Dr. John R. Rice Got This Very Wrong

Galatians 1:6-9, “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.”

Let me say first of all that I love and respect Evangelist John R. Rice (1895-1980). Brother Rice founded The Sword Of The Lord in Dallas, Texas, in 1934, which organization still exists today. Sadly, in my humble opinion, the Sword today is a far cry from what it once was. On the front of every publication, which I receive bi-weekly, it advertises at the top of the page: “Standing for the Verbal Inspiration of the Bible, the Deity of Christ, His Blood Atonement, Salvation by Faith, New Testament Soul Winning and the Premillennial Return of Christ; Opposing Modernism, (Liberalism), Worldliness and Formalism.” Yet, in all of the dozen recent issues I have received, I see hardly any of these topics presented in their publication, which is sad. It seems to me that the present Editor, Dr. Shelton Smith, is more interested in coddling their readers, than they are to earnestly contend for the Christian faith (Jude 1:3).

That being said, I recently went on Amazon and eBay to purchase several of Dr. Rice's books that are no longer in print. I encourage you to buy his Bible commentaries as well, which are golden treasures dear friend. If you want to learn the inspired Word of God, you won't find a better Bible teacher than Dr. John R. Rice (1895-1980). Albeit, he was only an imperfect man, which Brother Rice would have been the first to admit.

By the way, I have often called my long time ministry friend, Dr. Max D. Younce (1935-2023) the John R. Rice of our generation, and he truly was. Dr. Younce's dozens of books are all still freely available, which I highly encourage you dear reader to download for safe keeping and use them for your edification. Pastor Younce was a competent and prolific Bible scholar!

One of the books that I recently bought by Dr. Rice is titled: “Dr. Rice Here Are More Questions...” (volume II from 1973). I was reading something from chapter 13 titled, “Salvation and Security.” On page 439, to answer the question: “Does God keep His children?,” Dr. Rice writes:

“I believe that all Christians will have to face Jesus Christ and that they will be sorry for their sins and be greatly embarrassed before Jesus at His coming, over things that they have done wrong. I believe that the preacher brethren that have slandered me because they hate the doctrine of eternal salvation by grace along and not of works will have to stand at the judgment seat of Christ and there confess their sin and suffer shame and terror over it. I believe they are saved but in my humble judgment they have sinned certainly worse than the ignorant young Christian who may attend movies or smoke cigarettes.” [emphasis added] —Dr. John R. Rice, “Dr. Rice Here Are More Questions...”, p. 439

I have to say that I was shocked to read what Dr. Rice just wrote. Did you catch it? He said that these so-called “preacher brethren” who “hate the doctrine of eternal salvation by grace alone and not of works” are “saved”! No Sir, they are not saved!!!

I don't know what Brother Rice was thinking when he penned these horrible words, but he couldn't be more wrong. Ironically, the entire reason for which he wrote this particular section of his book was to refute a man who wrongly accused him of teaching that Christians have a license to sin. I say “ironic” because in an attempt to defend himself he makes a different error.

Please know that I do not find any pleasure or thrill in correcting a faithful man of God of Dr. Rice's stature. He was truly a legend in his time. They named a street “Dr. John R. Rice” in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, which I saw in 2013 when I visited the small town. The Sword Of The Lord moved to Wheaton, Illinois, in 1940 after leaving Dallas; and later relocated in 1963 to Murfreesboro.

I could have just overlooked this matter today and not addressed it, but I think it provides a great opportunity to make an issue for the benefit of my readers. What Dr. Rice said contradicts the plain teaching of God's Word. No one is saved who hates the doctrine of eternal salvation by grace alone and not of works. Galatians 5:4, “Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.” If someone hates the biblical doctrine of eternal salvation by grace alone and not by works, they are NOT saved, and never have been saved.

Ephesians 2:8-9,“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” We get saved by repenting (changing our mind) to admit that we are a SINNER, and Jesus is the only SAVIOR. Whosoever comes to God as a guilty sinner, by faith (taking God at His written Word) to accept Christ's sacrifice on the cross as full payment for your sins, believing that Jesus was buried, but then physically resurrected three days later, is saved. That is “the gospel” by which all who BELIEVE IT are saved instantly, irrevocably and permanently.

No preacher gets everything correct. I have made doctrinal mistakes in the past too, which I have corrected. Every preacher hones his doctrine and preaching skills along life's journey. All God expects from us as His children is that we do better today than we did yesterday.