Source Citation: Dake, Finis Jennings. Dake Annotated Reference Bible. Lawrenceville, GA: Dake Bible Sales, 1963; God’s Plan for Man. Lawrenceville, GA: Dake Bible Sales, 1949; Revelation Expounded. Lawrenceville, GA: Dake Bible Sales, 1950. [All page references cite these editions. Original source PDFs available at: https://learntheology.com/dake_trial/]
Important Note to Readers: This comparison document presents Finis Dake’s actual teachings alongside orthodox biblical doctrine. The purpose is not to attack but to clarify, not to condemn but to correct. Many sincere believers have used the Dake Bible without realizing the serious theological errors contained in its notes. This appendix provides the documentation needed to understand why these teachings depart from historic Christian faith. Every Dake quote is sourced so readers can verify for themselves. We encourage you to search the Scriptures (Acts 17:11) and test all teaching against God’s Word.
SECTION 1: THE NATURE OF GOD
| DAKE’S TEACHING |
BIBLICAL TRUTH |
God Has a Physical Body
Dake wrote:
“God has a personal spirit body… shape, image, likeness, bodily parts such as, back parts, heart, hands and fingers, mouth, lips, tongue, feet, eyes, hair, head, face, arms, loins, and other bodily parts.”
– Dake Bible, note on Genesis 1:26, page 1
[View Source PDF]
“God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, each has His own personal spirit body, personal soul, and personal spirit in the same sense that each human being, angel, or any other being has his own body, soul, and spirit which are separate and distinct from all others.”
– God’s Plan for Man, page 51
[View Source PDF]
“The body of any being is the outward form or house in which his soul and spirit dwell… God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit… each and every separate person in the universe has a personal body.”
– God’s Plan for Man, page 51
|
God Is Spirit
Scripture teaches:
“God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”
– John 4:24
“Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.”
– Luke 24:39 (Jesus defining what a spirit does NOT have)
“Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.”
– 2 Corinthians 3:17
Orthodox Christian Teaching:
God is infinite Spirit, not confined to a body. The Westminster Confession states: “There is but one only, living, and true God, who is infinite in being and perfection, a most pure spirit, invisible, without body, parts, or passions.” When Scripture speaks of God’s “hand” or “eyes,” these are anthropomorphisms—figurative language helping us understand God’s actions and attributes, not literal physical descriptions. |
God Is Not Omnipresent in Body
Dake wrote:
“God is NOT omnipresent in body but in Spirit through the Holy Spirit.”
– Dake Bible, note on Jeremiah 23:24
[View Source PDF]
“The fact that God came down from heaven to earth on different occasions proves He moves from place to place.”
– Dake Bible, note on Genesis 11:5
“God has a throne in the north part of the universe…He is localized with a body, soul, and spirit and is not omnipresent in these respects as generally taught.”
– God’s Plan for Man, page 97
|
God Is Omnipresent
Scripture teaches:
“Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD.”
– Jeremiah 23:24
“Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.”
– Psalm 139:7-8
“For in him we live, and move, and have our being.”
– Acts 17:28
Orthodox Christian Teaching:
God is fully present everywhere simultaneously. He doesn’t travel from place to place because He already fills all of heaven and earth. When Scripture speaks of God “coming down,” it refers to special manifestations or theophanies, not God literally traveling through space. |
SECTION 2: THE TRINITY
| DAKE’S TEACHING |
BIBLICAL TRUTH |
Three Separate Gods
Dake wrote:
“The doctrine of the Trinity is simply stated as one in unity, not in number. There are three separate and distinct persons, each having His own personal spirit body, personal soul, and personal spirit.”
– Dake Bible, note on Deuteronomy 6:4
[View Source PDF]
“This means the union of three persons, the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit in one (unified) Godhead, not three persons in one person, or three persons in one body… but three separate and distinct persons in unity and eternal substance.”
– God’s Plan for Man, pages 28-29
“The word ‘one’ is used most commonly as a numerical unity in the Bible… When it does not refer to a numerical unity, the context makes this clear.”
– Dake Bible, note on Deuteronomy 6:4
|
One God in Three Persons
Scripture teaches:
“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD.”
– Deuteronomy 6:4
“I and my Father are one.”
– John 10:30
“For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.”
– 1 John 5:7
Orthodox Christian Teaching:
The Trinity is not three Gods but one God existing eternally in three persons. The Athanasian Creed states: “We worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; neither confounding the persons nor dividing the substance.” The three persons share one divine essence, not three separate essences. This is monotheism, not tritheism. |
Each Person Has Separate Body, Soul, Spirit
Dake wrote:
“God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, each and every separate person in the universe has a personal body, soul, and spirit… Each has His own personal spirit body… personal soul… and personal spirit in the same sense that each human being… has his own body, soul, and spirit.”
– God’s Plan for Man, page 51
[View Source PDF]
“The spirit is that invisible part of all living beings that know… the seat of his intellect, mind, and will… God the Father has a personal spirit… The Spirit itself reaches out and guides men do not have God’s Spirit.”
– God’s Plan for Man, page 51
|
One Divine Nature, Not Three
Scripture teaches:
“In him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.”
– Colossians 2:9
“Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person.”
– Hebrews 1:3
Orthodox Christian Teaching:
The three persons of the Trinity share one divine nature, not three separate natures. They are not three beings with three bodies, souls, and spirits. They are one Being—God—existing in three persons. Each person is fully God, yet there is only one God. This is the mystery of the Trinity, not the heresy of three Gods. |
SECTION 3: GOD’S ATTRIBUTES
| DAKE’S TEACHING |
BIBLICAL TRUTH |
God’s Limited Omnipotence
Dake wrote:
“Within God’s own realm He is omnipotent, but there are certain spheres in which He does not and cannot operate, and there are certain things He cannot do. We must therefore be sensible when we consider omnipotence—unlimited and universal power and authority within a certain sphere, or of a certain kind.”
– God’s Plan for Man, page 63
[View Source PDF]
“God limits Himself, according to His own revelation of Himself, along other lines, whether by nature or by choice is not always stated. For example, God’s compassion and love are considered infinite and all-comprehensive, yet He naturally has to limit the exercise of His love to those that will not conform to His plan.”
– God’s Plan for Man, page 63
|
God Is Omnipotent
Scripture teaches:
“I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee.”
– Job 42:2
“With God all things are possible.”
– Matthew 19:26
“For with God nothing shall be impossible.”
– Luke 1:37
Orthodox Christian Teaching:
God’s omnipotence means He can do all things consistent with His nature. He cannot lie, sin, or cease to exist because these would contradict His perfect nature. But within the realm of actual possibilities, God’s power is unlimited. He doesn’t lack power in any sphere. |
God’s Knowledge Has Limitations
Dake wrote:
“God does not know from all eternity what any one man will do, much less what different types and dispositions of men will do under various circumstances that are not yet present to deal with.”
– God’s Plan for Man, page 63
“He does not know from all eternity what they will do before they are born and before they have a part in His plan. He does not know which ones will be saved and which ones will be lost.”
– God’s Plan for Man, page 63
|
God Is Omniscient
Scripture teaches:
“Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.”
– Acts 15:18
“Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.”
– Psalm 147:5
“Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.”
– Hebrews 4:13
Orthodox Christian Teaching:
God knows all things—past, present, and future. He doesn’t learn or discover. His knowledge is perfect, complete, and eternal. He knows the end from the beginning and all possible outcomes of all possible choices. |
SECTION 4: RACIAL SEGREGATION
| DAKE’S TEACHING |
BIBLICAL TRUTH |
God Mandates Racial Segregation
Dake wrote (30 Reasons for Segregation):
“God made everything to reproduce ‘after his kind.’ Kind means type and color or He would have kept them all alike to begin with.”
– Dake Bible, note on Acts 17:26, page 159 NT
[View Source PDF]
“All nations will remain segregated from one another in their own parts of the earth forever.”
– Dake Bible, note on Acts 17:26
“Even in heaven certain groups will not be allowed to worship together.”
– Dake Bible, note on Acts 17:26
“Interracial marriages are not of God.”
– Dake Bible, note on Acts 17:26
|
God Creates Unity in Christ
Scripture teaches:
“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.”
– Galatians 3:28
“For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us.”
– Ephesians 2:14
“After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne.”
– Revelation 7:9
Orthodox Christian Teaching:
The gospel breaks down racial barriers. All humans are made in God’s image, all descend from one blood (Acts 17:26), and all believers are one in Christ. Heaven will be filled with redeemed people from every tribe, tongue, and nation worshiping together. |
Racial Mixing Violates God’s Order
Dake wrote:
“God originally determined the bounds of the habitations of all races… Any violation of God’s original plan and purpose in creation should be avoided.”
– Dake Bible, note on Acts 17:26
“The Bible forbids interracial marriages… God wills all races to remain segregated and forbids intermarriage among the races.”
– Dake Bible, note on Acts 17:26
|
All Humans Share One Blood
Scripture teaches:
“And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth.”
– Acts 17:26
“Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us?”
– Malachi 2:10
Orthodox Christian Teaching:
All humans descend from Adam and Eve, sharing common ancestry. The Bible prohibits believers marrying unbelievers (2 Cor. 6:14), not marriages between people of different ethnicities. Moses married an Ethiopian woman (Numbers 12), and Boaz married Ruth the Moabitess. |
SECTION 5: DISPENSATIONALISM AND SALVATION
| DAKE’S TEACHING |
BIBLICAL TRUTH |
Multiple Plans of Salvation
Dake wrote:
“A dispensation as applied to the various ages means a moral or probationary period in history in which God tests free moral agents according to a fixed standard of conduct.”
– Ages and Dispensations, page 1
[View Source PDF]
“The test in this dispensation is ‘the obedience of faith among all nations’ through the grace of God… After the Church is raptured God will continue to save both Jews and Gentiles who will turn to Him.”
– The Rapture and Second Coming, page 47
“In the Millennium… keeping the commandments and faith in Christ will be the means of salvation.”
– Dake Bible notes
|
One Plan of Salvation
Scripture teaches:
“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”
– Acts 4:12
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
– Ephesians 2:8-9
“Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.”
– Romans 4:3
Orthodox Christian Teaching:
Salvation has always been by grace through faith. Old Testament saints looked forward to the Messiah; New Testament saints look back to the Cross. The means has always been faith, the basis has always been grace, and the object has always been Christ. |
Animal Sacrifices Will Resume
Dake wrote:
“Animal sacrifices will be offered in the Millennium… as memorial of the death of Christ.”
– Dake Bible, note on Ezekiel 43:19
“The whole Levitical system will be restored and carried on by the Jews as before Christ came the first time.”
– Revelation Expounded, page 342
[View Source PDF]
|
Christ’s Sacrifice Is Final
Scripture teaches:
“But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God.”
– Hebrews 10:12
“By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”
– Hebrews 10:10
Orthodox Christian Teaching:
Christ’s sacrifice was once for all. No animal sacrifices will ever be needed or acceptable again. The entire book of Hebrews argues that the old covenant sacrifices are obsolete because Christ’s sacrifice is complete and final. |
SECTION 6: THE GAP THEORY AND PRE-ADAMITES
| DAKE’S TEACHING |
BIBLICAL TRUTH |
Pre-Adamite Races Existed
Dake wrote:
“There were many people on Earth at the time Cain killed Abel, or God would not have protected Cain from others who might desire to kill Cain… The fact that only three men are mentioned as being godly in all this period proves the ungodliness of men in general.”
– God’s Plan for Man, pages 192-193
“Lucifer’s flood… occurred between Genesis 1:1 and Genesis 1:2… All the pre-Adamite men and animals were destroyed in Lucifer’s flood.”
– Dake Bible, note on Genesis 1:2
“The earth was inhabited before Adam… There were nations, cities, and kingdoms on earth before Adam.”
– God’s Plan for Man, page 36
|
Adam Was the First Human
Scripture teaches:
“And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul.”
– 1 Corinthians 15:45
“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.”
– Romans 5:12
“And Adam called his wife’s name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.”
– Genesis 3:20
Orthodox Christian Teaching:
Adam was the first human created by God. There were no pre-Adamite races. Death entered the world through Adam’s sin. All humans descend from Adam and Eve. The “Gap Theory” has no biblical support and contradicts clear Scripture. |
Multiple Floods and Destructions
Dake wrote:
“Lucifer’s flood (Genesis 1:2)… destroyed all pre-Adamites… Noah’s flood destroyed Adam’s race except for eight people.”
– Dake Bible notes
“Between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2, there was the fall of Lucifer and the pre-Adamite world was destroyed.”
– God’s Plan for Man, page 35
|
One Global Flood in Noah’s Day
Scripture teaches:
“Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished.”
– 2 Peter 3:6 (referring to Noah’s flood)
“And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good.”
– Genesis 1:31 (no destruction between verses 1 and 2)
Orthodox Christian Teaching:
Scripture records one global flood—Noah’s flood. Genesis 1:2 describes the initial unformed state of creation, not a destruction. There is no biblical evidence for a pre-Adamite flood or civilization. |
SECTION 7: HUMANITY AND DIVINITY
| DAKE’S TEACHING |
BIBLICAL TRUTH |
Humans Are “In the God Class”
Dake wrote:
“Man is in the God class of beings… Man was created in the image and likeness of God and in the God class of beings.”
– God’s Plan for Man, page 35
“Every being (including God) has a body already. This being a fact according to Dake, that means that God has the same ‘eternal substance’ outside of that body. Dake’s god(s) then cannot be omnipresent (present everywhere). They are confined to a particular place and time just as we humans are.”
– Implications of his teaching
|
Humans Are Created Beings
Scripture teaches:
“I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High. But ye shall die like men.”
– Psalm 82:6-7 (judges called “gods” in limited sense)
“Before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.”
– Isaiah 43:10
“I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me.”
– Isaiah 45:5
Orthodox Christian Teaching:
Humans are created in God’s image but are not divine. The Creator-creature distinction is fundamental. We reflect God’s image in our rationality, morality, and relationality, but we are not and never will be gods in the sense of having divine nature. |
CRITICAL OBSERVATIONS
The Pattern of Error
Throughout these comparisons, we see a consistent pattern in Dake’s theology:
- Hyperliteralism: Taking anthropomorphic language as literal physical descriptions
- Fragmentation: Breaking unity into division (Trinity into three Gods, humanity into separate races, salvation into multiple plans)
- Limitation: Reducing God from infinite to finite, from omnipresent to localized, from omniscient to learning
- Speculation: Adding to Scripture with elaborate theories about pre-Adamite races, multiple floods, and future dispensations
The Cumulative Effect
These errors don’t exist in isolation. Each false teaching reinforces others:
- If God has a body → He can’t be omnipresent
- If there are three bodies → There must be three Gods
- If God is limited → His knowledge and power are limited
- If humans are “in the God class” → The Creator-creature distinction collapses
- If races have different origins → Segregation might be justified
The Biblical Response
Scripture consistently teaches:
- God is one, not three
- God is spirit, not physical
- God is infinite, not limited
- Salvation is by grace through faith alone
- All humans share common origin and dignity
- Christ’s sacrifice is complete and final
HOW TO USE THIS COMPARISON
For Personal Study
1. Look up each Scripture reference yourself
2. Compare Dake’s quotes with their context in his books
3. Study what orthodox Christianity has historically taught
4. Pray for discernment and understanding
For Teaching Others
1. Start with love and patience—many using Dake’s Bible don’t know about these errors
2. Focus on one issue at a time to avoid overwhelming
3. Let Scripture be the authority, not human opinion
4. Provide alternative, sound study resources
5. Be prepared for emotional responses—people feel attached to their study Bibles
For Church Leadership
1. Educate your congregation about choosing study resources wisely
2. Teach systematic theology to provide a framework for evaluation
3. Address these issues from the pulpit when relevant passages arise
4. Provide your church library with sound study Bibles
5. Create small group studies on essential doctrines
FINAL WARNING AND ENCOURAGEMENT
The Warning: These are not minor interpretive differences but major departures from biblical Christianity. Teaching that God has a body, that the Trinity is three Gods, or that God mandates racial segregation fundamentally distorts the Christian faith. These errors have eternal consequences.
The Encouragement: Truth is stronger than error. God’s Word, properly understood, provides everything we need for faith and practice. Those who have been influenced by Dake’s errors can find freedom in biblical truth. Churches that have promoted these teachings can experience renewal through returning to orthodox faith.
The Call: “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). Let us commit ourselves to careful, faithful study of God’s Word, testing all teaching against Scripture, holding fast to what is good, and rejecting what contradicts biblical truth.
May God grant us wisdom to discern truth from error,
courage to stand for biblical faith,
and love to restore those who have been deceived.
Additional Resources:
• Westminster Confession of Faith – for orthodox teaching on God’s attributes
• Athanasian Creed – for Trinity doctrine
• Council of Nicaea (325 AD) – for Christological orthodoxy
• ESV Study Bible, NIV Study Bible, or Reformation Study Bible – for sound alternatives
Documentation Note: All quotes from Dake’s works can be verified in the source PDFs available at https://learntheology.com/dake_trial/. Page numbers refer to the original published editions cited at the beginning of this appendix.
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