The Prophet Habakkuk Calls Dr. Peter Ruckman A Liar

by David J. Stewart | July 2019

Habakkuk 2:4, “Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.”

       There is a frightening heresy which has already crept into many Baptist churches today—which says that people were saved by WORKS during the Old Testament, but are saved by GRACE alone today, and will again be saved by WORKS during the future Tribulation period. This false teaching boldly contradicts the plain Words of God in Galatians 1:8-9, “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.” If it were true that the plan of salvation had changed, then the apostle Paul would have said so, but he didn't. Paul warned that anyone who teaches ANOTHER GOSPEL is accursed by God!

The main proponent and instigator of this heresy (respectfully) is Pastor Peter Ruckman (1921-2016). NO MAN HAS EVER BEEN JUSTIFIED BY WORKS! If the Old Testament saints were justified by works, then they had a reason to boast in their own righteousness. We read in Romans 4:2 that if Abraham had been saved by works, then he would have had a right to glory (boast), but not of God. Romans 4:2, “For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.” Dr. Ruckman teaches that Abraham was saved by GRACE, but then once Moses received the Ten Commandments from God, salvation became by WORKS. That is of the Devil! It would be silly and foolish to claim that people were saved differently under Moses, that is, after the law was given, because then they WOULD have “whereof to glory, but not of God”!!!

NO ONE has ever been able to keep the Mosaic law (Romans 3:10-23). According to Dr. Ruckman, faith alone wasn't enough to save a sinner in the Old Testament. The very idea of mixing works with faith is satanic to the core!!! It blows my mind that Peter Ruckman and his follows teach this garbage! Robert Breaker also teaches this junk theology. Sadly, one of my former professors at Hyles-Anderson College, Dr. William P. Grady is also a big advocate of this Satanic heresy by Dr. Ruckman. So also is Pastor Gene Kim, Chett Hensley and Bryan Denlinger. It blows my mind! I am not a follower of Peter Ruckman, I simply take the good and leave the bad. I believe Peter Ruckman was saved, because he said salvation is only by grace in this Church Age today.

Yet, I seriously wonder about his salvation sometimes, since he was messed up enough to totally miss the simplicity of LAW and GRACE! Paul plainly says in Galatians 3:24-26, “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.” Did you read that? THE LAW WAS A SCHOOLMASTER TO BRING US TO CHRIST! That “us” includes the Old Testament saints! How do I know that? Why, listen to what the prophet Habakkuk proclaimed in Habakkuk 2:4, “Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.” Habakkuk declared:

“...THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY HIS FAITH.”

We find Habakkuk 2:4 quoted in three different Scripture passages in the New Testament...

Romans 1:17, “For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.”

Galatians 3:11, “But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.”

Hebrews 10:38, “Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.”

Habakkuk was under the Mosaic law. Don't miss that! Abraham lived before the law was given, but Habakkuk lived under the law! That disproves Peter Ruckman's claim that Old Testament saints were saved by WORKS! What saith Peter Ruckman? ...

The original “plan of salvation” was pure WORKS (Gen. 2:16-17), and in the Millennium the last plan of salvation is again pure WORKS (Rev. 22:14), contrary to every immature, milksop, Baptist baby in your town or city. Genesis 3:22 corrects the kiddies. (Ruckman, Peter. Ruckman’s Bible References: Personal Notes on Salient Verses in the Bible, p. 7)

For the Old Testament Dr. Ruckman has an erratic system, with the method of salvation switching back and forth, from faith to works and then back to faith, in an attempt to deal with some theological difficulties. Notice the following:

In the Old Testament, you find salvation before the Law by grace through faith and under the Law by faith and works… (Ruckman, Peter. Body, Soul, and Spirit. 1986, 1997, p. 12)

That is preposterous! I cannot fathom the disturbing theological ignorance of this brilliant man! How could anyone buy into the Devil's lie that salvation was by faith before Moses, but then became by works under the Mosaic law, and then will revert back to faith in the New Testament? Dr. Ruckman is WRONG! Salvation has ALWAYS been by faith alone.

What saith the Scripture? Isaiah 45:22, “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.” Here is a plain statement from the Scripture that salvation has ALWAYS been through faith alone in Christ—Acts 10:43, “To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.” So saith the Scripture!

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“Faith is the only righteous thing that I can do!”
—Pastor Jack Hyles, a quote from the MP3 sermon titled: “God's Reversal Of Psalm 51”

1st Corinthians 16:24, “My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.”