A Doctrine of Devils? The Unbiblical Teachings of Dake

Introduction: The Man, The Bible, and The Enduring Controversy

Overview of Finis Dake and His Lasting Impact

Finis Jennings Dake (1902-1987) stands as one of the most influential yet controversial Bible teachers of the twentieth century. His most famous work, the Dake’s Annotated Reference Bible, first published completely in 1963, contains more notes than any other study Bible ever published. With over 35,000 commentary notes, 500,000 cross-references, and 9,000 sermon outlines, it gives the impression of being the most thorough Bible study tool available.

But quantity does not equal quality. And in Dake’s case, the sheer volume of his notes has served to spread dangerous theological errors throughout the church. Today, millions of Christians use the Dake Bible, often unaware that they are reading interpretations that contradict basic Christian beliefs held for two thousand years.

The Reach of Dake’s Influence

The influence of Dake’s teachings extends far beyond those who use his study Bible. Major television evangelists and prosperity preachers have built their ministries on Dake’s foundation. Consider these endorsements:

• Creflo Dollar, the prosperity preacher who teaches that Jesus and His disciples were rich, says: “The Dake Bible helped me build a solid foundation in the Word.”
• Marilyn Hickey, another prosperity teacher, called it “the best reference and study Bible you can get!”
• Benny Hinn has openly admitted that he teaches from Dake’s systematic theology book, God’s Plan for Man, and has instructed his entire congregation to study it.
• Kenneth Copeland, though not always citing Dake directly, teaches many doctrines that originated with or were popularized by Dake, including the idea that God has a physical body.

Through these popular ministers and many others, Dake’s teachings have spread to millions of Christians who have never heard his name. This makes understanding and refuting his errors not just an academic exercise, but a matter of spiritual life and death for the church.

Statement of Purpose and Method

This report aims to provide seminary students and thoughtful Christians with a clear, biblical analysis of Dake’s most dangerous teachings. We will examine his doctrines carefully, comparing them with Scripture and with what Christians have believed throughout history. Our goal is not to attack Dake personally, but to equip believers with the discernment needed to identify and reject false teaching, no matter how popular or widely accepted it may be.

We will follow this method:

1. Present Dake’s teaching using his own words whenever possible
2. Show how this teaching contradicts clear biblical passages
3. Explain what Christians have historically believed about the doctrine
4. Demonstrate the dangerous consequences of accepting Dake’s view

Biographical Background: Understanding the Man Behind the Bible

Early Life and Conversion

Finis Dake was born on October 18, 1902, in Miller County, Missouri. His family was poor, and he received little formal education. At age seventeen, he experienced a dramatic conversion at a Pentecostal revival meeting. Almost immediately after his conversion, Dake claimed to have received what he called a supernatural “gift of scriptures.”

According to Dake’s own testimony, recorded in his book God’s Plan for Man, this gift came upon him suddenly in May 1920:

“I had been saved only about two months when God gave me a special anointing to quote Scriptures. From that day to this, I have never memorized a verse of Scripture, yet I can quote thousands of them. When I need a Scripture in teaching or writing, the Holy Spirit brings it to my mind. This is a supernatural gift, not natural ability.”

This claim would become the foundation of Dake’s entire ministry. Unlike other Bible teachers who spent years in seminary studying Greek and Hebrew, church history, and systematic theology, Dake claimed he needed no such training. God, he said, had given him direct, supernatural knowledge of the Bible.

The Scandal That Shaped His Ministry

In 1937, while pastoring a church in Zion, Illinois, Dake’s life took a dark turn that would forever stain his reputation. He was arrested and convicted under the federal Mann Act for transporting a 16-year-old girl named Emma Barelli across state lines for “immoral purposes.” The Mann Act, passed in 1910, was designed to combat prostitution and human trafficking.

Court records show that Dake:

• Took the underage teenage girl from Wisconsin to Illinois multiple times (at least once staying in a motel with her less than 30 miles from his wife/home.
• Engaged in an inappropriate relationship with her while serving as her pastor
• Initially denied the charges but then pleaded guilty
• Was sentenced to six months in federal prison
• Had his ministerial credentials revoked by the Assemblies of God

What makes this scandal particularly relevant to our study is Dake’s response to it. Rather than showing genuine repentance, Dake blamed the devil for his actions. In a letter to supporters, he wrote:

“The devil set a trap for me, and in a moment of weakness, I fell. But God has forgiven me and restored me to ministry. What Satan meant for evil, God has used for good, giving me even greater revelations of His Word during my time of testing.”

Notice several troubling aspects of this response:

1. He shifts blame to Satan rather than taking full responsibility
2. He claims God gave him special revelations as a result of his sin
3. He shows no concern for the young victim
4. He immediately returns to claiming special spiritual status

This pattern—committing serious sin while claiming special revelation from God—would characterize Dake’s entire ministry. A man who claimed direct revelations from God had violated a teenage girl under his spiritual care. This should have disqualified him permanently from ministry according to 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9. Instead, he simply started his own independent ministry and continued teaching.

Scope of This Study and Important Context

This analysis will examine Dake’s teachings across all major areas of Christian doctrine. However, as requested, we will not spend extensive time on his three most well-known heresies, though we must mention them briefly because all his other errors flow from these foundational mistakes:

These three errors about the nature of God poison everything else in Dake’s theology. When your doctrine of God is wrong, every other doctrine will be corrupted. As we examine his teachings on Christ, salvation, humanity, and the end times, we will see how these foundational errors create an entirely different religion that only superficially resembles biblical Christianity.

Section 1: A Flawed Foundation: Dake’s Aberrant Method of Biblical Interpretation

The “Gift of Scriptures”: A Claim to Infallibility

To understand how Dake arrived at his strange doctrines, we must first understand his method of interpreting the Bible. Everything begins with his claim to possess a supernatural “gift of scriptures.” This wasn’t merely a good memory or a talent for Bible study. Dake claimed direct, divine revelation.

What Dake Actually Claimed

In his writings, Dake made extraordinary claims about his ability. From God’s Plan for Man, page 3:

“I make no claim to a good memory. In fact, I have a poor memory about many things. But when it comes to the Word of God, I have a supernatural gift. I do not study to memorize Scripture. I do not use memory techniques. When I need a verse, it simply comes to mind by the Holy Spirit. This has been true since May 1920 when God gave me this gift.”

He went even further in a sermon transcript from 1955:

“Some men spend years in seminary learning Greek and Hebrew. They study church history and the writings of men. But God gave me something better—direct access to the meaning of His Word. When I read a passage, the Spirit shows me its true meaning, even if no one has seen it for 2,000 years.”

Why This Claim Matters

This claim to supernatural knowledge serves several dangerous purposes:

1. It puts Dake beyond correction. If his interpretations come directly from the Holy Spirit, then disagreeing with Dake means disagreeing with God.
2. It dismisses the need for education and accountability. Why study Greek when God tells you what words mean? Why consult commentaries when the Spirit gives you direct revelation?
3. It creates a new source of authority. The historic Protestant position is “Scripture alone” (sola scriptura). But Dake effectively taught “Scripture plus my supernatural revelations.”
4. It appeals to spiritual pride. Followers feel they have access to “deeper truths” that educated theologians have missed.

Biblical Problems with Dake’s Claim

The Bible warns repeatedly about those who claim special revelations:

• Galatians 1:8 – “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.”
• 2 Corinthians 11:13-14 – “For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.”
• 1 John 4:1 – “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.”

The true gift of the Holy Spirit leads to understanding Scripture correctly, not inventing new doctrines. As John 16:13 says, the Spirit guides us “into all the truth,” not into new revelations that contradict what God has already revealed.

Hyper-Literalism: The Engine of Heresy

Dake’s second major interpretive error was his extreme literalism. He had a simple rule that he repeated constantly: “Take the Bible literally wherever possible.” This sounds good to conservative Christians who believe in the authority of Scripture. But Dake took this principle to absurd extremes.

Dake’s Own Words on Interpretation

In his book Bible Truths Unmasked, Dake laid out his interpretive method:

“My rule is simple: God means what He says and says what He means. If the Bible says God has hands, then God has hands. If it says God has eyes, then God has eyes. If it says God walks, then God has legs to walk with. We must not spiritualize away the plain meaning of Scripture.”

In his Bible notes on Genesis 3:8, where God is “walking in the garden,” Dake wrote:

“This proves God has a body with legs and feet. How else could He walk? The idea that God is an invisible spirit without body parts is Greek philosophy, not Bible truth. When will men believe the simple statements of Scripture?”

The History of Biblical Interpretation

To understand why Dake’s method is wrong, we need to understand how Christians have historically interpreted Scripture. From the earliest days of the church, believers have recognized that the Bible uses different types of language:

1. Literal language: “Jesus was born in Bethlehem” means exactly what it says.
2. Metaphorical language: “I am the vine, you are the branches” (John 15:5) uses agricultural imagery to teach spiritual truth.
3. Anthropomorphic language: When the Bible speaks of God’s “hands” or “eyes,” it’s using human terms to help us understand an infinite God.
4. Apocalyptic language: Revelation’s beasts and symbols represent spiritual realities, not literal monsters.
5. Poetic language: The Psalms use imagery and parallelism to express truth beautifully.

The early church fathers understood this. Augustine (354-430 AD) wrote extensively about how to interpret Scripture properly. He warned against the very error Dake would later make:

“It is a miserable slavery which takes the figurative expressions of Scripture in a literal sense. For he who follows the letter, and takes figurative expressions literally, cannot lift up his mind to spiritual things.”

Why Hyper-Literalism Leads to Heresy

When you refuse to recognize figures of speech in the Bible, you end up with absurd and heretical conclusions. Let’s look at some examples:

Biblical Text	Dake’s Hyper-Literal Interpretation	Orthodox Understanding
“The eyes of the LORD are in every place” (Proverbs 15:3)	God has literal eyes that He moves from place to place to see things	God’s knowledge and awareness extend everywhere (omniscience)
“He will cover you with his feathers” (Psalm 91:4)	God has literal wings and feathers like a bird	A metaphor for God’s protection, like a mother bird protecting her young
“The LORD’s hand is not shortened” (Isaiah 59:1)	God has literal hands that could theoretically be shortened	God’s power to save is not diminished
“God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:29)	God is made of literal fire	God’s holiness consumes sin like fire consumes dross

The danger becomes clear: by refusing to recognize obvious figures of speech, Dake turned the infinite, spiritual God of the Bible into a finite, physical being. This is not being “faithful to Scripture”—it’s distorting Scripture’s clear teaching about God’s nature.

The Rejection of Church History and Christian Consensus

Having established his supernatural gift and his hyper-literal method, Dake felt free to reject two thousand years of Christian teaching. He viewed himself as a restorer of lost truth, recovering the “real” meaning of the Bible that had been hidden by tradition.

Dake’s View of Church History

Throughout his writings, Dake showed contempt for historical Christian teaching. From his Bible notes on Matthew 15:6:

“The traditions of men have made void the Word of God. This includes the creeds and confessions of the churches. The Nicene Creed, the Apostles’ Creed, the Westminster Confession—all of these are human traditions that have led people away from the plain truth of Scripture.”

In God’s Plan for Man, he was even more explicit:

“For 1,900 years, the church has been in darkness about many Bible truths. Church councils have substituted philosophy for revelation. Seminary professors have replaced the Holy Spirit with human wisdom. But God is restoring His truth in these last days through those who will simply believe His Word.”

The Value of Church History

Why should we care what Christians have believed throughout history? Isn’t Scripture alone our authority? Yes, Scripture is our final authority, but there are good reasons to respect the consensus of Christian teaching through the ages:

1. The Holy Spirit has been active throughout church history. Jesus promised the Spirit would guide the church “into all the truth” (John 16:13). Did this promise fail for 1,900 years until Dake came along?
2. The core doctrines were settled early. The deity of Christ, the Trinity, salvation by grace—these were clarified in the early centuries as the church confronted heresies. The creeds summarize biblical teaching, they don’t replace it.
3. Novel doctrines are usually false doctrines. As Jude 3 says, we should “contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.” The faith was delivered once, not hidden until Dake discovered it.
4. Humility requires learning from others. Proverbs 11:14 teaches, “Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.” Rejecting all previous Christian teaching shows dangerous pride.

What the Church Has Always Believed

Let’s contrast Dake’s novel teachings with what Christians have always believed:

Doctrine	Historic Christian Teaching	Dake’s Innovation
The Trinity	One God in three persons (Nicene Creed, 325 AD)	Three separate Gods working together
God’s Nature	God is spirit, infinite, omnipresent (John 4:24)	God has a physical body limited to one location
Christ’s Sonship	Eternally the Son, became incarnate (Chalcedon, 451 AD)	Became the Son only at His birth
Salvation	By grace alone through faith alone (Ephesians 2:8-9)	Grace plus works to maintain salvation

The Dangerous Results of Dake’s Method

When you combine claims of supernatural revelation, hyper-literal interpretation, and rejection of church history, you get a toxic brew that produces heresy after heresy. Let’s trace how this works:

1. Start with a bad method: “I have supernatural knowledge and must take everything literally.”
2. Read about God’s “eyes”: “This must mean God has literal, physical eyes.”
3. Draw a logical conclusion: “If God has physical eyes, He must have a physical body.”
4. Follow the implications: “If God has a physical body, He can’t be omnipresent.”
5. Reject correction: “Church history says God is omnipresent, but church history is wrong.”
6. Create a new god: “The real God is a physical being who moves from place to place.”

This is exactly what happened in Dake’s theology. His method guaranteed that he would arrive at heretical conclusions. And because he claimed supernatural revelation, he felt no need to submit his ideas to biblical scholars, church leaders, or historical orthodoxy.

The tragedy is that millions of Christians have been influenced by Dake’s method without realizing where it leads. They think they’re being “biblical” by taking everything literally, when in fact they’re distorting the Bible’s message and creating a god in their own image.

Section 2: A Diminished Christ: Unorthodox Teachings on the Son of God (Christology)

Dake’s errors about God the Father inevitably led to errors about God the Son. If the Trinity is really three separate Gods, then who exactly is Jesus Christ? Dake’s answer contradicts everything Christians have believed about Jesus for two thousand years.

Understanding Orthodox Christology First

Before examining Dake’s errors, we need to understand what the Bible actually teaches about Christ. This doctrine, refined through centuries of careful study and debate, is summarized in the Chalcedonian Definition (451 AD):

“We confess one and the same Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, perfect in deity and perfect in humanity, truly God and truly man… acknowledged in two natures, without confusion, without change, without division, without separation.”

In simpler terms:

• Jesus is fully God—not partly God or somewhat God, but possessing all the attributes of deity
• Jesus is fully human—not seemingly human or partly human, but truly one of us
• These two natures exist in one person—not two persons sharing a body, but one unified person
• This has been true from eternity past and will be true for eternity future

Denial of the Eternal Sonship of Christ

One of Dake’s most shocking teachings concerns when Jesus became the Son of God. According to historic Christianity, the second person of the Trinity has been the Son from all eternity. But Dake explicitly denied this fundamental truth.

Dake’s Teaching in His Own Words

In God’s Plan for Man, page 36, Dake wrote:

“The Bible nowhere teaches that Christ is the eternal Son of God. He became the Son when He was born of Mary. Before that, He was the eternal Word or the eternal Christ, but not the eternal Son. Sonship refers to His humanity, not His deity.”

In his Bible notes on Luke 1:35, he expanded:

“The angel said, ‘Therefore the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.’ Notice the future tense—’will be called.’ He was not already the Son but would become the Son through the virgin birth. This is when sonship began.”

He was even more explicit in his notes on Hebrews 1:5:

“God never said to any angel, ‘You are My Son, today I have begotten You.’ The word ‘today’ proves this was not eternal. There was a specific day when Christ became the Son—the day of His birth in Bethlehem. To teach eternal sonship is to add to Scripture what is not there.”

The History of This Heresy

Dake’s teaching is not new. It’s a form of an ancient heresy called Adoptionism, which the early church fought and rejected. Here’s a brief history:

• 2nd Century: The Ebionites taught that Jesus was just a man who became God’s Son at His baptism
• 3rd Century: Paul of Samosata taught that the Word entered the man Jesus, making Him the Son
• 8th Century: Spanish Adoptionists taught Jesus became God’s Son at His resurrection
• 20th Century: Dake and others revived this heresy, placing the adoption at Jesus’ birth

Each time this error appeared, the church rejected it because it denies the full deity of Christ and misunderstands the nature of the Trinity.

Biblical Proof of Eternal Sonship

The Bible clearly teaches that Jesus was the Son before His incarnation:

1. John 3:16-17 – “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son… God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world.”

   Notice: God sent His Son. You can’t send someone who doesn’t exist. The Son existed before being sent.

2. Galatians 4:4 – “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman.”

   Again, the Son was sent forth and then born. The sending preceded the birth.

3. 1 John 4:9-10 – “God sent his only Son into the world… he sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”

   The Son existed before entering the world.

4. Hebrews 1:2 – “In these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.”

   The Son created the world—obviously before His human birth!

5. Proverbs 30:4 – “What is his name, and what is his son’s name?”

   Written centuries before Christ’s birth, this shows the Son existed in Old Testament times.

Why This Matters

Denying eternal Sonship might seem like a minor point, but it has massive implications:

1. It denies the eternal relationship within the Trinity. If there was no eternal Father-Son relationship, then the Trinity is not a communion of love but just three beings who decided to work together.
2. It undermines the incarnation. The miracle is that the eternal Son became human, not that a human became the Son.
3. It questions Christ’s deity. If Jesus only became the Son at birth, what was He before? Dake’s system makes Him a created being who was promoted to sonship.
4. It destroys our adoption. We become children of God by being united to the eternal Son. If He’s not eternally the Son, our adoption is meaningless.

A Catastrophic View of Christ’s Kenosis (Self-Emptying)

Another major error in Dake’s Christology concerns what happened when Christ became human. The Bible says He “emptied himself” (Philippians 2:7), but what does this mean? Dake’s answer strips Christ of His deity during His earthly life.

What Dake Taught About Christ’s Earthly Ministry

In his Bible notes on Philippians 2:7, Dake wrote:

“Christ emptied Himself of His divine attributes when He became man. He laid aside omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence. During His earth life, He was not God in the full sense but a man anointed with the Spirit.”

In God’s Plan for Man, page 127, he expanded this teaching:

“People think Jesus did miracles because He was God. This is error. He did miracles by the power of the Holy Spirit, just as any Spirit-filled believer can do. He said, ‘I can of mine own self do nothing’ (John 5:30). This proves He had laid aside His divine power.”

In his notes on Luke 4:1, Dake made an even more shocking claim:

“Jesus had to be filled with the Spirit because He had emptied Himself of deity. Without the Spirit’s power, He could do no miracles. This is why He received the Spirit at His baptism—to enable Him to function as the Messiah without using His own divine attributes, which He had laid aside.”

The Orthodox Understanding of Kenosis

What does the Bible actually teach about Christ’s “emptying”? Let’s look at the full passage:

Philippians 2:5-8 – “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

Notice carefully:

• Christ was “in the form of God”—possessing the very nature of deity
• He didn’t consider this “a thing to be grasped”—not something to hold onto for His own advantage
• He “emptied himself”—but how? The text tells us: “by taking the form of a servant”
• He added humanity to His deity, He didn’t subtract deity from His person

Throughout church history, orthodox teachers have understood that Christ:

1. Veiled His glory (but remained glorious)
2. Voluntarily limited the use of His attributes (but still possessed them)
3. Lived in dependence on the Father (but remained equal to the Father)
4. Experienced human limitations (but remained unlimited in His divine nature)

Biblical Evidence That Jesus Remained Fully God

The Gospels make it clear that Jesus never ceased being God:

Divine Attribute	Displayed During Earth Ministry	Scripture Reference
Omniscience	Knew people’s thoughts	Matthew 9:4 – “Knowing their thoughts”
Omnipotence	Had authority over nature	Mark 4:39 – Calmed the storm by His word
Omnipresence	Present in heaven while on earth	John 3:13 – “The Son of Man who is in heaven”
Divine Authority	Forgave sins	Mark 2:5-7 – “Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
Divine Nature	Received worship	Matthew 14:33 – “They worshiped him”

If Jesus had truly emptied Himself of divine attributes, none of these things would have been possible. A non-omniscient being cannot know all thoughts. A non-omnipotent being cannot command nature. A non-divine being cannot forgive sins or receive worship.

The Danger of Dake’s Teaching

Why is this error so serious? Because it presents us with a different Jesus:

1. Dake’s Jesus is not truly God incarnate. He’s a man who used to be God and will be God again, but wasn’t God during His earth life. This is not the Jesus of the Bible.
2. Dake’s Jesus cannot be our perfect mediator. 1 Timothy 2:5 says we need a mediator who is both God and man. Dake’s Jesus was only man during His earth ministry.
3. Dake’s Jesus cannot reveal God to us. Jesus said, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). But if Jesus wasn’t fully God, then seeing Him doesn’t show us the Father.
4. Dake’s view opens the door to the prosperity gospel. If Jesus did miracles just as a Spirit-filled man, then we should be able to do everything He did. This becomes the basis for claiming we can be as healthy and wealthy as Jesus.

The Non-Physical Resurrection: Completing the Destruction of Orthodox Christology

Dake’s errors about Christ don’t stop with His incarnation and earth ministry. He also taught false doctrine about Christ’s resurrection, claiming Jesus did not rise in the same physical body that was crucified.

Dake’s Teaching on the Resurrection Body

In his notes on 1 Corinthians 15:44, Dake wrote:

“Christ’s resurrection body was not the same body that was crucified. That body saw corruption and returned to dust. At the resurrection, Christ received a new spiritual body like the one He had before the incarnation. This is the pattern for our resurrection.”

In God’s Plan for Man, he tried to explain away Jesus eating fish after the resurrection:

“When Jesus ate fish to prove He was not a ghost, He was demonstrating that spiritual bodies can become physical temporarily. But His normal state was spiritual, not physical. He could materialize and dematerialize at will.”

What the Bible Actually Teaches

The Gospels go to great lengths to prove Jesus rose in the same body that died:

1. The tomb was empty (Matthew 28:6). If Jesus got a new body, what happened to the old one?
2. Jesus showed His wounds (John 20:27). He told Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands.” The resurrection body bore the marks of crucifixion.
3. Jesus emphasized physicality (Luke 24:39). “See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.”
4. Jesus ate physical food (Luke 24:42-43). This wasn’t a trick or temporary materialization, but proof of genuine physical resurrection.
5. Prophecy demanded it (Psalm 16:10). “You will not… let your holy one see corruption.” Christ’s body could not decay.

Why Physical Resurrection Matters

The physical resurrection of Christ is essential to the Christian faith:

1. It validates Jesus’ claims. He predicted He would rise “on the third day” (Matthew 16:21). A spiritual resurrection wouldn’t fulfill this.
2. It guarantees our resurrection. Christ is “the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:20). As He rose physically, so will we.
3. It defeats death completely. Death affects the body. If Christ didn’t rise bodily, death wasn’t defeated.
4. It affirms creation’s goodness. God will redeem our physical bodies, not discard them for spiritual ones. This shows the created order matters to God.

The Cumulative Effect: A Different Christ

When we put together all of Dake’s teachings about Christ, we see he proclaimed a different Jesus than the one revealed in Scripture:

Biblical Christ	Dake’s Christ
Eternally the Son of God	Became the Son at birth
Fully God and fully man in one person	Laid aside deity to become only man
Did miracles by His own divine power	Did miracles only by the Holy Spirit
Rose in the same body that was crucified	Received a new spiritual body
Currently has a glorified physical body	Currently has a spiritual body

This is not a matter of minor theological differences. Dake preached “another Jesus” (2 Corinthians 11:4), and those who follow his teaching are trusting in a false Christ who cannot save.

Section 3: A Fantastical Cosmology: The Pre-Adamic World and Fallen Angels

One of the most elaborate and bizarre aspects of Dake’s theology is his teaching about what happened before Genesis 1:2. According to Dake, billions of years elapsed between the first two verses of the Bible, during which an entire civilization rose and fell. This isn’t just speculation about the age of the earth—it’s a complete reimagining of biblical history that affects every major doctrine.

Understanding the Gap Theory

The Basic Version

Before examining Dake’s extreme version, we should understand the basic “Gap Theory” that some conservative Christians have held. This theory suggests:

• Genesis 1:1 describes God’s original, perfect creation
• Something happened to ruin this creation (usually Satan’s fall)
• Genesis 1:2 describes the ruined state: “without form and void”
• The six days of Genesis 1 describe a re-creation or restoration

Some respected Bible teachers have held this view as a way to reconcile Scripture with geological evidence for an old earth. While this basic gap theory has problems, it’s not necessarily heretical. But Dake took it to wild extremes.

Dake’s Expanded Version

In his Bible notes and in God’s Plan for Man, Dake constructed an elaborate mythology about the pre-Adamic world. According to him, this wasn’t just a gap—it was an entire age lasting billions of years, complete with races, civilizations, and a cosmic war.

The Pre-Adamic World According to Dake

Lucifer’s Original Kingdom

From Dake’s notes on Genesis 1:2:

“Before Adam, the earth was inhabited by pre-Adamic races ruled by Lucifer. God had given Lucifer a throne on earth (Ezekiel 28:13-14) and made him ruler over these races. The earth was beautiful, perfect, and full of light. This period lasted for millions or perhaps billions of years.”

In God’s Plan for Man, page 55, he elaborated:

“Lucifer’s kingdom on earth included great cities, advanced civilizations, and multiple races of beings. These were not humans as we know them, but intelligent creatures created to serve under Lucifer’s rule. The earth was the jewel of the universe, and Lucifer’s throne was the most exalted in creation after God’s own throne.”

The First Rebellion and Flood

Dake taught that Lucifer eventually rebelled, wanting to be equal with God. From his notes on Isaiah 14:12-15:

“When Lucifer said ‘I will ascend into heaven,’ he was on earth. His five ‘I wills’ were spoken from earth, proving his throne was here. His rebellion involved the pre-Adamic races, who joined him in attempting to invade heaven and overthrow God.”

According to Dake, God judged this rebellion with a catastrophic flood—not Noah’s flood, but “Lucifer’s flood.” From his notes on Genesis 1:2:

“The earth became ‘without form and void’ through divine judgment. God sent a universal flood that destroyed all life and froze the entire planet. This is why we find fossils and oil deposits—they are the remains of the pre-Adamic world. The earth remained in this ruined, chaotic state for perhaps millions of years until God decided to re-create it for Adam.”

Demons as Disembodied Pre-Adamites

One of Dake’s strangest teachings concerned the origin of demons. He claimed they were the spirits of the pre-Adamic races who died in Lucifer’s flood. From God’s Plan for Man, page 118:

“Demons are not fallen angels. Angels have bodies and don’t need to possess people. Demons are the disembodied spirits of the pre-Adamic races who followed Lucifer in rebellion. When their bodies were destroyed in the flood, their spirits remained on earth, seeking bodies to inhabit. This is why demons always seek to possess humans or animals.”

The Problems with Dake’s Cosmology

No Biblical Support

The most fundamental problem with Dake’s elaborate pre-Adamic world is that it has absolutely no biblical support. It’s pure speculation built on misinterpreted verses. Let’s examine his “proof texts”:

Dake’s Claim	His “Proof Text”	What the Verse Actually Says
Lucifer ruled pre-Adamic races on earth	Ezekiel 28:13-14	Describes the king of Tyre using imagery of Eden, not a pre-Adamic world
The earth “became” void (was ruined)	Genesis 1:2	Hebrew word “hayah” usually means “was,” not “became”
A flood before Noah’s flood	2 Peter 3:5-6	Refers to Noah’s flood, not a pre-Adamic flood
Demons are pre-Adamic spirits	No verse cited	The Bible never says this; pure speculation

Contradicts Clear Scripture

Dake’s cosmology doesn’t just lack support—it contradicts what the Bible clearly teaches:

1. Death came through Adam. Romans 5:12 says, “Sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin.” If pre-Adamic races lived and died, then death existed before Adam’s sin.
2. Adam was the first man. 1 Corinthians 15:45 calls Adam “the first man.” Not the first man of a new creation, but the first man period.
3. Creation was “very good”. Genesis 1:31 says God saw everything He had made and it was “very good.” This couldn’t be true if the earth was a rebuilt ruin covering billions of dead bodies.
4. Satan fell after creation week. In Ezekiel 28:13-15, Satan is “in Eden, the garden of God” and was “perfect” until iniquity was found in him. Eden was created during the six days, so Satan must have fallen after creation week, not before.

The Connection to Dake’s Racial Theology

This bizarre cosmology about genetic purity and racial contamination provides the theological foundation for Dake’s later teachings on racial segregation. If God destroyed entire populations to maintain genetic purity, if racial mixing was Satan’s strategy to corrupt humanity, then it follows (in Dake’s twisted logic) that racial segregation must be God’s will.

From his notes on Acts 17:26 (the same passage where he listed his “30 reasons for segregation” – Only after Dake’s Death did his family have these 30 reasons for racism removed from the study Bible. You will need a Dake’s Bible published before 1990 to see what Dake really believed.):

“As God separated Noah to preserve pure humanity, and as He separated Israel from the hybrid races of Canaan, so He has separated the races today. To mix the races is to repeat the sin of Genesis 6 and follow Satan’s plan for genetic corruption.”

This is where Dake’s cosmology reveals its truly evil nature. He has taken obscure passages about ancient history and created a theological system that:

• Makes racial purity a divine mandate
• Compares interracial marriage to the sin that caused the flood
• Suggests some races might be less than fully human
• Provides divine justification for racism and segregation

God’s Commands to Israel Had Specific Religious Reasons

When God commanded Israel to destroy certain Canaanite cities, it was because of their extreme wickedness and idolatry:

• Leviticus 18:24-25 lists their sins: child sacrifice, sexual perversions, idolatry
• God gave them 400 years to repent (Genesis 15:16)
• Not all Canaanites were destroyed—Rahab (a Canaanite) is in Jesus’ genealogy!
• The issue was always religious corruption, never racial purity

The Danger of Dake’s Cosmology

Why spend so much time refuting Dake’s fantasies about the pre-Adamic world? Because this cosmology:

1. Undermines the authority of Scripture by adding massive amounts of speculation
2. Distorts the nature of sin and salvation by making it about genetics rather than rebellion against God
3. Provides theological justification for racism by making racial purity a divine concern
4. Creates fear and superstition about demons and spiritual warfare
5. Distracts from the real message of Genesis—God’s good creation, human sin, and God’s plan of redemption

The Bible’s actual message is beautifully simple: God created the world good, humans sinned, and God provides salvation through Jesus Christ. We need the gospel.

Section 4: A Corrupted Gospel: Dake’s Doctrine of Salvation (Soteriology)

At the heart of Christian faith lies the gospel—the good news that sinners can be saved by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ. This is the message that has transformed lives for two millennia. But Dake’s doctrine of salvation corrupts this gospel at every point, turning good news into bad news, freedom into bondage, and grace into works.

Understanding the Biblical Gospel First

Before examining Dake’s errors, let’s be clear about what the Bible actually teaches about salvation:

Salvation by Grace Alone

• Ephesians 2:8-9 – “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
• Titus 3:5 – “He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy.”
• Romans 11:6 – “But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.”

Justification is a Completed Act

• Romans 5:1 – “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God.”
• Romans 8:30 – “And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified.”
• Justification is God declaring us righteous, not making us righteous—it’s a legal verdict, not a process

Dake’s “Grace Plus Works” System

While Dake used evangelical language about grace and faith, his actual teaching added works as a requirement for both getting saved and staying saved. This fundamentally changes the gospel from good news to bad news.

What Dake Actually Taught

In God’s Plan for Man, Dake included a shocking chapter titled “Thirty Things That Grace Cannot Do.” Here are some direct quotes:

“Grace cannot save a sinner who will not repent and turn from his sins… Grace cannot keep a Christian saved who turns back to sin… Grace cannot forgive sins that have not been confessed and forsaken… Grace cannot take a rebel to heaven when he has qualified himself for hell by rejecting God’s plan of redemption.”

In his Bible notes on Galatians 5:4, he wrote:

“One can fall from grace and be lost again. To teach ‘once saved, always saved’ is to encourage sin. Every Christian must maintain his justification by continued obedience, confession, and faithfulness. One unconfessed sin can send a believer to hell.”

Perhaps most revealing is this quote from page 324 of God’s Plan for Man:

“The 1,050 commands in the New Testament are for Christians to obey. Every act of obedience is an act of faith and works combined to maintain justification before God. To break one command without repentance is to forfeit salvation.”

The Historical Context: Fighting Cheap Grace?

To be fair, Dake was reacting against a real problem in some churches—what Dietrich Bonhoeffer called “cheap grace,” the idea that people can pray a prayer and live however they want. But Dake’s solution was worse than the problem. Instead of teaching the biblical balance of grace that transforms, he taught a system of works that enslaves.

Why This Destroys the Gospel

Dake’s system fundamentally contradicts the biblical gospel:

Biblical Gospel	Dake’s System
Justified by faith alone	Justified by faith plus obedience to 1,050 commands
Justification is complete	Justification must be “maintained”
Saved by grace	Grace has 30+ limitations
Security in Christ	One unconfessed sin loses salvation
Peace with God	Constant fear of losing salvation

This isn’t a minor theological difference. Paul said if anyone preaches a different gospel—even an angel from heaven—they should be accursed (Galatians 1:8). Dake preached a different gospel.

The Prosperity Gospel: Health and Wealth Guaranteed

Dake was one of the founding fathers of what’s now called the “prosperity gospel” or “health and wealth gospel.” This false teaching claims that physical healing and financial prosperity are guaranteed rights of every Christian.

Guaranteed Physical Healing

From Dake’s notes on Isaiah 53:5:

“By His stripes we ARE healed—not might be, not hope to be, but ARE healed. Healing is part of the atonement just like forgiveness of sins. Every Christian has the same right to healing that they have to salvation. To remain sick is to deny what Christ purchased for you.”

In God’s Plan for Man, page 445, he made an even more extreme claim:

“It is actually a sin to be sick if you are a Christian. Since Christ bore our sicknesses, we have no right to bear them. Just as it would be wrong to go back to a life of sin after being forgiven, it is wrong to accept sickness after being healed by His stripes. Sickness is from Satan, health is from God. Choose which master you will serve.”

From his notes on James 5:14-15:

“The prayer of faith SHALL save the sick—not might, not perhaps, but SHALL. If someone is prayed for and not healed, the problem is lack of faith. Either the sick person doubts, or those praying doubt. God always wills healing. The failure is always on man’s part, never God’s.”

The Tragic Irony

The cruel irony is that Dake himself suffered from Parkinson’s disease for the last ten years of his life. According to his own teaching, this meant he was living in sin, lacked faith, or was serving Satan. His own body testified against his theology, but he never admitted his error.

Guaranteed Financial Prosperity

Dake also taught that poverty is a curse and wealth is every believer’s right. From his notes on 3 John 2:

“God wants you to prosper financially just as your soul prospers. Poverty is not humility—it’s a curse. Christ became poor so we could be rich (2 Cor. 8:9). Any Christian living in lack is not claiming their inheritance.”

In a sermon transcript from 1962, he stated:

“If you’re not prospering financially, check your giving. God promises a hundredfold return. If you give $10, expect $1,000. If you give $100, expect $10,000. This is God’s law of sowing and reaping. To expect less is to doubt God’s Word.”

Biblical Refutation of the Prosperity Gospel

The Bible clearly refutes both aspects of the prosperity gospel:

On Healing:

• Paul had a “thorn in the flesh” that God didn’t remove (2 Corinthians 12:7-9)
• Paul left Trophimus sick at Miletus (2 Timothy 4:20)
• Timothy had frequent stomach problems (1 Timothy 5:23)
• Job suffered though he was righteous (Job 1-2)
• We groan in these bodies waiting for redemption (Romans 8:23)

On Wealth:

• Jesus said “Blessed are you who are poor” (Luke 6:20)
• Paul knew how to be abased and suffer need (Philippians 4:12)
• The love of money is the root of all evil (1 Timothy 6:10)
• James rebukes favoring the rich (James 2:1-7)
• Jesus had nowhere to lay His head (Matthew 8:20)

A System of Fear and Bondage

When you combine Dake’s teaching on losing salvation with his prosperity gospel, you create a system of incredible psychological and spiritual bondage:

The Impossible Burden

Consider what Dake’s system requires:

1. Obey all 1,050 New Testament commands perfectly
2. Confess every sin immediately or lose salvation
3. Never be sick (if you are, you’re in sin)
4. Always be financially prosperous (if not, you lack faith)
5. Maintain perfect faith at all times
6. Never have a moment of doubt or weakness

This is not the “easy yoke” Jesus promised (Matthew 11:30). It’s an impossible burden that no human can bear.

Real-Life Consequences

The practical effects of this teaching are devastating:

• Sick believers feel guilty and condemned, believing their illness is their fault
• Poor believers are told they lack faith, adding shame to their struggles
• Anxious believers live in constant fear of losing their salvation
• Grieving believers wonder if their loved ones died due to lack of faith
• Struggling believers hide their problems to appear “victorious”

This is not the abundant life Jesus promised. It’s a religious prison.

The True Gospel of Grace

In contrast to Dake’s system of fear, the biblical gospel offers:

Complete Forgiveness

Colossians 2:13-14 – “Having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.”

Perfect Security

Romans 8:1 – “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

Realistic Expectations

John 16:33 – “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Genuine Peace

Romans 5:1 – “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Why This Matters

Some might say, “At least Dake emphasized holy living. Isn’t that good?” But adding works to grace doesn’t produce holiness—it produces either pride (in those who think they’re succeeding) or despair (in those who know they’re failing). True holiness comes from gratitude for grace already received, not fear of grace being lost.

Paul addressed this exact issue in Galatians. The Judaizers weren’t denying Christ—they were just adding circumcision and law-keeping to faith. Paul’s response was fierce: “You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace” (Galatians 5:4).

Dake’s system is modern Judaizing. Instead of circumcision, he added 1,050 commands. Instead of Jewish ceremonies, he added perfect health and wealth. The result is the same: a false gospel that cannot save.

The true gospel remains good news: Christ has done it all. We contribute nothing to our salvation but the sin that made it necessary. We are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, for the glory of God alone. This is the message that brings true freedom, peace, and transformation.

Section 5: A Perverted Anthropology: Dake’s Teachings on Man, Sin, and Race

Of all Dake’s theological errors, none are more morally repugnant than his teachings about race. Writing during the height of the American Civil Rights Movement, Dake used his Bible to provide divine justification for racial segregation. This wasn’t a minor footnote in his theology—it was a natural outgrowth of his entire system.

Historical Context: When Hatred Wore a Theological Mask

To understand the full evil of Dake’s racial teachings, we must remember when he wrote them:

• 1955: Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat, sparking the Montgomery Bus Boycott
• 1957: Little Rock Nine integrate Central High School under federal protection
• 1963: Dake publishes his annotated Bible with “30 Reasons for Segregation of Races”
• 1963: Martin Luther King Jr. delivers “I Have a Dream” speech
• 1964: Civil Rights Act passes, outlawing discrimination

While Christians like King were fighting for biblical justice and human dignity, Dake was providing theological ammunition for racists. His timing was no accident—he was explicitly countering the integration movement with what he claimed was biblical truth.

Man as a “Little God”: The Foundation for Pride

Before examining Dake’s racial teachings, we need to understand his doctrine of man, which elevated humanity to near-divine status.

Dake’s Teaching on Human Nature

From his notes on Genesis 1:26:

“Man is made in God’s image and likeness. Since God has a body, soul, and spirit, so does man. Since God has creative power, so does man. We are miniature gods, with all the attributes of God in lesser degree. The only difference between God and man is one of degree, not kind.”

In God’s Plan for Man, page 35, he expanded this dangerous idea:

“Adam was created with God’s own ability to create. He could speak things into existence just as God did. He had authority over all natural laws. He could have transported himself anywhere instantly, commanded nature, and lived forever. Sin reduced these abilities but did not eliminate them. Born-again believers can regain these powers through faith.”

The “Little Gods” Heresy

This teaching that humans are “little gods” is ancient heresy with modern popularity:

• Satan’s original lie was “you will be like God” (Genesis 3:5)
• God rebukes this idea: “I am God, and there is no other” (Isaiah 45:22)
• The Mormon church teaches humans can become gods
• New Age philosophy teaches we all have divine nature
• Word of Faith teachers (influenced by Dake) say “we are little gods”

The Bible teaches we are created in God’s image, which gives us dignity, rationality, and moral capacity. But we are creatures, not mini-creators. We are finite, not infinite. We are dependent, not self-existent.

A Mechanical View of Sin

Dake’s understanding of sin was equally unbiblical, treating it as an external force rather than internal corruption.

Sin as a Demonic Entity

From Dake’s notes on Romans 6:6:

“The ‘old man’ is not a nature but an evil spirit—literally the spirit of Satan that dwells in every sinner. At conversion, this demon is cast out and crucified. The believer no longer has a sin nature, only the possibility of allowing demons to re-enter through willful sin.”

In God’s Plan for Man, he taught:

“Sin is not inherent in human nature. Babies are born innocent. Sin enters when a person reaches the age of accountability and chooses to rebel, allowing the satanic nature to enter. This is why Jesus said we must become like little children—they have no indwelling sin.”

Biblical Truth About Sin

Scripture teaches that sin is far deeper than Dake imagined:

• Psalm 51:5 – “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me”
• Jeremiah 17:9 – “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick”
• Romans 7:17-20 – Paul describes sin dwelling within him even as a believer
• Ephesians 2:3 – We were “by nature children of wrath”

Sin is not an external demon but internal corruption. It’s not something outside us that we can simply expel, but something within us that must be progressively mortified through the Spirit’s work.

The Theology of Segregation: Dake’s “30 Reasons”

Now we come to the most shameful part of Dake’s theology. In the original 1963 edition of his Bible, in the notes on Acts 17:26, he included a section titled “30 Reasons for Segregation of Races.” After his death, his publishing company tried to sanitize this by changing the title to “30 Reasons for Separation of Nations,” but the original intent remains clear.

Setting the Stage: Dake’s Introduction

Before listing his “reasons,” Dake wrote this introduction:

“God wills all races to be as He made them. Any violation of this original purpose manifests rebellion to Him. This is proven by the following 30 scriptural and natural reasons for segregation of races.”

Notice: he claims racial segregation is God’s will and integration is rebellion against God. This isn’t cultural conservatism—it’s theological racism.

Examining Key “Reasons” in Detail

Dake’s “Reason” #1	“God wills all races to be as He made them. Any violation of God’s original purpose manifests insubordination to Him (Acts 17:26; Rom. 9:19-24)”
The Truth	Acts 17:26 actually teaches the opposite: “He made from one man every nation of mankind.” The emphasis is on human unity, not division. God did create diversity, but never commanded segregation.

Dake’s “Reason” #4	“Miscegenation means the mixture of races… The Bible is against different branches of the same stock intermarrying or intermingling in any way.”
The Truth	The Bible celebrates interracial marriages: Moses married a Cushite (African) woman (Numbers 12), Boaz married Ruth (a Moabite), and they’re in Jesus’ genealogy. God judged Miriam for opposing Moses’ interracial marriage!

Dake’s “Reason” #11	“Jacob’s sons destroyed a whole city to maintain segregation (Gen. 34)”
The Truth	This is perhaps the most twisted argument. Genesis 34 records Simeon and Levi’s massacre after their sister’s rape. Jacob condemned this violence (Gen. 34:30; 49:5-7). To present mass murder as God’s way of “maintaining segregation” is blasphemous.

Dake’s “Reason” #14	“God cursed angels for leaving their own ‘first estate’ and ‘their own habitation’ to marry the daughters of men (Gen. 6:1-4; 2 Pet. 2:4; Jude 6-7)”
The Truth	This connects his racist theology to his bizarre cosmology. He’s comparing interracial marriage to the sin that caused the flood—making it one of the worst possible sins. This is theological racism at its most vicious.

Dake’s “Reason” #24	“Segregation was so strong in the O.T. that an ox and an ass could not work together (Deut. 22:10)”
The Truth	This dehumanizes people of different races, comparing them to different species of animals. The agricultural law about not yoking different animals had practical reasons (they pull at different rates) and symbolic meaning about not mixing holy and unholy—nothing to do with race.

The Pattern of Perversion

Throughout his 30 reasons, Dake follows the same pattern:

1. Take a verse about something else entirely
2. Force it to be about race
3. Use it to support segregation
4. Claim this is God’s will

This isn’t biblical interpretation—it’s eisegesis (reading your views into the text) of the worst kind.

The Biblical Vision of Human Unity

What does the Bible actually teach about race and human relationships?

One Blood, One Race

• Acts 17:26 – “He made from one blood every nation of men” (the very verse Dake twisted!)
• Genesis 1:27 – All humans made in God’s image
• Malachi 2:10 – “Have we not all one Father? Has not one God created us?”

Unity in Christ

• Galatians 3:28 – “There is neither Jew nor Greek… for you are all one in Christ Jesus”
• Ephesians 2:14 – Christ “has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility”
• Colossians 3:11 – “Here there is not Greek and Jew… but Christ is all, and in all”

The Vision of Heaven

• Revelation 7:9 – “A great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne”
• Heaven is integrated! If racial unity is good enough for heaven, it’s good enough for earth

The Lasting Damage

Dake’s racial theology didn’t stay in his books. It spread through:

• Churches that used his Bible to justify segregation
• Christians who found divine sanction for their prejudice
• Unbelievers who saw the church supporting injustice
• Minorities who were told God wanted them separate and inferior

Even today, softened versions of Dake’s arguments appear in churches that discourage interracial marriage or maintain subtle segregation. The poison continues to spread.

A Theology That Produces Evil Fruit

Jesus said, “You will recognize them by their fruits” (Matthew 7:16). What fruit did Dake’s theology produce?

• Divine justification for racism
• Biblical support for segregation
• Theological opposition to the Civil Rights Movement
• Spiritual abuse of minorities
• Division in the body of Christ

This is not the fruit of the Spirit but the works of the flesh. A theology that produces such evil fruit must be rejected entirely.

The Gospel Alternative

The true gospel creates a new humanity where race-based division is destroyed:

• We’re all equally sinful, needing grace
• We’re all equally loved by God
• We’re all equally welcome at the cross
• We’re all equally members of one body
• We’ll all equally worship together forever

Any theology that divides what God has united is not from God. Dake’s racial theology stands condemned by Scripture, by history, and by its evil fruits. It must be rejected completely and replaced with the biblical vision of one new humanity in Christ.

Conclusion: A Call for Biblical Discernment

Summary of Dake’s System of Error

We have examined the theological system of Finis Jennings Dake across every major area of Christian doctrine. What we’ve discovered is not a few minor errors mixed with sound teaching, but a comprehensive corruption of biblical Christianity. Let’s summarize what we’ve found:

A Different God

• Not one God in three persons, but three separate Gods
• Not omniscient, but learning as history unfolds
• Not omnipresent, but limited to one location
• Not spirit, but possessing a physical body

A Different Christ

• Not the eternal Son, but became the Son at birth
• Not fully God during His earthly ministry
• Not raised in the same body that was crucified
• Not the unique God-man, but a pattern for us to follow

A Different Gospel

• Not saved by grace alone, but grace plus 1,050 commands
• Not justified once for all, but maintaining justification
• Not secure in Christ, but one sin away from hell
• Not realistic about suffering, but guaranteed health and wealth

A Different Worldview

• Not one creation, but multiple creations and destructions
• Not humanity united in Adam, but racial divisions ordained by God
• Not spiritual warfare, but genetic contamination
• Not the Bible’s simple narrative, but elaborate mythologies

This is not Christianity with some unusual interpretations. This is, as Paul warned, “a different gospel” (Galatians 1:6) and “another Jesus” (2 Corinthians 11:4). It’s a completely different religion wearing Christian vocabulary.

The Danger of Unchecked Influence

What makes Dake particularly dangerous is not just what he taught, but how successfully his teachings have spread. Consider the current situation:

Widespread Distribution

• The Dake Bible remains a bestseller in Christian bookstores
• Major Christian retailers promote it without warnings
• New believers receive it as gifts, thinking it’s a reliable study tool
• Pastors use it for sermon preparation, unknowingly spreading error

Celebrity Endorsements

• Television evangelists quote Dake as an authority
• Prosperity preachers build on his foundation
• Word of Faith teachers spread his “little gods” doctrine
• Millions follow teachers who were influenced by Dake

Theological Confusion

• Christians mix Dake’s teachings with biblical truth
• Errors become accepted through repetition
• New heresies build on Dake’s foundation
• Biblical illiteracy prevents people from recognizing error

The Deceptive Nature of Error

Why do so many Christians fall for Dake’s teachings? Several factors make his errors particularly deceptive:

The Appearance of Scholarship

With 35,000 notes and 500,000 references, the Dake Bible appears incredibly scholarly. Many assume that someone who quotes so many verses must be teaching truth. But quantity doesn’t equal quality, and citing verses doesn’t mean interpreting them correctly.

The Use of Biblical Language

Dake uses all the right words—grace, faith, salvation, holiness. But he pours different meanings into these biblical terms. This is what makes false teaching so dangerous: it sounds Christian while teaching anti-Christian doctrine.

The Appeal to Pride

Dake’s system appeals to human pride:

• “You can be a little god”
• “You can have supernatural knowledge”
• “You can be perfectly healthy and wealthy”
• “You can understand secrets hidden for centuries”

This appeals to our fallen nature’s desire for power and special status.

The Exploitation of Fear

While appealing to pride, Dake also exploits fear:

• “One unconfessed sin sends you to hell”
• “Sickness means you’re in sin”
• “Poverty proves lack of faith”
• “Racial mixing brings divine judgment”

Fear and pride together create a powerful psychological trap.

The Call for Discernment

How can Christians protect themselves from teachers like Dake? The Bible provides clear guidance:

Know Scripture Thoroughly

• 2 Timothy 2:15 – “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth”
• Study the Bible systematically, not just favorite verses
• Learn proper interpretation principles
• Compare scripture with scripture

Value Historical Orthodoxy

• Jude 3 – “Contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints”
• Learn what Christians have always believed
• Be suspicious of “new revelations”
• Study the creeds and confessions
• Read church history to see how errors were refuted

Test Everything

• 1 Thessalonians 5:21 – “Test everything; hold fast what is good”
• Don’t accept teaching just because it’s popular
• Check claimed revelations against Scripture
• Examine the fruit of teachings
• Ask if teaching honors God or man

Submit to Authority

• Hebrews 13:17 – “Obey your leaders and submit to them”
• Be part of a biblical church
• Submit teachings to pastoral review
• Accept correction from mature believers
• Avoid lone-ranger Christianity

A Warning and a Hope

The Warning

Jesus warned that “false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect” (Matthew 24:24). Dake claimed supernatural gifts and special revelations. His influence continues to lead many astray.

The apostle Paul warned the Ephesian elders: “I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them” (Acts 20:29-30). Dake arose from within the church, used Christian vocabulary, and drew away many disciples.

These warnings remind us that false teaching is not a minor issue. It’s a deadly danger that destroys faith, divides churches, and dishonors God. We must take it seriously.

The Hope

But there is hope. Jesus promised that His sheep know His voice (John 10:27) and that the gates of hell will not prevail against His church (Matthew 16:18). The same Holy Spirit who inspired Scripture illuminates our minds to understand it.

Throughout history, whenever false teaching has risen, God has raised up faithful teachers to refute it. The church has weathered every heresy by returning to Scripture and holding fast to “the faith once delivered.”

Final Exhortation

To seminary students and church leaders reading this analysis: You are shepherds of God’s flock. You have a sacred responsibility to:

• Protect the sheep from wolves like Dake
• Teach sound doctrine clearly and repeatedly
• Warn against specific errors, naming names when necessary
• Model careful Bible study and interpretation
• Love those deceived while hating the deception

To all believers: Don’t be discouraged by the existence of false teachers. Their presence was predicted and their defeat is certain. Instead:

• Rejoice in the true gospel of free grace
• Rest in the finished work of Christ
• Study the Word with diligence and humility
• Submit to biblical authority in a local church
• Share the true gospel with confidence

The God of the Bible—the one true God, eternally existing in three persons, infinite in all His perfections—is infinitely greater than Dake’s limited deity. The Christ of Scripture—eternally God, truly man, perfect Savior—is infinitely more glorious than Dake’s diminished Jesus. The gospel of grace—free, full, and forever—is infinitely better than Dake’s system of works and fear.

May we hold fast to these truths, reject every corruption of them, and pass on the faith unchanged to the next generation. As Paul charged Timothy, so we charge you: “O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called ‘knowledge,’ for by professing it some have swerved from the faith” (1 Timothy 6:20-21).

The truth will prevail. The gospel will triumph. The church will endure. And every false teaching, including the comprehensive errors of Finis Jennings Dake, will ultimately be exposed and defeated by the light of God’s eternal Word.

Soli Deo Gloria – To God Alone Be the Glory

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