Dr. Peter S. Ruckman Preached the Sinner's Prayer in the 1970s–1980s: The 1977 'Gospel Punchboard' & 1980 Vinyl Record vs. Robert Breaker (Part 6)
come, and joyfully
come. And Father, you know what some are up against, fighting and fears within
and without right now. And may they overcome these fears. And give them the
courage that this plastic, pliable Pilate didn't have. This poor man that lost
his soul because he couldn't stand against something. God help them now, this
this morning, to take your side against themselves, and side declare myself this
morning for Jesus Christ and against my own wickedness, against my religion,
against my righteousness, against my very soul. I'm on the Lord's side. And help
them to do something about it this day, we pray in the name of the Lord Jesus
Christ. Amen.
(On-screen text: November, 27, 1977 | 0:00)
(Audio from cassette: "Sunday School [GOSPEL PUNCHBOARD] DR Peter Ruckman")
Dr. Peter S. Ruckman: ...give you for this message. I call this thing up here
the "gospel punchboard," because you take a chance almost any place you land on
it. And this thing here has every doctrine in it that deals with salvation.
Doesn't look like much, but when you get into it, it has all the doctrines of
salvation on it. For example, A-B-C. Getting saved is as easy as A-B-C. A: Admit
you're a sinner. B: Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. If
thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in thine heart that
God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. Getting saved is easy as
A-B-C. The problem with folks is the first thing right there, that's the
problem. People believe about Christ, they confess Christ, but they won't admit
that they're not righteous. They won't admit that they're sinners. They won't
admit that they can't save themselves. The hardest part's the first part. A:
Admit. B: Believe. C: Confess.
(On-screen text: November, 27, 1977 | 26:01)
(Audio from cassette: "Sunday School [GOSPEL PUNCHBOARD] DR Peter Ruckman")
Dr. Peter S. Ruckman: Now listen, you're not saved by confessing your sin,
you're saved by confessing Christ. I wonder who it is that taught you you were
saved by confessing your sins? Ooh, I wonder who that could be. I wonder who it
was that taught all you folks up there a man was saved by confessing his sins.
That Bible doesn't say you're saved by confessing your sins. That Bible says
after a man's saved, he can stay clean by confessing his sins. But you weren't
told you get saved by confessing your sins. Judas confessed his and went to
hell; Balaam confessed his and went to hell; Saul confessed his and you don't
know where he is. You don't you don't know about being saved by confessing your
sins. You're saved by confessing Christ.
(On-screen text: Feb 10, 2025 | 17:44)
(Video clip of Robert Breaker)
Robert Breaker: Now, I know he changed. I know you can go online and hear him
saying it differently. I know, because some of the other tough got into the
church, the 1-2-3 repeat after me, the other gospel. But that's not what he was
like in the beginning. That's not the man my dad knew. That's not who I knew
that I heard preaching the gospel.
(On-screen text card)
The Ruckman and Breaker clips will begin at 6:00. Thank you for reading this, if
you want the history.
To understand why this video exists and what it seeks to prove, you first have
to understand the false narrative that has been constructed. Robert Breaker
falsely states that there are two Ruckmans.
First, there is a “Young Ruckman” who taught that confession was a work and that
salvation was by believing in the blood alone, not by confessing alongside
belief as two conditions.
Second, there is an “Old Ruckman” who changed his views. As Breaker puts it: “A
lot of our friends went there in the 60s, 70s, and 80s, and they’ll tell you the
exact same thing. But something changed. I see the problem was that he allowed
‘Hylesism’ to get into that place and the ‘1,2,3 repeat after me’ false gospel,
which he USED TO PREACH AGAINST in the old days.” - Robert Breaker
(Breaker put that into caps not me.)
Breaker defines the “Young Ruckman” era as the “60s, 70s, and 80s.”
This is unequivocally false.
(On-screen text card)
As I have demonstrated in the last few videos, Robert Breaker uses Dr. Ruckman's
authority to back up his belief that confession is a work.
On June 28, 2021, Don Nesbitt (w46try7) discovered this teaching and uploaded a
video about it titled,
“Please listen to this upload, it's not the same salvation material I gave
before.”
I will now let it play.
(Audio recording of Don Nesbitt)
Don Nesbitt: Hey, this is Don the troublemaker again. Um, I'm used to it. I've
been accused of that for years and years by the by Christians, by Bible
believers, whatnot. But there's just some things, um, you know, it's it's
burning in you and you you just you can't forbear. You got to speak out. You got
to say something, and it gets me in trouble with family, it gets me in trouble
with friends, it gets me in trouble with every... I'm okay with it. I'm okay
with it, cuz I know I'm not in trouble with the Lord. Uh, if I'm speaking
according to the word, rightly dividing the word. The Bible says if you're not
rightly dividing the word, then you're ashamed, and you're not approved of of
God.
(On-screen text card)
Don doesn’t name Breaker by name
The video didn’t get much attention from Breaker fans.
(Some comments name Breaker but at no point in the video, does Don name him.)
(On-screen text card)
Don makes a video on Apr 11, 2022 named
"Dr Ruckman disagreed with the Epiphany Salvation crowd"
Don mentions Breaker one time at the end of reading a Ruckman quote and never
mentions him again
(It's the same as before in the comments.)
(On-screen text card)
On Apr 28, 2022, Robert Breaker made the video
"What The Bible Says About Calling Upon the Lord,"
which I have shown you and will show you.
In it, he claims Dr. Ruckman's authority.
(Video clip of Robert Breaker)
Robert Breaker: But they'll say, "No, you don't have to believe in the blood."
Then why does the Bible say it's through faith in his blood? Why is through
faith in his blood in the Bible if it's not through faith in his blood? You're a
liar! You're a deceiver! You're deceiving people with what I call a bloodless
gospel. Did you know that's not my term that I made up? I went to uh Pensacola
Bible Institute. And the old pastor there was Peter Ruckman, and that was a term
that he made up. My dad always remembered that, my dad went to school there as
well. And uh he said Peter Ruckman used to always preach against that bloodless
gospel, that gospel that leaves out the blood of Jesus, that tells people just
come to God the best way you know how, and come to God with your mouth. That's
what he used to preach.
(On-screen text card)
“That’s what he used to preach.”
By this point, Breaker has already came up with the idea of young vs old
Ruckman.
(On-screen text card)
Breaker's video prompted a direct response from Don Nesbitt. He abandoned his
indirect approach and created a full commentary on "What the Bible says about
calling upon the Lord," featuring a frame of Breaker's footage throughout.
(On-screen text card)
Breaker responded to Don's video by posting a pinned comment on his own video,
"What The Bible Says About Calling Upon the Lord."
(On-screen text card showing screenshot of YouTube comment by
@Robertbreaker3)
Pause the video if you want to read it.
(On-screen text card showing screenshot of website article / comment)
Pause the video if you want to read it.
(On-screen text card)
It should be noted that in Don Nesbitt's YouTube comments prior to this, Dr.
Ruckman was not used as an explicit authority by Breaker to argue that
confession is a work for salvation.
(On-screen text card)
This starts the "Did Dr. Ruckman agree with Breaker?" question. Which I seek to
answer.
(On-screen text card)
Although a Breaker fan disagreed, no fan attempted to reconcile the theological
gulf.
On May 16, 2022, Don Nesbitt made the video
"Dr Ruckman answers Breaker in 2013." This is the full video.
(Audio recording of Dr. Peter S. Ruckman: "Simplicity Of Salvation")
Dr. Peter S. Ruckman: ...not of the world, even as I am not of the world. What
you going to do with that? You're not going to talk about it. I haven't one I
haven't heard one man say yet what you what what happened to a fellow if he
didn't accept the the arrangements that God had made for paying for his sins.
I've heard him talk about this atonement, you know, paying all your sins, all
your sins are all taken care of, everything's okay. God took care of it a
thousand years ago. Hey bud, why don't you tell him how that love shows on if
they don't accept it? You never mentioned that, do you? You've got to accept
what he did. They're trying to make you think that he did what he did whether
you accept that or not. Well, you could stand up and say, "Well, I believe
that," and then go right on living like you're living and wind up in hell.
You're not going to get to heaven just because you believe in your head one or
two things God said in that book. To get to heaven, you've got to accept the one
who made the atonement. Now, we have a bunch of nuts today that think that if
you pray and ask God to save you, and come to him and pray to him and ask him to
save you, that's works, so that doesn't count, that doesn't save you. When that
book says, "Whoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Those
people are what you call head people. They believe that if you assent to a thing
intellectually in your head, and believe it as it's stated, that that takes care
of things. It doesn't if you reject the one that did it. You want to see
John 3:16 in action? Just remember that the majority of any population in any on
any century, the majority does not accept it, because they don't accept the one
that did it.
(On-screen text card)
There were two reactions to this, the first being from Breaker, who made the
"young and old Ruckman" argument.
Pause the video if you want to read it.
(On-screen text card)
I want it to be noted, he will most likely delete it by the time some of you
read this. If you can not find it, you know why
(On-screen text card)
The second group of Breaker’s commenters argued that Dr. Ruckman only opposed
meaningless prayers, not sinner’s prayers in general. However, they failed to
acknowledge the key distinction: Breaker teaches that any confession required
alongside belief is a work. Based on this misunderstanding, they concluded that
Dr. Ruckman and Robert Breaker ultimately believe the same thing.
(On-screen text: 9:06)
(Video clip of Robert Breaker)
Robert Breaker: They just want to throw you one verse and then say, "Now leave
me alone." And oftentimes, that one verse in many churches has been substituted
for the plan of salvation: Romans 10:13. And they try to make calling an act of
the lips. Is it something you say with your lips that saves you? If it was that,
then wouldn't that be what you do that saves you? Is salvation based upon what
you do?
(On-screen text: 24:17)
(Video clip of Robert Breaker)
Robert Breaker: Salvation is not what you say or pray. Salvation is when you
trust in the blood of Christ.
(On-screen text card)
I made all of the following videos for one reason:
Robert Breaker vs Dr. Peter S. Ruckman Clip Comparison: Is The Sinner's Prayer a
WORK?
Robert Breaker vs Dr. Ruckman: According to Breaker, Was Ruckman Actually Saved?
Robert Breaker CAUGHT Misquoting Dr. Ruckman
Dr. Peter Ruckman Preaching the Sinner's Prayer (1950's Compilation)
Dr. Peter S. Ruckman Preaching Sinner's Prayers (1960s-70s Compilation)
...for one reason: to end the "young vs. old Ruckman" narrative and to prove
once and for all that Dr. Ruckman never agreed with Breaker on the mechanics of
salvation.
I made them to show that Dr. Ruckman never taught salvation by "sole belief in
the blood," but rather by belief and confession.
(On-screen text card)
Breaker’s primary authority for the "young Ruckman" narrative comes from his own
experience going to church in the '80s as a child and attending PBI
from 1995-1998. His authority also comes from his father, who was at PBI during
the late '70s and early '80s, the era Breaker himself calls the "YOUNG RUCKMAN."
TT
Robert Ray Breaker III was born in 1974.
(Red text added at 112:12:) This is wrong, Breaker did not attend his church as
a child.
(On-screen text card)
Therefore, this video will focus specifically on the late '70s and '80s to see
what Dr. Ruckman actually taught during his supposed "Young Ruckman" era.
(On-screen text card)
Unless the year is already provided on the tape, I will always provide proof
that a teaching from Dr. Ruckman is from a specific time period.
(On-screen text: 1:20:00)
(Audio from cassette: "1269 - 8/29/78 - TUES PM - WHY DO RIGHTEOUS SUFFER? - Dr.
Peter Ruckman")
Dr. Peter S. Ruckman: Let's sing the first stanza again, we'll close. The first
stanza. Have Thine own way, Lord, have Thine own way. If you want to come, come
on while we sing.
(Congregation sings "Have Thine Own Way, Lord")
Dr. Peter S. Ruckman: Come on, if you're going to come, last invitation.
Personal workers here to deal with you. Pastor here to pray with you. Let's go
out with things right. Things right.
(On-screen text card)
“Personal workers here to deal with you. Pastor here to pray with you.”
What did Dr. Ruckman mean by that?
(On-screen text card)
I will give the full uncut final lines from the pastor.
So, you can see what Dr. Ruckman meant.
(On-screen text: 1:20:01)
(Audio from cassette continues: Pastor's closing words)
Pastor: Terrible thing to have a controversy with God. Because I guess the the
most wretched part of it all is that while you're in the controversy, you're
miserable. And yet we are a people that so desperately look for happiness. God
said there's a peace and a joy that comes from just settling the controversy and
saying yes to him. I don't know what your controversy is tonight, but I hope and
pray that you've given it to the Lord.
If you're here tonight and you do not know that you're saved, you do not
have 100% absolute, complete, final assurance of eternal life, heaven is a home
and forgiveness of sins, you need to be saved. A church cannot save you. A
religion cannot save you. A sacrament and a ritual cannot save you. But Jesus
can. Sinner, standing before God, and I'm willing at this time to trust only the
shed blood of Jesus Christ to save me from my sin and give me eternal life. I
turn my back on everything else and look to him. And if you'll do that and reach
out by faith, he'll save you tonight. We'll sing another verse. If you're not
saved, come on this verse and allow someone to take an open Bible and show you
how to be saved.
(On-screen text card)
I want you to listen to what Dr. Ruckman is saying. He trusted in God.
This is unlike Robert Breaker, who teaches that "belief and confession as two
conditions for salvation is a work."
At the very end of this, Dr. Ruckman shows how he put his trust in God with his
mouth.
I'll play the following clip in it's full 10 minutes.
(On-screen text: 7:53)
(Audio from cassette: "1266 - 8/27/78 - Sun AM - BEHOLD THE MAN - Dr. Peter
Ruckman")
Dr. Peter S. Ruckman: ...come out indifferent, son. I don't care if
you're 50, 60, or 70. If you're so righteous you can't trust Jesus Christ,
you're quite a fellow. You know that? If God Almighty can trust him with his
righteousness, you can trust him. Never could understand. I got saved when I
was 27 years old. The first time I ever heard the gospel, I trusted Christ. I
was raised in the Episcopal Church. Right before I got converted to Christ, I
was taking convert courses from a Jesuit priest, Loyola, at Saint Francis. And
the first time I ever heard that Jesus Christ died for me as a sinner, and he'd
save me as a sinner if I'd trust him as a sinner, I trusted him. I quit trusting
the wafer and the jug of liquor. I started trusting him.
Breath smelled like rancid petunias, couple of his teeth out, he came in there
and put a quarter up on that desk for that lady at the front of the Wanamaker's.
Said, "Uh, you got Jesus in here?" And she said, "Well, we have a picture of him
in the back room if you'd like to see it." He said, "Well, my mama was a
Christian. She's dead now, and she told me when I was up here to see Jesus." And
she said, "Well, all right." Took the tickets, went back in the back room. And
that that young lady walked back behind that fellow. She wanted to see what uh
influence a piece of art like that would have, you know, on a fellow of that
obvious character. That old sea dog got back there, stood in front of that
picture for a while and looked at it, and he said, "Who's the gink in the white
dress?" She said, "That's Jesus Christ." Said, "Who's the bird with the crew
haircut?" She said, "That's Pontius Pilate." He said, "What are they doing?" And
she explained it to him. And she said, "They're saying, 'Crucify him.' They want
him nailed to a cross and killed." And the old sea dog said, "What for?" And she
said, "For nothing." And the sea dog said, "He must have been a bad man, or they
wouldn't be trying to kill him." And she said, "Sir, they're not trying to kill
him because he was a bad man. They're trying to kill him because he was a good
man." And she left.
And about 5 minutes later, she heard a roar back there like a wounded bull
moose. And she came back in to see what was the matter. And that old boy had
down his face from that picture, holding onto a chair and crying and bawling.
And she said, "What is it, sir? What is it?" And he looked up and said, "Lady,"
he said, "I don't know nothing about it. But," he said, "I cussed him all my
life. But my mama was a good woman, she's a Christian, and I'm going to trust
him, too." You know what happened to that fellow? Head-on collision. Once you
meet him, you mark it down: you'll never be the same again. And you may sin, but
you'll never enjoy sin again. It'll get real complicated once you meet him.
Let's bow our heads for prayer. Father, bless the invitation this morning. I've
just drawn a little picture here, not much of a picture of that, kind of a
little cartoon. I know our Savior is a living God, and he rose from the dead,
and he's here in the presence and person of the Holy Spirit. I know he will
receive anybody who comes. If any man, any woman, any child in this building
gets up out of their seat and comes down this aisle to trust him as a Savior, I
know he won't turn them down. You said in your book, "Him that cometh to me I
will in no wise cast out." Lord Jesus, you know I came to you many years ago the
best way I knew how. And I was just as confused as some of these people, and
just as misled, and just as full of educational, rotten nonsense as some of them
are. But I knew I was lost, and I knew I needed a Savior, and you saved me. And
I found thee. You found me, and I'm glad. And I've never been sorry, and I'm not
sorry right this minute.
And I pray this morning, as we stand and sing the invitation, there'll be men
and women, boys and girls, that will take this opportunity to trust your Son as
their Savior. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and trust his shed blood, and
trust his righteousness, the friend of sinners. And I ask it in his matchless
name. Amen, amen, and amen.
Let's stand now. I'm going to have our brother lead us in the invitation hymn
here this morning. Now, if you're worried about the time, just quit worrying
about it. Get your bearings. Nothing is as important as you finding Christ.
Nothing's any more important than that. If you're a child of God here this
morning, then nothing is as important in the world as you confessing Christ.
Your loved ones, your relatives, your friends, your enemies, your neighbors.
Let's get balance. Let's get the thing right. First things first.
Over in Germany, the ones that are saved say, "Jesus Christi is the König." By
that they mean he's the King. They say that so you won't get folks then confused
with folks who think that some man down here is the king. He's the König. He's
the first. The first. Now, if he's not first with you, God help you to put him
first today. Let's sing, Brother, lead us in a song. What are we going to sing?
Song Leader: "Just As I Am."
Dr. Peter S. Ruckman: You all know it by heart. "Just As I Am." You know the
song by heart, let's sing it. Sing out, "Just As I Am," without one plea.
(Congregation sings "Just As I Am")
(On-screen text card)
“But he just means talking to your neighbors about Jesus.”
What part does “give a sinner a clear-cut opportunity to confess Jesus Christ as
his own savior. Now, you have a chance this morning. God help you to take it.”
do you think means that?
He means two conditions. Belief and confession.
(Audio continues: Dr. Ruckman speaking over hymn)
Dr. Peter S. Ruckman: Now here's your chance here this morning. Some of you may
have never been in a church where you had a clear-cut invitation for a clear-cut
decision to receive Christ. You have a chance. Some of you folks here this
morning got saved sometime during the week, or last month. You've never
confessed Christ publicly. You ought to come. Let people know where you stand. I
was raised in a church where they had confirmation, christening, and communion.
Godfathers, godmothers, catechism, the whole thing. But not once did a preacher
ever stand here like I'm standing before you right now, and give a sinner a
clear-cut opportunity to confess Jesus Christ as his own Savior. Now, you have a
chance this morning. God help you to take it. I don't care if
you're 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, don't make any difference. That Bible said,
"Whosoever will, let him come." Let's sing "Just As I Am," and waiting not.
(Congregation sings)
Dr. Peter S. Ruckman: God help you here this morning. If you haven't received
Christ, come and receive him. If you haven't confessed him, come and confess
him. Do it now. Now. Now, don't wait. Do it now.
(Congregation sings)
Dr. Peter S. Ruckman: How many of you people here this morning, before you were
saved, you fooled around with Buddhism? Let me see your hands. Zen Buddhism,
meditation, anybody? Samadhi, nirvana? 1, 2, 3, 4, anybody else? How many of you
folks, before you were saved, you fooled around with Satanism in some form?
Satanism. 1, 2, 3, 4. How many, before you got saved, you were fooling around in
the Roman Catholic Church? Let me see your hands. Can't count them. Can't count
them! All over the building. Now, you see what we're talking about? We're not
talking about the change from one religion to another or one belief to another.
We're talking about a man finding Jesus Christ as his own Savior. And when that
happens, a lot of things begin to clear up.
Nobody going to... I'm not going to stand here and waste my time and your time
arguing about who's right and who's wrong. There's one thing that's right: you
ought to know Jesus Christ, you ought to trust him, you ought to confess him.
Now, that's right. There can't be a doubt about it. And when that's taken care
of, a lot of the problems some of you folks have going to get ironed out, and a
lot of questions going to get answered. If you don't believe me, ask some of
these other people. You got people here fooled with Buddhism before they were
saved, Satanism, seances, astrology, tea leaves, meditation, Mara, Ramakrishna,
Hare, Baba, guru, and all this stuff. And when they found Jesus Christ, they
found the answer. Now, you can, too. Let's sing another stanza. Come while we
sing. Step out. Come the best way you know how. Come receiving, come believing.
The Lord will take you if you come. The Lord will take you if you come. Come
ahead.
(On-screen text card)
They're having VERBAL SINNER’S PRAYERS AND DOCTOR PETER STURGES RUCKMAN
APPROVES.
(Audio continues: Dr. Ruckman speaking)
Dr. Peter S. Ruckman: Pastor's down here at the front to meet you. Have a word
of prayer with you. Come on, while we sing.
(Congregation sings)
Dr. Peter S. Ruckman: If I had if I had the opportunity you have this morning,
I'd take it. When I got saved, I heard the gospel for the first time. I was
sitting down there in the left-hand corner, about five rows up. Before they got
the second stanza, I was out of that seat, down that aisle. You know who came
with me the night I got saved? A 12-year-old girl. You think we didn't make a
pair a pair? I was down there 27 years old, mustache before Larry Zonk ever had
one, black shirt, yellow suit, white necktie, and three cigars in each pocket.
Next to a 12-year-old girl. I never have regretted that decision. I don't regret
it now. If I was standing where you're standing, this is the last stanza we're
going to sing, I'm going to turn the invitation over to your pastor now, last
stanza we're going to sing. If I was standing where you're standing, I'd get out
of that seat. I'd come down there and take that preacher's hand. Preacher'd say,
"What are you coming for?" I'd say, "I'm coming to receive and confess Jesus
Christ."
(On-screen text: 32:25)
(Audio from cassette: "50b-I DR. PETER S. RUCKMAN - Theology, Study of Christ:
Deity I")
Dr. Peter S. Ruckman: The same is also true of news broadcasts. You may just
notice news items coming for the last 3 years from Beirut in Lebanon, talking
about the Christians battling the Muslims...
(On-screen text: Lebanese Civil War Wikipedia entry screenshot)
(On-screen text card: 1975 + 3 = 1978)
(On-screen text card)
The teaching "Study of Christ: Virgin Birth" is numbered 49b. The next teaching
in the series, "study of Christ: Diety I," is numbered 50b-I.
Since the study "50B-I" was recorded in 1978, it logically follows that the
preceding study, "49b," must also be from 1978.
(On-screen text: 39:01)
(Audio from cassette: "49b. DR. PETER S. RUCKMAN - Theology, Study of Christ:
Virgin Birth")
Dr. Peter S. Ruckman: You see, educated people uh as a class of people, I know
there are exceptions, and I'm not making a blanket condemnation, but educated
people have a remarkable display of hypocrisy when it comes to biblical fact.
The virgin birth is an unconditional truth. Romans 10:9 and 10 says you're to
confess Jesus Christ as Lord, and if he had a human father, he's not Lord, he's
not Savior.
(On-screen text: 50:46)
(Audio from cassette: "49b. DR. PETER S. RUCKMAN - Theology, Study of Christ:
Virgin Birth")
Dr. Peter S. Ruckman: And if you don't get down on your knees and call upon the
everlasting name of the Lord God Almighty, the name that is above every name,
the name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved, ask the Lord
Jesus Christ to save your soul and wash you in the blood and make you a new
creature and regenerate you by his Holy Spirit, and then get up and see what
happens. After all, there's nothing like testing a hypothesis, is there, doctor?
May the Lord bless you, and good day.
(On-screen text card)
Robert Breaker would undoubtedly take this next clip out of context.
However, as the last clip demonstrated, Dr. Ruckman himself taught that
salvation requires both BELIEF and CONFESSION. He did not teach that it was by
"belief in Christ's blood" alone.
(On-screen text card)
Here is the fundamental disagreement:
Robert Breaker believes the HEART calls out to God inaudibly.
He teaches this happens only after a person is already saved by belief in the
blood alone.
Dr. Ruckman taught the opposite. When he says, “We read that a man needs to
confess Jesus Christ as Lord,” he is describing a conscious, active requirement
for salvation. Breaker's "call" is a silent result of salvation. Ruckman's
"call" is a verbal cause of salvation.
(On-screen text card)
Listen closely. Ruckman links CONFESSION and BELIEF together. He does not
separate them like Breaker does. He says confession is 'essential' and then
defines that saving belief involves accepting Him as the Son of God."
(Audio from cassette: "50b-I DR. PETER S. RUCKMAN - Theology, Study of
Christ: Deity I")
Dr. Peter S. Ruckman: The Bible is an anti-humanitarian book. It has designs
against what the Communists call "the people," which is the big political
phrase, "the people." Uh the people in the Bible are second, and the Lord Jesus
Christ is first. The fundamental doctrine of the fundamentalist is the deity of
Jesus Christ. Belief in the deity of Christ is essential to salvation. We read
that a man needs to confess Jesus Christ as Lord, not merely a good man.
Salvation is by believing on Jesus Christ as the Son of God, not the son of man;
not just the Jewish Messiah sent to Israel, but God manifest in the flesh.
(On-screen text card)
Ruckman and Breaker do not believe the same thing.
Breaker believes in his own words that verbal salvation as a condition for
salvation is leading them astray.
(On-screen text: 01:15:41)
(Video clip of Robert Breaker: "Asking vs Trusting")
Robert Breaker: If you're preaching and telling someone that asking is the
saving medium, and they're saved by their asking, you're a hypocrite. You're a
liar, you're a deceiver, you have a perverted gospel, and you're not saving
people. You're actually leading them astray.
(On-screen text card)
“But 80’s Ruckman believed that verbatim.”
No, he didn’t.
(On-screen text card)
1980s
Dr. Ruckman in the 1980s was in his 60s
(On-screen text card)
Lyndon B. Johnson died on January 22, 1973.
(On-screen text: 1:34:31)
(Audio recording of Dr. Peter S. Ruckman)
Dr. Peter S. Ruckman: What happened to old Lyndon Johnson? He's gone. Where's he
gone? He's gone to the judgment! Where are they? I don't find anybody around
here.
(On-screen text card)
In the same video series.
He says.
(On-screen text: 5:57)
(Image: Book cover of "The Book of Revelation" by Peter S. Ruckman)
Dr. Peter S. Ruckman: ...the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out
of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. Now it's over. Now bring
in the astronauts. Now populate outer space. If you want to do it, now is the
time to do it. Revelation 21:1-3, not 1980.
(On-screen text card)
“1980”
Right when Robert Ray Breaker II went to PBI.
Not to be confused with his son, the third.
(On-screen text: 1980 | 1:46:10)
(Audio from vinyl record: "STUDY IN REVELATION Volume 1" by Dr. Peter S.
Ruckman, 1980)
Dr. Peter S. Ruckman: At 4:00. This 4:00, when three make supplication, the Lord
will be the fourth on that occasion. At 5:00. Five is the clock, five virgins
were discarded, when five with wedding garments were rewarded. And at 6:00 a.m.,
the clock is six. I go off my station. Now, brethren, watch yourselves for your
salvation. He's coming. He's coming. If you're not ready, will you get ready
now? You say, "Preacher, how do I do it?" Simple. Bow your head there by the
phonograph, by the stereo or the hi-fi, whatever you've got there. Bow your
head. Close your eyes. Pray this prayer with me. Say, "Lord Jesus, I know I'm a
sinner." Can't you pray that? Aren't you an honest man or woman? Pray, "Lord
Jesus, I know I'm a sinner. I don't want to go to hell when I die." You see, if
you believe his word, you take him at his word to be serious. Hell is not for
heroes, hell's no joke. You don't want to go there. "I don't want to go to hell
when I die." Pray this. Say, "Right now, Lord, the best way I know how, I'm
coming to you, and I'm trusting you as my Savior. Pray, Lord Jesus, save my soul
and wash me in the blood. Make me a new creature. Let me know I'm saved." Then
pray, "Thank you, Lord, for dying for me. Thank you for shedding your blood for
me, a poor sinner. I accept you as my own Savior with all my heart and soul.
Amen." Try it. You've tried a lot of stuff. Try that, brother. Try that. Father,
bless this recording. May some soul right now pass from death to life by hearing
and believing your word. In Jesus' name. Amen.
(On-screen text card)
Well, friend.
You’ve just heard a bloodless gospel according to Robert Breaker. Allow me to
prove it in his words.
(On-screen text: Feb 10, 2025 | 48:19)
(Video clip of Robert Breaker)
Robert Breaker: I hear men preaching this, and they claim to be King James Bible
believers, they claim to be Independent Baptist, they claim to be from the
school that I went to or connected with the man. And they say things like, "Just
come to God the best way you know how, and he'll accept you." No, that's a lie.
You don't come to God the best way you know how, because the way you know might
not be the right way. You know the Bible says there is a way which seemeth right
unto a man, but the ends thereof are the ways of death? You don't come to God
your way. You come to God his way, through the blood! Because if you don't,
you're not saved.
(On-screen text card)
Before anyone says "Breaker actually just means trusting in the blood and
confessing verbally."
No. No. No. I want you to listen to him and his interpretation of Romans 10.
(On-screen text: Aug 18, 2025 | 28:43)
(Video clip of Robert Breaker)
Robert Breaker: You know, just cuz I ask somebody for something doesn't mean I
get it. I ask you for $10 million, Brody. Now am I going around telling
everybody Brody gave me $10 million? Of course, don't have it in my hand yet,
but he owes me cuz I asked him for it! That's presumptuous to think you receive
something because you ask for something. The Bible nowhere tells you to ask God
to save you. The Bible says trust him to be saved. When you believe it, then
you're saved. Some say, "Just confess Jesus as your Lord. Jesus, you're my Lord
now, I'm going to heaven!" Well, that's great that you want him to be your Lord,
and you'll see one of these videos where he says, "Pray this prayer, and just
say, 'God, I want you to be my Lord.'" Are you saved cuz you want something? You
still haven't received it yet, but you want it. Well, it's good you want it. How
do you receive it? Confession is what you do when you get saved. You don't
confess to get saved, you confess that you are saved when you believe the blood.
"Just come to God the best way you know how." Well, that's one of the reasons
why we had to leave two churches, actually. Because somebody used to say that.
The Bible says there is a way that seemeth right unto man, but the ways thereof
are the ends of death. You don't come to God the way you think you come to him.
You come through the blood, or you don't come to heaven. How how on earth could
they say, "Come to God the best way you know how"?
(On-screen text: November 6, 2025 | 01:05:17)
(Video clip: Panel discussion with Robert Breaker)
Speaker: Who is to confess with their mouth that the Lord is Jesus, or Jesus is
Lord? Wouldn't that be Israel?
Robert Breaker: Right.
Speaker: So when I read Romans 10, I see Jews asking Paul, "Hey, what about
Israel?" And he says, "Well, if a guy is is a Jew and he has confessed that
Jesus is his Lord, that Jesus is his Messiah..."
Robert Breaker: Right.
Speaker: "...and if he believes that God hath raised him from the dead, well,
then he can be saved."
Robert Breaker: Correct.
Speaker: So if he believes in who and what, then he'll be saved.
Robert Breaker: Right. I don't think he's telling you you have to do both, and
that you have to say it with the mouth or you're not saved. If he's saying you
have to believe from your heart in something and say it with your mouth at the
same time, then that would be a faith plus works gospel. Right. And that would
nullify what Jesus did, because it's not just what he did, it's what you say.
Speaker: Mhm.
Robert Breaker: Which would be a work.
(On-screen text card)
Ruckman’s (repeat after me) prayer despite mentioning the blood. Still would not
qualify as a non work in Breaker’s eyes.
Ruckman tells the person to believe in God and confess to be saved.
That is the text book of a work in Breaker’s eyes.
IF YOU DO NOT believe me, listen back to what you just heard.
(On-screen text: 55:39)
(Audio from cassette: "2521 - 8/3/84 - FRI AM - DEMONOLOGY - Peter Ruckman")
Dr. Peter S. Ruckman: ...sitting there, he was sitting between me and another
kid in the back seat. We were shoved up against the wall. I got to have
shoulders, you know, bang on the doorway getting through there. (Laughter) And I
talked to him about the Lord, talked to him about his soul. He was unsaved, he
listened real careful, and he agreed to everything. And finally, after about 15
minutes of it, he said, "Well, okay, preacher." And he bowed his head there and
prayed, and prayed the sinner's prayer. Asked God to save him. When I lead a man
to Christ, always pray, "Fill me with the Holy Spirit." That may not be good,
you know, Baptist doctrine, but it's safe. I mean, I mean, get the fish in the
boat and gaff him and knock his brains out, then he'll stay in the boat.
(Laughter) And so I said, "Fill him with the Spirit." And he said, "Lord, fill
me with the Holy Spirit. Amen."
We went on down to the mission. We got down there and they wouldn't take him. We
got back in the car, and he sobered up pretty good, I thought. And we were
driving along there in the car, and I said, "Tell you what." I said, "I got a
place out behind my trailer out there in the trailer court. It's not much of a
place, but it's a warm spring night, and none of the mosquitoes are flies are
out yet. I'll make you a pallet out there and you can sleep out there tonight."
He said, "Well, thank you." So we drove along there, about 25-minute drive back
to school. And we drove along there, and after about 15 minutes driving in the
car, that old boy sitting between us, and he went: (makes snorting/gasping
sounds) You know, I thought, "Go on, man." He goes, (imitates laughing). And I
said, "What's the matter?" He said, (laughter) "It took! It took!" (Laughter and
applause) He said, "You know, preacher, it took!" I said, "What took?" I'd
forgotten, you know, by then. I said, "What took?" He said, "That prayer I
prayed, it took!"
And that guy opened his mouth, you couldn't shut him up! He hadn't hardly said
five words, and just blabbered all the way back to that trailer court. "I mean,
my mama's up in South Carolina, my daddy's up there, and they've been praying
for me, you know, for 30 years. I'm going back, tell my mama she's got a
Christian boy." (Laughter) And, "Preacher, you don't know what I've been through
and..." Crying, "I've been in jail, I've been out of jail. Here the cops got me
here, I was beat up here, and I hurt this fellow..." Just blabbed all the way
back to place. We got back to trailer court, and I made him a pallet out there,
and I took him a Bible. I said, "Now when you leave in the morning, take this
Bible with you." I said, "Leave the flashlight and the blanket, but take the
Bible with you." "Oh yeah, man, not hawk that for a drink, man." And I said,
"Take it with you when you go." And he said, "Okay." And I started to go, and
you know what old Whitey Wood said to me? He said, "Preacher," he said, "how do
you pray?" I said, "What do you mean, how do you pray?" He said, "Well, teach me
how to pray." I said, "Well, you just talk to God like you're talking to me."
And he said, "Well, show me."
Now, they put you on the spot sometimes. I came into a guy's house about a year
ago in Pensacola, when I walked in the door, he came at me crying and said,
"Pete, show me Jesus!" You ever have that one pulled on you? "Show me Jesus!" I
just happened to have a tract in my back pocket called "Tell It Like It Is," and
I whipped it out, and had a picture of Christ crucified right there in color.
Good thing I had it on me. And came there, came there, and this this fellow, he
says, "Show me how to pray." So I said, "Well, just talk to God like you're
talking to me." He said, "Well, show me." I said, "Okay." I said, "Father, I
need some help right now. Need some food and clothes, want you to..." Prayed a
bunch of stuff for him. Went back, laid down in my trailer.
That must have been 11:30 at night. And at 12:30 in the morning, when I went to
sleep, I could hear that old boy out in the bushes. Talking to God just as fast
as he could talk. "Lord, this, and Lord, that. Lord, you know this, and Lord,
that. And Lord, I need this, and Lord, this..." At 12:30. I got up about 7:30,
went out there, and Whitey Wood was gone. He left the pillow, he left the
blanket, he left the flashlight. But one thing he took: that Bible. And let me
tell you, that fellow went back to Carolina and told what great things the Lord
had done for him, and all men did marvel. I wouldn't trade experience like that
for all the money on this earth.
All right, Father, bless the message this morning. May the Holy Spirit of God
speak to your children here this morning. This mostly your people here today.
Just show them what they're missing, that's all, Lord. I can't I can't tell
them, just you just show them. They just miss so much of life by not by not
enjoying these kind of things. And you've been so good to us, and given us so
many richly so many things richly that money couldn't buy, and there's no way to
obtain these things except in your service and your work. And Lord, I pray you
put your hand on some man in this building this morning if he's unsaved. Get him
by the nape of the neck and seat of the britches, and shake him over hell, and
get the devils out of him, and clean the demons out of him, and unclean spirits,
make him fit to live with. And Lord, if there's some Christian man here up in
years that doesn't know the excitement and the thrill of the great adventure of
witnessing for Christ, give him the courage he needs to do it. And I pray it in
Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. Brother Grace, come ahead, the Lord leads you, brother.
(On-screen text: 35:58)
(Audio from cassette: "2518 - 8/2/84 - THUR PM - FOUR JUDGEMENTS - Peter
Ruckman")
Dr. Peter S. Ruckman: If you sinned against somebody, go tell them about it. If
you sinned against the church, you'll have to tell it to the church. But for sin
where nobody knows about it but you and the Lord, you confess that thing to God,
get it fixed up with God. I had an old boy down in Panama City used to phone me
up all the time. Now, I say all the time, he'd phone me not all the time, but
he'd phone me up about once every 3 months. Every time he phoned, it'd be
after 12:00. And he always sounded like he was drunk when he'd phone up, hoarse
voice, rough voice. And the first couple of times he talked, he just let me know
he was unsaved and going to hell, and hung up before I could do much with him
with the plan of salvation. And the third time, I kept him on the line for a
while and got talking with him. And I gave him the plan of salvation, tried to
lead him to Christ over the phone. And he said, "But preacher, but preacher," he
said, "but preacher, you don't know what I've done." I said, "I don't care what
you've done. The Bible says, 'Come now, saith the Lord, let us reason together.
Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be
red like crimson, they shall be as wool.'"
(On-screen text card)
Now. How does the panama city caller access the blood of Jesus Christ?
Let’s ask Robert Breaker first!
(Video clip of Robert Breaker)
Robert Breaker: I call that the beggar's gospel. And you know what that is? Do
you realize that is what's called universalist unitarianism? See, back in
the 1800s, there was what's called the Universalist Unitarians. And they did not
like the atoning blood of Christ, and they were very vocal against blood
atonement. And they said, "We don't believe in blood atonement of Christ,
someone else died for you. That's repugnant to us. We believe that if you want
salvation, you just go to God and ask him to forgive you your sins." And that's
where this teaching came from. And I I don't accept this teaching, because I see
it as a cult teaching of people that denied the blood atonement of Christ.
(On-screen text card)
Wow! Dr. Ruckman damned a soul to hell with a cult’s teaching? I’m glad we have
people like you to warn us against heretics like Dr. Ruckman, O’ Robert Breaker.
(On-screen text card)
But wait! Let’s ask Dr. Ruckman now.
How did you do it, Dr. Ruckman?
(Audio from cassette continues: "2518 - 8/2/84 - FOUR JUDGEMENTS")
Dr. Peter S. Ruckman: He says, "Yeah, but I've killed a man." I said, "Whether
you killed a man or not, the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanseth from
all sin."
(On-screen text card)
But how do you access it, Dr. Ruckman?
(Audio continues)
Dr. Peter S. Ruckman: He says, "Well, I'm I mean cold blood." I said, "I don't
care if it's cold blood or not! Moses killed a man in cold blood." I said, "The
blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanseth from all sin. Not just the ones you
don't do."
(On-screen text card)
But how do you access it?
(Audio continues)
Dr. Peter S. Ruckman: Yeah, hell. And and over the phone he said, "Well, I'm uh
I'm a hitman." He said, "I've killed a lot of people for money." I said, "Bud,
either hang up or listen. The blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanseth us
from A-L-L, all sin. That's it. You want it, don't you?"
(On-screen text card)
Does Dr. Ruckman agree with Breaker?
No, keep listening.
(Audio continues)
Dr. Peter S. Ruckman: He said, "Okay, Father." Guess what religion he was! But I
don't mind, I'm a father, I got seven kids. And so I bowed my head over the
telephone, closed my eyes, and prayed with him, and he prayed, and he got saved,
received the Lord.
(On-screen text card)
Wait! Prayer? That’s a work if Robert Breaker is to be believed.
You’ought to be ashamed of yourself Dr. Ruckman that Robert Ray III Breaker’s
father personally saw and witnessed.
And witnessed enough for his son to use his experiences as a personal authority
to say young and old Ruckman had doctrinal differences regarding sinner’s
prayers.
Wait, a second I'm starting to think young and Old Ruckman is fake. But Breaker
wouldn’t lie to us, right? (Yes, he would. Skip to [0000])
(Audio continues)
Dr. Peter S. Ruckman: And you know something? About 2 months later, that guy
phoned me up doubting his salvation. And about 2 months later, he phoned me up
doubting his salvation. He never did get on top. And the last time I talked to
that poor critter, I said, "Listen, bud." I said, "I can't take any more of my
time and your time with this stuff. Maybe you'll see those face, those dying
men, the day you die. And maybe in your dreams at night you'll wake up screaming
with the face of those dead men and women in front of you. Maybe you'll have to
live with that the rest of your life. You reap what you sow! But God's not lying
when he told you what he told you, and if you trusted his Son, your sins are
under the blood."
(On-screen text card)
The core of the confusion is this: Robert Breaker teaches that praying to access
the blood of Christ is a "work."
However, outside of Breaker's own selectively edited clips, there is no evidence
that Dr. Ruckman ever held this view. In fact, there are mountains of evidence
showing that from his earliest recordings in the 1950s until his death, Dr.
Ruckman consistently taught and practiced the Sinner's Prayer.
(On-screen text card)
Despite this, Breaker continues to push the false narrative that the "young Dr.
Ruckman" taught that confession was a work.
(On-screen text: October 1985 | 39:21)
(Video of Dr. Peter S. Ruckman giving a chalk talk)
Dr. Peter S. Ruckman: You know, I I really, honestly, I uh without any sarcasm
intended, I feel sorry for people like Pontius Pilate. I feel sorry for people
who can't face a thing and then decide one way or another. Uh it's I've never
had the trouble some people have. Of course, I got my own troubles, you got your
trouble, everybody got some kind of trouble. But I never had a trouble that
that's one problem I've never had in life. I'll be 64 here in about a month.
(On-screen text card)
1921 + 64 = 1985
(On-screen text card)
I will show the full unedited footage to deny any cherrypicking allegations.
(On-screen text: October 1985 | 59:32)
(Video continues)
Dr. Peter S. Ruckman: Now, probably in this building somewhere right now,
there's a man who's a good man as far as men go, and the only thing in the world
keeping you from getting saved is just courage to get out of your seat and
confess Christ your Savior. We ought to stand and sing an invitation hymn here.
I'd like every Christian in this building that's saved, I want you to pray
before we stand. I want you to pray and ask God to give anybody in this building
here this morning the courage they need to do what they know is right. Just pray
that prayer while we sing. Pray that prayer. Say, "God, that person that needs
to receive Christ and wants to receive Christ, give them courage." Some of you
don't understand that, see? It'd be easy for you, it's easy for me. First time I
heard the gospel, I got saved. I was down the aisle before they sang two
stanzas. Nothing to me. But it's a terrible price for some men to pay, and
they're timid, and they're they tend to be cowardly when faced with a moral
issue. You pray for them here and ask God to help them. Let's sing "Just As I
Am," without one plea. You don't need your books for that. Let's sing "Just As I
Am," without one plea, but that thy blood was shed for me, and that thou bid'st
me come to thee, O Lamb of God, I come. You pray for the timid here, and the
retiring, and those that want to get along with everybody. You ask God to give
them the courage this morning to do right, and come out for Christ. All right,
Brother, lead us.
(On-screen text: October 1985 | 17:23)
(Video continues)
Dr. Peter S. Ruckman: ...theological point how to do with the Trinity, I
wouldn't burn a man at the stake. I wouldn't burn a man at the stake for
anything. I've even... (Laughter) I mean, you had a you had a you had a fine you
had God God often gives you a blessing you refuse to notice, you know. You had
two great blessings this last month. One of them is Rock Hudson kicked the
bucket. He looked like a man's man, and he was. (Laughter) And then and then and
then you had that in Frisco, that out there that shot that mayor, he killed
himself. That's a tremendous blessing. I consider that great blessings, you
know.
(On-screen text: October 1985 | 56:10)
(Video continues)
Dr. Peter S. Ruckman: ...for the Gentiles. It's funny how that thing slips in
there, see if you can't see it. One fellow says, "Well, he gave he gave
repentance to be elect among the Gentiles." It didn't say that. It said Gentile.
Any Gentile in this town can be saved. Here's a good one for you: "But what
saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth..." Unsaved, dead in
trespasses and sins, got it in his mouth. "...and in your heart." The unsaved
man has the door to salvation in his heart and his mouth. All he got to do is
confess. "If thou shalt confess with thy mouth and believe in thine heart, thou
shalt be saved." That's written to the Romans 10, the Gentiles. There ain't a
Gentile in heaven or earth that can't be saved, just like that. He's been given
repentance, he's been given a faith to be saved, and it's right in his mouth and
right in his heart. All he's got to do is use it. He just won't use it. You you
go to hell, you damn yourself, brother.
(On-screen text card)
The entire "Young Ruckman" narrative hinges on one man's memory: Robert Ray
Breaker II. His son, Robert Breaker III, claims that his father witnessed Dr.
Ruckman condemn confession as a "work" during the late '70s and early '80s.
Now, let's go back to that era. The following videos are from 1982 and 1988.
(On-screen text: 1982 | 31:37)
(Video of Dr. Peter S. Ruckman)
Dr. Peter S. Ruckman: Have I ever told you that at this school, you had to use
the King James Bible? This school has been open for 18 years, I've never...
(On-screen text: 1982 | 50:18)
(Video continues)
Dr. Peter S. Ruckman: The Lord bless you and good night.
(On-screen text: 1982)
(Video: Dr. Peter S. Ruckman speaking at pulpit)
Dr. Peter S. Ruckman: I appreciate your taking time out to watch this cartoon
chalk talk that you've watched here for the last few minutes. I trust it has
been edifying for you. And I trust that somewhere perhaps in it, the Lord may
have rebuked you for something in your life that wasn't right. I especially pray
that if you're not a child of God, not saved, the Holy Spirit has done his job
of convincing you of sin, righteous, and judgment, that you might be saved and
receive Christ.
It all depends, of course, upon this book. These chalk talks that you've been
watching are Bible chalk talks, they're the material found in this Bible. We
assume this Bible is the word of God from cover to cover, including the cover.
We believe it just as it stands right here. My own personal experience has
been 22 years of formal education, with 10 years of college work. And I wasn't
saved till I was 27 years old, after I graduated from college. I was converted
and born again by receiving Christ, and became a believer, and a believer
specifically in this book. We've been drawing you a picture that deals with the
contents of this book, which we call the Holy Bible.
If this book is right—and there's no doubt in my mind when I say it, absolutely
none, I've proved it many a time through many a year—if this book is right, a
man needs to be saved. If this book is right, a man can be saved. If this book
is right, you can be saved. And if this book is right, you can know you're
saved. It all depends on the book. It doesn't depend upon what some church
thinks about the book, or what some church professes the book teaches or says,
or what some church professes to be that's egotistical enough to think it can
control this book when it can't. Three-quarters of this book was on paper and
around before the Christian church ever showed up. When the Christian church
shows up in the New Testament, over three-quarters of this book has already been
written. The church never was the producer of this book. This book produced the
church. And this book will tell any church what to do, and where to head in, and
how to do it.
If this book is right, you need to be saved. This book says, "All have sinned
and come short of the glory of God." That's you. If this book is right, a man
can be saved. Christ said, "He that believeth on me hath everlasting life, and
shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death to life." As I've
said before, if this book is true, you can be saved. Why? There's no respect of
persons of God. Jesus Christ said, “He that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.”
He didn’t say if a man comes to him without drunkenness, without fornication,
without adultery. He said if a man came to him, he wouldn’t cast him out.
This book says the blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, cleanseth us from all sin.
Not all sins except sex perversion. Not all sin except fornication. Not all sin
except murder. Not all sin except sadism. Not all sin except dope addiction. All
sin!
If this book is right. It all depends upon whether the book’s right or not. No
church is material, one way or another. Churches can take a flying jump in the
lake as far as these things we’re talking about now are concerned. As far as
your salvation is concerned, there’s not a church in this continent that could
save a dead horse. You get into that church, you go to hell and take that church
with you.
The blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, cleanseth from all sin, this book says.
That means you can be saved, finally.
If this book is right, and there’s no doubt in my mind at all—if there’s any
doubt, it’s yours. If this book is right, you can know you’re saved. This book
says, “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son
of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life.” You can know. Paul in this
book says, “I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to
keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.”
All right, it depends on the book. If the book is right, you can be saved. You
can be saved right now, right this minute.
The only question is: will you accept what this book says, or will you not?
This book says, “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Will you call on his name?
This book says, “Believe in thine heart God hath raised him from the dead.” Will
you believe it?
This book says, if you confess him with your mouth, he’ll confess you. Will you
confess him or won’t you?
It all depends upon whether or not you believe this book to mean what it says,
and to say what it means.
I hope, as we close this program in this hour, that you’ll bow your head there
by the set, or wherever you are, and call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ
and ask him for salvation. Trust him as your Savior. Believe on him as your
Savior. He’ll save you today, if you’ll let him.
Robert Breaker (February 10, 2025):
And then it says, “And with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” What
does it mean, “confession is made unto salvation”? When you believe in the
heart, then with the mouth you confess, “Yeah, I believe in the blood. I trust
the atonement. I trust the death, burial, resurrection. I trust Jesus and what
he did to save me.”
It’s not the confession itself that’s saving you. It’s the belief that saves
you, then you confess. How do we know that? Well, it says in the Bible, “We
believe, therefore we speak.” Well, the believing is what saves you. So, “For
with the heart man believeth unto righteousness…”
This contradicts Dr. Ruckman, as he believed that both belief and confession
were vital for salvation. Look at the 1960s-1970s compilation. He said in the
Romans study that if the heart believed but didn't confess (the elevator
analogy), you weren't saved. Likewise, if you confessed but didn't believe, you
weren't saved. You see, to be saved according to Peter Ruckman, one must believe
and confess. This is not what Breaker believes.
Breaker teaches that believing is enough to save you and that adding confession
makes it a work (see the previous clips).
Dr. Ruckman kept doing the end of chalk talk sinner’s prayer. This is from 1988.
Dr. Peter S. Ruckman (1988):
…saved now for something like 39 years…
1949 + 39 = 1988
Dr. Peter S. Ruckman (1988):
Let’s stand and sing a song here in a few minutes, the invitation hymn. If
there’s anybody here tonight, and you’re not clearly on the Lord’s side, I want
you to take your stand tonight. Clearly, out-and-out. Out-and-out.
If you’re not sure you’re saved, I want you to get saved. If you don’t know of a
time and place in your life when you actually received God’s Son as your Savior,
want you to do it now.
No gimmicks. No tricks. No fast stuff. No gaff dice. No stacked deck. 52, face
up. Face up. Christ died for your sins. You take him as your Savior, he’ll take
you. For his child. You ought to come and trust him.
[Text Overlay]
I am having it repeat to emphasize the distinction between Ruckman and Breaker.
Dr. Peter S. Ruckman (1988):
…furnace. So just relax. I want to talk to you just personally for a minute. You
and me, just here, the two of us alone. And it’s not going to be about money.
And it’s not going to be about prayer. And it’s not going to be about this
telecast you’ve just seen.
What I’m interested in is, now you’ve heard this message, what are you going to
do about it? You’ve heard how to be saved. You know how to be saved. You’ve
heard what happens to a man who is not saved. Your conscience bears witness that
it’s true. And if it didn’t, you could find out if you’d pray a minute and ask
God to show you if it was true.
As we go off the air here today, why don’t you just do this? If you’re with a
crowd right now, or two or three other people, you’re not by yourself, get off
by yourself someplace. If you’re by yourself right now, while I’m talking to you
right this minute, why don’t you get on your knees right now and ask God to show
you whether what I told you was so or not? Ask him.
I’m worried about the English construction, the grammatical construction? I
could care less. I’m after your hide, whoever you are. I want you for God. I
want you for Jesus Christ. I want you in heaven. I want you in New Jerusalem.
Don’t want you in the lake of fire.
Now, if you think I’ve lied to you or misrepresented something or tried to scare
you and, you know, give you a con man job, why don’t you get down on your knees
right now? Right now, bud, right now, and say, “God, did that fellow tell me the
truth or did he not?” Try the spirits. Don’t you believe all this garbage you
see on television. Try it out. Bow your knee right now and say, “God, did that
fellow tell me the truth or did he not?”
And if I told you the truth, if I told you the truth, why don’t you right today,
right this minute, accept Jesus Christ as your Savior? Right now.
Say, “How do you do it? How do you do it, Ruckman?” It’s the easiest thing you
ever did in your life is getting saved. The hardest thing you ever did in your
life was to make up your mind to accept God’s Son as your Savior. That’s where
the problem is.
Now listen. You got your mind made up you need salvation and want to be saved,
it’s as easy as falling off a log. You just close your eyes there by that set
and pray this prayer. Say, “Lord Jesus”—go on, try it. “Lord Jesus, I know I’m a
sinner.” You can pray that, can’t you? God bless you, I can. Try it. “Lord
Jesus, I know I’m a sinner. I don’t want to go to hell when I die. So right now,
the best way I know how”—go on, pray it. See if it works. Put me to the test.
Try me out. Say, “Right now, the best way I know how, I’m going to accept your
Son as my Savior.”
Then pray, “Lord Jesus, please save me and let me know I’m saved, for Christ’s
sake. Amen.”
Try it. It’s never failed one sinner in over 1,900 years, and it won’t fail you.
“Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Dr. Peter S. Ruckman (1989):
They’ll take everything you got before they get through. They’re trying to tell
you, “Oh, prohibition didn't work.” Sure worked! You say it was too expensive.
Expensive? Why, you have in America right now, you have [clears throat] nine
million chronic alcoholics.
[Image on Screen: New York Times article, Feb. 7, 1989: "Kitty Dukakis Being
Treated For a Problem With Drinking"]
I’m not talking about people who drink. I’m not talking about drunkards. You got
nine million under treatments! Including Dukakis’s wife. [laughter] Why, every
Christmas time, this stuff starts. The Christmas season coming up right now.
(Clip transition to 1989 altar call)
If you’re here tonight and you’re unsaved, would you come down the altar right
now and join us? Would you come down right now? If you would, without standing,
without singing, would you step out of your seat and come down right now and get
on your knees here at the altar, let the pastor deal with you, have a word of
prayer with you?
[Text Overlay]
Why is the pastor praying with them if Breaker is right and Ruckman taught just
believing in the blood? What do you pray for? According to Breaker, Praying is a
work. You’re adding onto the blood atonement.
Dr. Peter S. Ruckman:
Come on, we’ll wait a couple of minutes before we pray with these ladies. If you
want to join us, right on down here. You’re in good company. Nobody here but us
sinners, boss! [laughter] You’re in good company. Come on. Somebody here
tonight, man or woman, boy or girl? Come on down. “Believe on the Lord Jesus
Christ, and thou shalt be saved.”
The following sermon, “Romans 8:28,” is from 1989. Dr. Ruckman states he has
been preaching for “41 years.” (1948 + 41 = 1989) This places it at the very end
of the era Robert Breaker defines as the “Young Ruckman.”
Dr. Peter S. Ruckman (1989):
I’ve been preaching about one man for 41 years, [applause] and never even seen
him yet. [laughter] Ain’t we preachers fools? Bragging about somebody for 41
years, just talking about him, talking about him, talking about him, talking
about him, never seen him.
Dr. Peter S. Ruckman (1989):
I knew a little girl one time up in Holland, Michigan. Her name was Ruth Ann
Knaber. Knaber to you, but Knaber to a Dutchman or a German. And Ruth Ann Knaber
lived up in Holland, Michigan, and she was a strange, you know, weird little
cat. First time I met her, she was about 13 years old. I’d go up there and
preach for Garland Scofield in Holland, Michigan, stand there and shake hands
with folks going by after the service, and when the week was all over, Ruth
would come up there and shake my hand. She’d stand there with tears just running
down her face. And, uh, dropping on her dress. Wouldn’t blow her nose, wouldn’t
wipe this, stand there just [sniffles] like that. [laughter]
That girl was utterly without guile. You ever met a little squirt like that in
your life? I mean, just—her mother and daddy were lost, her brothers were lost.
She had a a real mean, wicked brother that’d tell dirty jokes in front of her to
embarrass her after she got saved. Her mother and daddy would make her sleep up
on the third story in the winter, and she’d catch pneumonia every winter. They
hated her because she went to a Baptist church. They’re all Reformed, you know.
Them Reformed folks in Holland, Michigan, Grand Rapids, they’re just about as
bad as the Catholics in New Jersey and the Mormons in Salt Lake City. And you’re
going to get throwed out of the house because you go to a Baptist church.
And Ruth Ann would go to the church, and she’d go by herself, and a beautiful
little—pretty little girl, you know. She got to be about 15 years old, you know,
and one day I was talking with her, and I said, “Ruth,” I said, “what’s the
matter with your brothers anyway?” And she said, “Oh, Brother Ruckman, they just
have a dirty heart.”
Now, that don’t sound like much, but that the average 15-year-old girl in
America is more sophisticated than that. But not Ruth Ann. She’d just come out
with anything. She was always in contact with the Lord. She’d say, “They just
have a dirty heart.”
I remember thinking to myself, “Yeah, that’s the problem. They got a dirty
heart. That’s it.”
When she got to be about 16, a bunch of boys picked her up one night going to
have a gang job, you know, and took her off down the street. And she got in the
car, and she just innocent as a lamb going to the slaughter, never, never—no
pretense, nothing, just—you weren’t safe around Ruthie. I mean, whatever you
said, whatever she said back to you was right from the throne, every time. And
she got in that car, she turned around and saw a guy in the back seat, she said,
“Oh, hello, Charlie! You’re a Christian, aren’t you?” [laughter] And old Charlie
[laughter] got out of that car, and they hadn’t driven two blocks, and she said,
“Where are we going, fellas, to a prayer meeting?”
