John R. Rice Quotes of the Week

When one walks in to the bank and puts money for deposit under the window, he is asking that the money be deposited and kept for him, but he is also taking a step of faith. One who calls on Christ for salvation has already in his heart trusted Christ. That is why it does not take continued calling or begging. That is why the manner of the calling does not much matter, just so one honestly wants mercy and forgiveness and salvation. - John R. Rice 

Any preacher who pretends that when he sprinkles a baby, he is helping save that baby, is a usurper, a false prophet, pretending to take the place of Jesus Christ, which he cannot do. There is only one mediator, the Scripture says. - John R. Rice

Any mother and father who bring their child for sprinkling or christening, and take solemn vows for the child, are taking on themselves too much. They cannot save the child, they cannot take vows for the child. And if they teach the child that he has become a child of God, or has gained any favor at all with God by being sprinkled as a baby, they are guilty of wicked sin. They may so deceive the child and damn his soul by letting him believe that he has obtained some merit or some standing by that act. - John R. Rice

Even if an adult is baptized, and even baptized in the scriptural form, by immersion, and if the minister teaches that in the act of baptism one receives salvation, then he guilty of claiming for himself that which belongs only and solely to Jesus Christ. "There is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." - John R. Rice

Proxy religion is out of the question in New Testament Christianity. Jesus Christ is the only proxy, the only mediator, the only go-between, the only channel of salvation. - John R. Rice

Truly born-again people may have doubts about their salvation because they do not know the plain promises of God's Word. That was true in my case. When I was saved my dad thought I was too young to know what I was doing, so he discouraged me. I went on for three sad years not sure I was saved. Then I got to reading the Bible and found John 5:24 where Jesus promised, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life." I KNEW that I had heard the Word of God, had read it many times. I KNEW that I had trusted Jesus Christ the best I knew how. So there suddenly, gloriously, came the assurance that I was really saved! I know I am saved because it is written in the Bible. - John R. Rice

What more do you want if you have the words of Jesus Christ written down in the Bible again and again, saying that the moment you believed on Jesus Christ you get everlasting life? Is not the Word of God enough? If you felt light as a feather, if you saw a great light, if you were moved by intense emotion, would that be better than "thus said the Lord" in the blessed Bible? Jesus said, "Verily, verily." Is not that enough? - John R. Rice