JOHN R. RICE QUOTES OF THE WEEK

 Envy of others who have more than we have is a natural trait of the depraved human heart. Unfortunately, for the last twenty-odd years [published in 1958] America has abounded in propaganda against the men who have earned and saved money. The socialistic New Deal under Roosevelt set out to "redistribute the wealth." By this, Roosevelt meant simply to take, by law, money from those who earned it and give it to others who had not earned it, in order to get their votes for the New Deal administration. This is a fundamental principle of Karl Marx, the father of socialism and communism. He insisted that higher income taxes for rich people, higher inheritance taxes, should be levied to take money from those who had earned it, and give it to those who were the party members, or to those who did not earn it, but wanted it. - John R. Rice [Is God A "Dirty Bully"?, pg. 42]

There is much in the Bible against the oppression of the poor, and blessed rewards are promised to those who are kind to the poor. But we are equally warned to not follow the multitude, not to follow after the crowd, and not to "countenance a poor man in his cause."
Anybody who puts the poor man before the rich man sins just as much as he who puts the rich man before the poor man. If it is right to take twenty per cent income tax from a poor man, then it is right to take only twenty per cent income tax from the rich man. If it is wrong to seize the property of the poor, it is equally wrong to seize the property of the rich, though by legal means, to give it to others. - John R. Rice [Is God A "Dirty Bully"?, pg. 43-44]

If America is to have the blessing of God in the future as it has had by mercy in the past, then Christians should return to the historic Christian faith. It is still true that "the Bible is the bulwark of our liberties" as General Grant, President Lincoln, Daniel Webster, President Woodrow Wilson, President Theodore Roosevelt and many other great Americans believed. American greatness is based on the Bible as the very Word of God. The way to God's continued blessing is for those who take the name of Christ to go back to the Bible and to the Christ of the Bible. - John R. Rice, [Great Preaching on Patriotism, pg. 77]

Not all unconverted people become criminals, of course. Sometimes there is enough discipline in the life to keep down outward appearance of sin. But inwardly, always, the deadly work goes on. Sin hardens the heart. Sin enslaves the will. The man who could have quit liquor yesterday cannot do so tomorrow. The person who could have turned unto Christ and repented, tomorrow will be so dead in his sins that he will mock at the Bible and Christ. - John R. Rice [Is God A "Dirty Bully"?, pg. 54]

The tendency of sin to grow and master the sinner is indicated in Psalm 1:1. The sinner first walks in the counsel of the ungodly, then stands in the way of sinners, then finally sits in the seat of the scornful. His association is first with unconverted people, then with gross sinners, and finally with the scorning infidel. His touch with them is at first casual, then deliberate, then final and permanent.
This course of sin is illustrated in Samson. Delilah first cost him his Christian integrity, then his hair, then his power from God, then his eyesight, then his life! - John R. Rice [Is God A "Dirty Bully"?, pg. 54]

The progress of sin in the case of Achan is described thus, "I saw . . . then I coveted them, and took them, and behold they are hid." First, people look on sin and keep company with it; then they want it; then they take it; then they excuse it and cover it. So, sin enslaves and damns. - John R. Rice [Is God A "Dirty Bully"?, pg. 54]

Whoever gained by sin? Whoever got away with crime? Did Hitler? It seemed that he had the best chance of doing it that anybody in a hundred years had. But he died with his paramour in the bunkers, died by his own hand, it is said, and his body was burned to avoid being taken in the last Allied assault on Berlin.

Did Mussolini gain by his sins, his crimes? Did he get away with them? Look at the pictures of the poor dictator hanged head downward with the lewd woman who shared his flight from the mobs and who died with him!

Poor Christ-rejecting sinner, do you think you can get by with this rebellion against God? Do you think you can escape Hell and judgment? Do you think you can escape the wasted life, the burning conscience, the certain punishment that comes on Christ-rejecting criminals? - John R. Rice [Is God A "Dirty Bully"?, pg. 59]