Why Dr. Peter Ruckman Chose Chrysostom Over Origen on Church History and Scripture)
(If you ever have to toss a coin between Chrysostom and Origen, save yourself the trouble; Chrysostom was a soulwinning, Bible-preaching missionary. Origen was a Platonic Arian who devoted his life to destroying the Textus Receptus.)
Dr. Peter S. Ruckman
Colossians Commentary, Chapter 4
This is John Chrysostom's salvation theology.
"For there is no need to say, he means, that one must go up to heaven, or cross a great sea, and then receive the commandments, but things so great and grand hath God made of easy access to us. And what meaneth the phrase, 'The Word is nigh thee?' That is, It is easy. For in thy mind and in thy tongue is thy salvation. There is no long journey to go, no seas to sail over, no mountains to pass, to get saved. But if you be not minded to cross so much as the threshold, you may even while you SIT AT HOME BE SAVED. For 'in thy mouth and in thy heart' is the source of salvation." - John Chrysostom, Romans 10:9, Homily 18 on Romans.
"What he means then is somewhat of this sort. There is no need of fetching a circuit, and of trouble, and the vexation of the works of the Law, for the salvation is by a very short way. For such is faith, it holds salvation in a few short words. For if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved. Romans 10:9 Now you see what this, the Lord shall make a short word upon earth, is. And what is indeed wonderful is, that this short word carries with it not salvation only, but also righteousness." - John Chrysostom, Homily 16 on Romans
"We have despised God, we have hated that good Name, we have trodden Christ under foot, we have lost all reverence, none names the Name of God with honor. Yet if you love any one, even at his name you start to your feet; but God you thus continually invoke, and make nothing of it. Call upon Him for the benefit of your enemy; call upon Him for THE SALVATION of your own soul; then he will be present, then you will delight Him; whereas now you provoke Him to anger. Call upon Him as Stephen did; "Lord," he said, "lay not this sin to their charge." [Acts 7:59] Call upon Him as did the wife of Elkanah, with tears and sobs, and prayers. [1 Samuel 1:10] I prevent you not, rather I earnestly exhort you to it. Call upon him as Moses called upon Him, yea, cried, interceding for those who had driven him into banishment." - John Chrysostom, Homily 10 on the Acts of the Apostles
This is Dr. Peter S. Ruckman's salvation theology.
“‘For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.’ It’s just that simple. You say, ‘That’s all there is to it?’ That’s all there is to it. You say, ‘Well, anybody can believe...’ No, they don’t. It says believe in your heart, your affections, what you love. That is you come to Christ as a sinner and you lay hold of him with your heart as your only hope, your only God, your only Savior, and you confess him as Lord. L-O-R-D. It isn’t a matter of just believing some abstract doctrine about salvation. It’s nothing just as simple as repenting, confessing, believing, being baptized, like the water dogs say. It’s a matter of laying hold with the heart of a person who is living and risen, who died for you on the cross, and confessing him as Lord, Jehovah, Jesus, Jehovah saves, God manifest in the flesh dying to save you from your sins. And if you haven’t done that, you haven’t obeyed the gospel, no matter what else you’ve done. ‘For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.’ Not believe about him, not even believe in him, believe on him. Place your confidence and hope and reliance on him. Notice: ‘Whosoever believeth on him...’ It’s a person. The Bible says thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins. It’s a person you believe on, not a thing. Things can’t save. Not even good things. You’re saved by a person. Notice it is Jesus. Not just, you know, the good Lord, or the sky pilot, or the man upstairs, and all that mess. ‘Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For’-summing it up-‘whosoever...’ Is that big enough? Why, that covers anybody. ‘Whosoever,’ not just the elect. ‘Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ What’s his name? His name’s Jesus. ‘Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ And that’s what makes a panic in hell and a celebration in heaven, when an old sinner comes stumbling in off the hot pavements of hell and puts his bleeding feet down there on Beulah Land and kneels at the feet of the Savior and says, ‘God be merciful to me a sinner and save my poor wretched soul for Jesus’ sake.’ That’ll do it. ‘Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’” - Dr. Peter S. Ruckman, Romans Study, 28 & 29 from the Lord's bloodhound, Brother Don Nesbitt's youtube channel.
And this is Diodore of Tarsus's (John Chrysostom's teacher) theology.
“Necessarily he set forth “those who call upon him.” For God does not give grace indiscriminately, and to those who do not wish it, he does not supply it so much that they do not at least ask and pray to the benefactor. But lest anyone say that many do not call upon the Lord Jesus not because of unbelief and ingratitude but because of ignorance, he shows through what follows that God also took away the excuse of their ignorance, sending evangelists and heralds exhorting and calling them to the request for the gift. Therefore he added what follows.” - Diodore of Tarsus, Romans 10 commentary.
They were all in agreement.
