John R. Rice Quotes of the Week

Romans 11:6 says, "And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work." No one has a right to say "saved by grace" and mean baptism or church membership, living right or holding out faithful, etc. Grace is grace, that is, a free gift of God to people who do not deserve it. That is the only way people are saved according to the Bible. But baptismal regeneration teaching dishonors the Bible doctrine of grace. - John R. Rice

Every saved person has been taken by the Holy Spirit and buried or baptized into the body of Christ (I Cor. 12:12, 13).
The Bible speaks of this body as "the church which is his body" (Col. 1:18), and as "the general assembly and church of the firstborn" (Heb. 12:23). (However, let this church, the body of Christ, the assembly that will meet in Heaven at the rapture, not be confused with local congregations of Christians called churches.) The Bible gives example and precept for local congregations of Christians called churches. Every local church is a called-out assembly (Greek, ekklesia), but at the rapture, every saved person will be in another called-out assembly. - John R. Rice

I think it is a great mistake to make a big dispensational matter out of Pentecost. In the first place, that is not the time when the Holy Spirit came into the body of Christians to dwell. That happened the day Jesus arose from the dead, according to John 20:19-22, when Jesus breathed on the disciples and said, "Receive ye the Holy Ghost," and they did then surely receive the Holy Spirit in their bodies. Thar didn't happen at Pentecost. Pentecost was simply a time when the disciples, after waiting, were "endued with power from on high." And we have played down the Scriptures by making an artificial meaning there which the Bible does not give, so I understand. - John R. Rice

There is just one way for a Christian to approach the Bible. Where there is a clear statement that cannot be misunderstood in the Bible, then everybody must set out to believe that and all our doctrine and teaching and explanations of other Scriptures will have to fit with that. - John R. Rice

There are no contradictions in the Bible. If one tried to use one Scripture to tear down another, that is "wresting the Scriptures," which is a sin. - John R. Rice

The whole Catholic concept of popes and priests coming between people and God is wrong, unscriptural and hurtful. And Baptist popes are just as unscriptural as Catholic popes. - John R. Rice

God's best people do not drink alcoholic liquors. - John R. Rice