The False Gospel and Many Heresies of Peter S. Ruckman

Peter S. Ruckman (1921 - 2016) was a “Baptist” preacher, probably best known for his ability to illustrate while preaching. He was certainly a skilled artist, not only in his chalk talks, but also in his revelation slideshow, called “Ruckman’s Apacolypse.” Ruckman could certainly hold the attention of a crowd and people liked him for his personality, namely his ‘bad attitude.’ He was equally known for his defense of the King James Bible as being God’s perfect word in the English language, and other teachings regarding the KJB.

As a newly saved man (still in high school at the time), I was introduced to Ruckman’s ministry and was intrigued by his “Drawing Men to Christ” chalk talks and other artistic works. I started drawing when I was very young, and wanted to become a comic book artist when I got older; eventually I realized my art wasn’t very good, so I switched to writing. And so I thought it was really cool for someone to use art as a way to teach the bible and reach people with the gospel (much like Jack Chick).

Now you’ve already realized by the title of this article that I’m about to greatly criticize Ruckman’s teachings, so to prove that everything above isn’t just blowing smoke, here’s a picture of me street preaching while holding a banner illustrated by Ruckman. I do like his banners, with the exception of the white throne judgment one, where it says “Rejected God’s Only Son.” It should say, Rejected God’s only Begotten Son, as God has thousands of sons (something Ruckman actually ranted about one time when he was preaching).

This website focuses on the gospel, and so Ruckman’s gospel presentation will be examined below. However Ruckman lied so often about what the scriptures actually teach that it really deserves its own follow up section, because men still believe and spread his false teachings today. This also affects me personally because some very beloved people in my life have been heavily influenced and misguided because of this man’s work. It is a cult of personality.

Ruckman preached the three different plans of salvation you can find in modern Baptist churches, those plans being salvation by Faith Alone, salvation by Faith + Confession/Prayer, and salvation by Faith + Confession/Prayer + Repentance of Sins. But, as with many men that don’t actually consider the words coming out of their mouth, he would certainly claim to preach salvation by faith alone. The main gospel Ruckman preached was Faith + Confession/Prayer, clearly seen on the last page of his ‘Tell It Like It Is’ tract. How do you receive Christ as your Saviour according to that tract? By faith alone, or by faith + the works of confession/prayer? Surely the latter!

Ruckman has a false understanding of repentance. You can see this in a booklet still being sold today “Millions Disappear: Fact or Fiction?” that also teaches work salvation in the Tribulation. In this booklet, on page 19, Ruckman defines repentance, “God now commands “all men everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30). That means you have to give up your old way of thinking and living and turn to God.” Then that means a person’s salvation is dependent on a lifestyle change (works) and not on simple faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. This exact definition of repentance is also in the back of his book 'The Mass' and ‘Seven Baptisms.’ So this was not a one time whoopsie mistake.

Now the ‘salvation message’ on that page doesn’t mention the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ (kind of an important detail to forget!), but it sure does quote Romans 10:13 and pulls it out of context (like his tracts), telling the reader to repeat a nonsensical prayer in order to get saved. The irony in this is that Titus 3:5 is quoted at the top of the page which says, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done…” and yet Ruckman tells the reader to do the works, changing your lifestyle (repenting of sins), confession and prayer to be saved. This is not salvation by faith alone – this is a false gospel.

Ruckman also defined repentance as “Quit your meanness.” This was in a 1950s Chalk Talk broadcasted on TV. Follow the YouTube link below and go to 3:57 to hear for yourself!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=392UoirPXbE&lc=UgwOcU0h9lBiBctBErF4AaABAg&ab_channel=KJVBBGFMinistriesPhillipNewton

Defining repentance unto salvation this way makes repentance a work, because you’re turning from bad works to do good works. For example, an adulterer would have to stop committing adultery, which means he would have to obey “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” (Exo. 20:14) – that is a work of the law!

Simply believing the gospel, that Christ died for our sins, was buried and rose again the third day, and trusting in Him alone for salvation is all that’s required for a lost sinner to be saved. Repentance is a change of mind, not a change of lifestyle. Turning from sins comes after you're saved, and that's called discipleship.

Many of the tracts on his website cannot be read past the front cover (why anyone would purchase a tract without reading it first is beyond me), but there are a few that you can read in their entirety. Although many of these don't have the works based repentance, they do tell the reader to do the works of confession and prayer to be saved (all images above).

Ruckman used to call men who taught baptism was required to be saved Waterdogs. Well, I guess that makes him and others like him Prayerdogs, wouldn't it? There's lots of Prayerdogs in the Laodicean church age that deny salvation by faith alone!

It should be no surprise that Peter Ruckman was a fan of Chick tracks – same false gospel! You can still order Chick tracts from his bookstore, https://store.kjv1611.org/ .

" Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified." Galatians 2:16

"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." Galatians 1:8-9

Ruckman's Heresies & Other Noteworthy Things

Sex = Marriage

“But marriage per se, is intercourse, and it is defined as such even when there is fornication with a harlot (see 1 Cor. 6:16-18)." Ruckman, Peter. The Ruckman Reference Bible, 2009, note for Mat. 19:5

“A marriage ceremony in the Bible is not a real marriage. Marriage is flesh joining flesh…” Ruckman, Peter. Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage. 1980, (1998 reprint), Pensacola: Bible Baptist Bookstore, p. 21

"Flesh joining flesh" makes a man and woman, "man and wife" (Matt. 19:4-6; 1 Cor. 6:16; Eph. 5:31). Ruckman, Peter. The Ruckman Reference Bible, 2009, p. 499

Obviously if sex = marriage, then there is no such thing as sex outside of marriage (fornication), aside from adultery (a specific form of fornication). Marriage is more than physical intimacy. The reason you should seek marriage is to avoid fornication, "Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband." (1 Cor. 7:2) Again, if sex = marriage, then that verse makes no sense.

"And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage." John 2:2

If marriage = sex, it sure would be weird for others to ‘attend’ that. Also according to Ruckman, the marriage Jesus was called to attend wasn’t a ‘real’ marriage.

Babies in the Womb Don’t Have Souls

“I do not teach that abortion is murder, although I grant that a Fundamentalist can teach that if he wants. I don’t teach it for two reasons. In the first place, the clear scriptures in Genesis 2, as well as Job 30, 31, and Ezekiel 37, teach that there is no life in the human sense until there is breath.” (Ruckman, Peter. Bible Believers’ Bulletin. October 1990, p. 9)

Ruckman believed a baby wasn’t alive (didn’t have a soul/spirit) until it took its first breath. He believed a baby being born is the same as God breathing life into Adam’s nostrils, which is ridiculous. While he wasn’t ‘for’ abortion, he certainly didn’t believe it was murder. The baby killers of our day would love to hear this taught from a "Baptist" preacher. This is an absurd position to take in light of many scriptures. Below is one, ask yourself, how can a babe leap for joy in the womb if it doesn’t have a soul?

"For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy." Luke 1:44

Ham Raped Noah

Yep he taught that, and I’ve heard other men repeat this heresy. The only thing we know Ham ‘did’ to his father Noah, was see his nakedness (Gen. 9:22). Additionally, only Canaan was cursed out of that passage, not Ham and not all the descendants of Ham. It's hard to read English properly when you're viewing things through the lens of racism (more on that below). What could possibly compel Ruckman to teach something so ridiculous? Well, Ham is the father of the blacks. I’ll let you figure out the rest.

No Women in Heaven

"This would mean that every saved woman in the body of Christ will eventually become a THIRTY-THREE AND ONE-HALF YEAR OLD, SINLESS MALE (Phil. 3:20-21). She would be a perfect replica of the Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 8:29)."

Ibid., p. 3

"So up in Heaven, ladies, you are going to be a 33 1/2-year-old male just like your Saviour. If that seems odd or peculiar or distasteful to you Christian ladies, just remember that you have a man living inside of you (1 Tim. 2:5 cf. Col. 1:27), and that your destiny as a child of God is to be conformed to that man's image (Rom. 8:29)."

Ruckman, Peter. The Book of Luke. Pensacola, FL: BB Bookstore, 2013, p. 636

"For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself." Phil. 3:20-21

"For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren." Romans 8:29

This teaching proves Ruckman can’t read English. The words ‘like’ and ‘conformed’ do not mean ‘exact copy.’ It’s as dumb as the Black Hebrews claiming Jesus was black by saying his hair was ‘wooly’ when the verse they’re quoting in Revelation 1:14 says "white like wool", referencing the color, not the texture. But hey, perhaps Ruckman thinks there won’t be any black men in heaven either; everyone will have the same skin color. I bet he’d like that.

Interestingly, some sex perverts in our day would love to hear this teaching of no women in heaven. Transmen, as they're called, are biological women who have convinced themselves that they're actually men and pretend to be men. I bet they'd be overjoyed at such a teaching that their fantasy could one day be a reality.

Work Salvation

Peter Ruckman was absolutely in love with the idea that a filthy rotten sinner could EARN his way into heaven by doing good works. He spent much of his ministry teaching men were saved by a combination of faith/works, sometimes works alone and sometimes faith alone, throughout the bible. He even taught Adam and Eve had a plan of salvation in the garden BEFORE they fell. No one said, 'Hey stupid, Adam and Eve didn't need salvation before they fell, because obviously, they hadn't fallen yet!'

"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)

"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)

"For I am the Lord, I change not..." (Mal. 3:6) - not according to Ruckman. According to Ruckman, God is not consistent regarding how he saves sinners. Biblically, men have always been saved by grace through faith - without works.

Ruckman was full of “Demons” and a Self-Proclaimed Exorcist

"Me personally, I exorcise, the exorcist, I cast out my own demons. That's why Hymers takes that and says, "See Ruckman proves he's demon-possessed, cause he casts out his own demons." I cast out my own demons, you know, cause if I paid an exorcist to do it, you know, I might not be able to pay him and then I'd be repossessed."

"Ruckman, what I do to get 'em out?" Well, what I do is look in the mirror, and say, "You unclean spirit, get out of him... In the name of Jesus Christ, you devils get out of me. I plead the blood of Christ." and that does it, but I wouldn't say that would do it for more than 24 hours." Peter Ruckman, Demons and Christians

Why did Ruckman preach a false gospel and teach so many heresies? Maybe there was something ‘buzzing around’ up in his head. He did claim to be full of devils every 24 hours. Video link below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLQlQFDMSsg&ab_channel=RefundamentalJoe

Christians can be Devil Possessed

"Finally, when casting out demons it would be a good idea to cast them out of yourself as well as from anybody else. The idea that you can’t cast demons out of yourself is a false idea within itself. It is very clear from the word of God that you certainly can cast out demons, and it is very clear if there are many of them around, as professed to be in the word of God, you can get infested at any time." Ruckman, Peter. Theological Studies, Vol. 18, p. 44

You know it’s really idiotic to state that the word ‘demon’ isn’t in the KJB, make fun of people for using the word demon, and then go on using it yourself. This is exactly what Ruckman did. I don’t believe a KJB Believer should use the word demon. Now regarding whether or not a Christian can be devil possessed – there is no instruction given to the New Testament church regarding Christians being devil possessed or how to cast out devils. So you can go with the bible or with this false teacher on the matter.

Ruckman Told his Students to Lie to Churches for Money

According to Gene Kim who wrote the book Ruckman Ruckus, in defense of everything wrong with Ruckman, he stated that Ruckman’s PBI students were instructed by him to not mention his name on deputation, in order to get money from churches that reject his heresies. If that’s true, it is utterly satanic.

"Today, the PBI students are warned by Dr. Ruckman to never mention his name if they need deputation support [think $$$] from other churches, even "KJV Only" Fundamentalists. Authors cannot include a single one of Dr. Ruckman's books in their footnotes, because Christians and Fundamentalists will reject the authors' work." Ruckman Ruckus, Pg. 314

Ruckman was a Racist

The word racist is thrown around a lot nowadays, but it still holds meaning and is applicable to men who are indeed racist. Ruckman was known for dropping N-bombs in his preaching and also in his writings (his followers defend this foolishness). If the KKK wasn’t anti-Semitic, Ruckman said he would have joined! Because that was the ONLY thing he disagreed with regarding the KKK. Quote and link to the video below:

"The Ku Klux Klan’s like that. I’ll tell you why I never joined the Ku Klux Klan. It’s because they’re anti-semitic. And that’s the only reason I didn’t join. [laughs heartily] I mean, I agree with everything else they say. But the trouble is when you get out that way, that extreme right-wing, you begin to turn against that Jew, and I ain’t gonna turn against that Jew." - Peter Ruckman

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ot79mLfsAbc&ab_channel=dawes1611kjv

“All black people are racists. They have color-consciousness that affects every decision they make in life, and they make decisions on the basis of color.” (Ruckman, Peter. The Pastoral Epistles. 1989, p. 121)

“If you notice that no matter how much integration is carried out, the IQ of blacks is ALWAYS lower than whites…” (Ruckman, Peter. Discrimination: The Key to Sanity. 1994, p. 15)

Ever heard of Ben Carson (a black man)?

'In 1987, Carson was the lead neurosurgeon of a 70-member surgical team that separated conjoined twins Patrick and Benjamin Binder, who had been joined at the back of the head (craniopagus twins). The separation surgery held promise in part because the twin boys had separate brains.'

Ruckman didn’t understand that ‘black culture’ in America is the problem, not black people in general. There are tons of issues with black culture in America. I’ve come across several fine black individuals throughout my life that didn’t come off as racist at all - they escaped the influences of the culture.

Ruckman Believed and Supported a Doctrine of Devils

Since Peter Ruckman was in complete agreement with the KKK, aside from the anti-sematic part, that means he believed interracial marriage was wrong and strongly suggested that it should not be practiced, at least not between whites and blacks.

"Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry..." 1 Tim. 4:1-3

Since Ruckman, by his own words, was full of devils daily, is it any surprise that he would side with a doctrine of devils?

The KJV doesn't have a Copyright

The KJV is absolutely copyrighted. It has the Crown copyright. Even Ruckman admits this at one point, but still continued to say that it had none. This shows his inability to repent at the simplest of things.

https://www.cambridge.org/bibles/about/rights-and-permissions/rights-and-permissions-kjv

The Mark of a True Ministry

The mark of a true ministry (imo) is as follows: you can copy and freely give out a ministry’s materials as long as you don’t alter the message or sell the material.

For example, by God’s grace, I’ve written several tracts (shown on the Personal Projects section of this website). You are free to copy, print and redistribute those tracts. I just prefer you don't sell them. But, even if you do sell them - I don’t care! The gospel of grace is getting out and I didn’t write those tracts to make money!

Peter Ruckman used to have the mark of a true ministry, but then put an end to it because he found out other people were selling his stuff and he wasn’t getting paid (link below). If he really cared about getting the truth out, that wouldn’t have been an issue. I also remember watching an online video years back about two men complaining that they were told to take down Ruckman’s chalk talks that they had uploaded on YouTube.

https://store.kjv1611.org/an-unhappy-notice/

"Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will: The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds: But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel. What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice." Philippians 1:15-18

Was Peter S. Ruckman saved?

Certainly ruckmanites would scoff at such a question. But consider his (several) gospel presentations above for the church age; you cannot truly say he believed in faith alone for salvation.

When false teachers bewitched the Galatians, adding circumcision and the law to salvation by faith alone, Paul said to the church at Galatia, “My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you, I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you." Galatians 4:19-20

At best, one can only stand in doubt that Ruckman was a saved man. Peter Ruckman heavily distributed a false gospel, whether he was saved or lost – let him be accursed. There are many other men who stand for the KJB that preach the correct gospel and don’t have all the baggage Ruckman has.

Hopefully now you understand why I put the word Baptist is in quotations when referring to Ruckman as a 'Baptist' preacher. I don’t believe Ruckman was a Baptist, but rather infiltrated the Baptist movement in an attempt to move men away from Baptist teachings. While he stood for the KJB, his ministry makes people who hold to that position look like crazy people.

Years ago I came across a website while searching for a Ruckman quote, called Ruckmanism.com . While I certainly don’t hold to everything that’s on the site, it is an excellent source of information for many of Ruckman’s bizarre and unbiblical teachings, including a close examination of the man’s character. Some of the references have been taken from that site.