In Defense of Charles G. Finney

Recently an article appeared in a publication we receive. The article was supposed to be about revival, but the content was more of an attack on Finney than a debate about revivalism. To anyone who has read even a little of Finney's own writings it is very obvious that the writer of this article has never read Finney - or what he has read, he read after having his mind influenced by reading what the enemies of Finney had to say.

The writer of this article starts out with the purely Calvinistic idea that revivals only happen when and where God chooses and that men have absolutely nothing to do with it. That is as un-scriptural as it can be! It can be easily refuted with 2 Chronicles 7:14, which every preacher knows by heart: "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." (2 Chr 7:14) That verse does put all the responsibility for revival on men and not on God. God is not willing that ANY should perish, but that ALL should come to repentance. Of course, if you are Calvinistic in your doctrine, you wouldn't believe that either, and you would blame God for not sending revival, instead of putting the blame on sinful men who refuse to humble themselves and turn from their wickedness. How ridiculous to imagine that God would choose to send revival on a church that was doing nothing but sitting waiting on revival!

Finney's great crime - and it is well documented and a matter of record - is that he put the blame right where it belonged - squarely on the shoulders of the sinner. The reason Finney was despised in his day, and the reason many are determined to discredit him in our day, was the way he preached against sin and stood for HOLINESS. He was NOT the author of "quick conversions" as the writer of this article stated. Finney was 180 degrees the other way. There were many times he left the crowd weeping and begging for mercy without even giving an invitation of any kind. He was very concerned with the thoroughness of their conversion and one of his greatest fears was having a part in someone being deceived about their soul's salvation. As a matter of fact, those great heroes of revival named Spurgeon and Moody had much more to do with the "easy-believism" "quick-conversion" salvation that is so accepted in our day.

Another charge made against Finney in this article is that he called on converts "to stand in meetings and give public testimony that they had given their hearts to God." It is almost shocking that a man would do such a thing! But the Bible does say something about confessing with your mouth. I fail to see the wrong in someone giving a testimony in public about what God has done in their life.

He also says that the Sword of the Lord has given Finney's views a wide exposure. A sermon by Finney in the Sword of The Lord is about as un-likely as snow in July. Curtis Hudson said that Finney was a heretic. The easy-believism of the Sword of The Lord is about as far as you can get from the theology of Charles Finney.

The article ends by putting the blame for our lack of revival today completely on Charles Finney and a call to return to the Calvinistic theology of the First Great Awakening. That means we should not promote revival in any way, but simply sit back and wait to see where God will send it. But God is NOT GOING TO SEND REVIVAL until we do what He commands us to do in order to have revival. To put the blame for the state of things today on Charles Finney, and what he did 160 years ago is about as far-fetched as one can get, in our opinion.

The writer of this article has done what most people are doing in our day. Instead of going to the horse's mouth to find out what he is talking about, he went on what the enemies and critics have said. Rarely will anyone go to the man in question to ask him what he really believes; instead they listen to gossip and make their judgment entirely on that basis. If you would know the truth about Charles Finney, I dare you to get some of his books and read them. If you are a person with a hunger for God and His righteousness you will be blessed beyond measure by some of the things FInney has to say. You will be challenged to a close walk with God and to DO something for your Saviour. The Bible says in Heb 13:7: Remember them . . ., who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation. Charles Finney surely had his faults and shortcomings, but he finished the course right well - this critic hasn't finished yet. Finney had some fruits to show for his labor. What do those who criticize him now have to show?

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