The Root of Revivalism and Invitationism:
Charles Finney's Beliefs about Salvation
The following are some of Finney's false beliefs about sin and salvation that have resulted in much of the popular unbiblical evangelism methods:
Sin - depravity
Finney believed man does not have a sinful nature [Finney, Systematic Theology, 245].
Justification - substitutionary atonement
Finney believed man cannot be justified forensicly by Jesus Christ. He believed a person is justified only if the person has perfect and continual obedience [Finney, Systematic Theology, 362].
Finney believed justification is not founded on the substitutionary atonement of Christ [Finney, Systematic Theology, 373].
Different gospel
Finney believed that justification based solely on Christ's righteousness without also being conditioned upon a person's present and future obedience is a different gospel [Finney, Systematic Theology, 369].
Revival / evangelism
Finney believed a revival does not depend on God's miraculous power. He believed a revival is only the natural result of using the right methods. [Charles Finney, Lectures on Revivals of Religion (Old Tappan, NJ: Revell, n.d.), 4-5].
Recollections
Finney said he caused many to go into a temporary state of repentance and faith, of which they soon relapsed into their previous state [cited in B. B. Warfield, Studies in Perfectionism, 2 vols. (New York: Oxford, 1932), 2:24].
Asa Mahan (a close associate of Finney) ". . . tells us - to put it briefly - that everyone who was concerned in these revivals suffered a sad subsequent lapse: the people were left like a dead coal which could not be reignited; the pastors were shorn of all their spiritual power; and the evangelists - "among them all," he says, "and I was personally acquainted with nearly every one of them - I cannot recall a single man, brother Finney and father Nash excepted, who did not after a few years lose his unction, and become equally disqualified for the office of evangelist and that of pastor." Thus the great "Western Revivals" ran out into disaster. . . . Over and over again, when he proposed to revisit one of the churches, delegations were sent him or other means used, to prevent what was thought of as an affliction. . . . Even after a generation had passed by, these burnt children had no liking for the fire." [cited in Warfield, 2:26-28].
- - - - - - -
L.D. Hammons © 2003 This article may be freely copied and distributed without charge if it is copied in its entirety (without editing) along with this notice - including the author's name and copyright notice.
Click here to go to A Discussion of Evangelism - Part 5.
Click here to go to A Discussion of Evangelism - Part 1.
