Dr. John R. Rice Quotes of the Week

There are some things that are worse than wars. In God's sight, sin is always worse than bloodshed. Many thousands of the best men this world has ever seen have resolved that it were better to go to the war than be slaves; that it is better to die than lose freedom. In the words of Patrick Henry they said, "Give me liberty or give me death!: War is not necessarily the worst thing in the world. There are times when nations ought to fight. There are times when Christian men ought to go to the army, shoulder arms, obey orders, and if need be, die for their country. - John R. Rice

Certainly no Christian should hate individuals. No Christian ought to take delight in killing. A good father does not take delight in punishing his child although he knows it is necessary and right. A godly physician does not enjoy the pain that he gives in an operation of removing cancer, but he knows that it is necessary and right. A good officer of the law does not take vengeance on a criminal when he arrests him and stops a crime. A preacher does not indicate hate in his heart when he preaches that sinners must be born again or go to Hell. And so no one needs to have hate in his heart to obey the plain command of God about being a soldier when he is called. - John R. Rice

There are such good people, Christian people, who, because they misunderstand the Bible, are outright Pacifists. I can believe a man if he is a noble Christian and lives like a Christian, and if his denominational teaching has been that he should never take part in a war nor serve as a soldier--I can believe he is sincere and I can think that arrangements might be made to give leeway to his convictions. Men ought to obey God rather than men, but my own understanding of the Bible is that if men obey God they will obey the government, too, on this matter. And I have no confidence in a so-called "conscientious objector," who is a friend of communism and who would hinder the American war effort and bring about disobedience and rebellion among the citizenship. - John R. Rice

I have genuine respect for many Mennonite groups and Brethren groups who are conscientious objectors. Unfortunately, they usually turn away from the Old Testament as it it were not the Word of God on this matter and teach that the New Testament contradicts the Old and that Christ teaches a different morality from the Old Testament. On this they are wrong. However, we believe they are generally sincere. - John R. Rice

No one has a right to be unpatriotic or guilty of treasonous activity and claim it is from Christian scruples. - John R. Rice

Let no one take wartime as an excuse to be a rebel against government and thus a rebel against God. Sabotage, giving aid to enemies, strikes, false rumors--these are the works of criminals, not of Christians. I refer to strikes in such cases as would be against the national welfare as they often manifestly are, and as of course they always are if there is bloodshed and hate. To be a good Christian, one must be a good citizen. "The powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God" (Rom. 13:1, 2). - John R. Rice

Can Christians make good soldiers? Or to put it the other way around, Can a soldier in war be a good Christian? The answer is that he certainly can if his heart is right with God and if he is in obedience to his government in a good cause. - John R. Rice