John R. Rice Quotes of the Week

Is there anybody now who is accursed? Yes. Are there people who walk around now who are already under damnation? (I only use the term very soberly because it has been used vilely and profanely and vulgarly by so many people). You say, "Do you think there are people who walk about now who are already damned, who already have the curse of God on them, who are already blighted and cursed from God Almighty? Do you mean that?" That is exactly right. "He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." The word condemned means damned, cursed. The curse of God is on every Christ-rejecting sinner. - John R. Rice [Sweet Family Ties in Heaven and Hell, pg. 218]

It is a sad thing but in Proverbs 21:4 the Scripture says, "The plowing of the wicked, is sin." Is it wrong to plow? No, it is not wrong to plow; but everything a lost man does is sin, because his heart is sinful. How can anything good come out of a wicked heart that is turning down Jesus Christ? It cannot and it does not. - John R. Rice [Sweet Family Ties in Heaven and Hell, pg. 218]

Your heart does not please God if you turn down Christ. You may give your money; you may spend your time; you may be polished and civilized; you may be a patriotic citizen; you may buy war bonds and help the Red Cross; you may give to the poor--and yet everything you be a sin that God hates. The plowing of the wicked is sin. Everything a wicked, Christ-rejecting man does is under the curse of God. He will not repent of his sins; he will not turn from his Christ-rejection and be saved. - John R. Rice [Sweet Family Ties in Heaven and Hell, pg. 218-219]

There are those, I say it sadly, whom God has cursed. There are those who are already condemned. You ask, "Do you mean they cannot be saved?" No, no; I do not mean that. Oh, He is "not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance," says II Peter 3:9. God does not want anybody to be lost. God has paid too much for your soul to let you go. You are accursed because you will not let God save you, because you will not let God forgive you; you will not let God put a new heart in you. - John R. Rice [Sweet Family Ties in Heaven and Hell, pg. 219]

We preachers are too softhearted to preach about Hell! Do you really believe that we are so much nicer than Jesus? No, no; God forgive us! It is not softheartedness; it is cowardice. It is sometimes being afraid of the words of men. But Jesus Christ, the loving Saviour who died for people, will be your Judge if you do not take Him as your Saviour. If you do not accept forgiveness, you will have condemnation. But you must have one or the other. - John R. Rice [Sweet Family Ties in Heaven and Hell, pg. 220]

Somebody says, "Brother Rice, I am a good man." Not if you turn down Christ, you are not. Some woman ways, "Brother Rice, I am a nice, virtuous, good woman." Not if you reject Jesus Christ. Outwardly, in the sight of men, you may be nice' but in that black, wicked heart where God looks there is nothing good about you. If there were, you would have loved the Lord Jesus the first time you ever saw Him and knew that He loved sinners and died to save you. You would have run to Him, oh, so glad to know there was such a Saviour! If you had wanted to do right, you would have sought the Saviour and found Him the first time you ever heard about Him. You did not do it, so you have a wicked, black heart. You are not right; you are not trying to do right or you would turn to the Saviour. Let me lay it on your heart again that Jesus is the issue. That is right! - John R. Rice [Sweet Family Ties in Heaven and Hell, pg. 220]

I have no doubt that the stories of good fairies, once widely believed, were but the fragmentary and traditional racial memories of the ministry of angels, more common before men went so far from God. Even heathen people have such twisted, handed-down traditions.
During World War I, thousands of soldiers told the story of the angel of Mons, France, who, they said, appeared and stopped the advance of the German armies.
Angels are good friends of the people of God. - John R. Rice [Immanuel--God With Us, pg. 11]