Rice

For the individual Christian the main thing is to be sure he personally treats other people right, that he keeps close to God and keeps any prejudice and hate out of his own heart. Laws cannot fix the heart. The Christian must seek God to help him do that. - John R. Rice

But when we say that Christ paid for all of our sins, that means simply that we are purchased from eternal condemnation of the soul. We mean that now no one needs to go to Hell since that eternal second death was suffered by Christ in our stead. His infinite capacity to suffer took the place of our suffering an infinite length of time in Hell. - John R. Rice 

Assurance of salvation is a simple matter, provided you take God's way instead of some other way. The way to be assured of salvation is, first, put your trust in Christ the best you know how, then to believe what He says in the Bible about it. - John R. Rice