Charles G. Finney

Charles Grandison Finney has tremendously impacted the shape of contemporary Evangelicalism / Baptist life. His pragmatic approach to evangelism has been adopted to the point that whoever tries another approach is branded as "non-evangelistic" (i.e., not employing the "altar call"). His influence was not felt by many Baptists during the 1800s because they held to orthodoxy, but around the turn of the century Finney's views began to prevail in nearly every Baptist circle. His understanding of revival (using the rightly appointed means to bring results) has permeated nearly every writing on that subject in the last 150 years. His concept of the "carnal Christian" has also been popularized.

In my estimation, Charles Finney is the single most influential individual upon today's church. Having said that, let me state that the church is in an awful condition. No wonder. Finney was a heretic. Just so no one thought I stuttered or anything like that, let me say it again. . . .

FINNEY WAS A HERETIC!!!!!

[I can almost hear the wailing and the gnashing of teeth already.]

He denies justification by faith alone in his systematic theology, LECTURES ON THEOLOGY. I'm not sure how someone can be a "great soul-winner" and yet deny the Gospel. He holds to free will to the point that he declares that believers IN HEAVEN can fall away! Please, before anybody "goes off" on me, go find a website with his works on there and read for yourself. Then, after that, you can shoot me .

Timothy, did you know you were going to stir up a hornet's nest?

Rev. G

 

www.gty.org/~phil/articles/finney.htm

The above link is to a fine article on Finney's heretical beliefs.

Ken

 

I can't document this, but I'm sure I read somewhere down the line that Finney denied the idea of substitutionary sacrifice.

I read his book about "Revival" and can attest that his idea of "evangelism" is nothing but psycological manipulation, of the same sort employed by Billy Graham, Evangelism Explosion, and thousands of lesser known "evangelists."

I have no problem with an invitation, so long as it is just that, and invitation to Christ or to join the church. But when the "invitation" becomes a means whereby to manipulate people into a "salvation experience" it becomes an idol as vile as the Roman mass or the Pagan altar.

Mark Osgatharp

 

He did deny substitutionary atonement and imputed righteousness. Again, see his LECTURES ON THEOLOGY. Of course, if you wonder why the "altar call" has become equated with "making a profession of faith" by many Evangelicals, go no further than Finney. He claims in his LECTURES ON REVIVAL that the "anxious bench" (precursor to the altar call) has replaced the NT ordinance of baptism (yes, BAPTISM!) as the way one professes faith in Christ.

Man, I'm going to have a coronary if I keep discussing Finney. Pray for me, brothers!

Rev. G

 

RevG, before you go into a coronary, could you please provide us the link to this lecture site? Much appreciated!

 

While waiting for a link from our good brother, the RevG, I have stumbled across these sites on Finney:

Directory of SERMONS AND ARTICLES OF CHARLES G. FINNEY
http://www.concentric.net/~fires/sermons.shtml

Welcome to FIRES OF REVIVAL
http://www.concentric.net/~fires/

The Autobiography of Charles G. Finney
http://bible.christiansunite.com/Charles_Finney/index.shtml

Truth In Heart
http://truthinheart.com/Charles_G._Finney.html

Jerry Falwell on Charles G. Finney
http://capo.org/premise/95/march/horton-f.html

Charles G. Finney vs. The Westminster Confession
http://www.alliancenet.org/pub/articles/horton.finney.html

The distortion of Christian truth
http://www.issuesetc.org/resource/journals/horton.htm

Charles Finney's Doctrine of Justification
http://www.grebeweb.com/linden/finney.html

Charles Finney - Hero or Heretic?
http://www.jayforrest.org/finney.htm

 

Wow, this guy was a heretic.

 

The rich man had it better than Finney.