A History of C. G. Finney and Decisional Regneration (1of2)

[phillyloki]

I like the way mark kielar teach, at least he teaches the truth of gods word. i rather listen to the truth than a lie. we got enough false prophet's in the world as it is. No matter what our own opinions is gods word is still gone stand no matter how these false teachers twist the word of god around. WHEN THIS LIFE IS OVER GOD IS GONE JUDGE THOSE WHO DID RIGHT OR WRONG. DON'T FORGET THAT.

[caltch51]

If Finney made the decision for 'Christ', then it is very doubtful, he was truly 'Born Again'. For we can NOT be born again through our will. There will always be the tares amongst the true wheat. How many came to know a false Christ. This just teaches me more and more we are NOT to lean upon man, but lean upon the Lord, because when we do this the Lord will deliver us from falsehood. John MacArthur compromises the faith, he should not be using Finney to make himself look good and biblical

[Cartoonistforjesus]

I have never come across or found anyone who quit had a grasp on the truths of the scripture like Finney . I find it SAD that you reject a great man . Your are truly blind to the truth and justify your own lack by condemning someone ...

[OKandNOWwhat]

When I hear "Religion is the work of man," my immediate & lasting understanding of its meaning is that religion is a manmade convention that is resorted to when the Holy Spirit is either absent or resisted. Following Christ is so different from the religions of Islam, Hinduism or even Judaism as to be of another type altogether. The distinction is the Holy Spirit.

I just read another comment that said more succinctly what I was saying. Our God lives IN us & through us.

[ApostlesToday]

Just out of curiosity, how many of you can say that in a single year you brought 100,000 people to the Lord.....Stop persecuting the forerunners. They didn't have it all right, and some of them made some huge mistakes, but that does not take away from the fact that they were used mightily by the Lord.

[curvalecce]

Define 'brought'. If any one of those 'brought' to the Lord backslides, what does that tell us about the sincerity of the theology of the 'forerunners'.

But what about John 6:65-71? Learning that coming to Jesus was the FATHER'S choice drove many of His disciples (των μαθητων) away - in the same way the full reality of Grace is not for all. Which is why Finney made his 'pretend' version. Hinn, Swaggert, Bentley and their thinking are the fruit of Finney's errors.

[digitalclock]

While I do not agree with Finney's theology, I think that his theology was, indeed, a reaction against the hyper-Calvinist theology of his pastor, George Gale. On the one hand, the pastor would say that the sinner must repent, but then would say that he couldn't repent; that he should believe but he couldn't believe. According to Finney, the pastor's theology was a straitjacket to him. Sad to say, once Finney was converted, he had little desire to learn from those more experienced in the faith.

[APSOC38]

Hey, Lane. Looks like the Finney supporters over at RefutingCalvinism (aka Kerrigan Skelly) put out a vid calling you and Mark Kielar "LIARS!" (the caps were theirs, not mine) for "misrepresenting Finney. Not surprising, considering their bent.

[bereansearch]

Finney Denied:

Substitutionary Atonement

Justification by Grace through Faith

Original Sin

Perseverance of the Saints

He is not an Arminian. He's a Pelagian.

[APSOC38]

No wonder Jesse Morrell, Kerrigan Skelly, Michael Markley, John McGlone, and a host of other Moral Government Theology supporters love Finney! He preached what they want to hear.

Have you seen this? watch?v=r-nkOu2yXTk

Coyne1988 did an excellent expose of Mr. Skelly.

[danieljdick]

It's easier to bash a man of God than to get out there and lead people to Christ or teach them to lead people to Christ. Especially if you're bashing straw men by and large, or holding to a form of godliness but denying the power thereof.

The falling away that took place after Finney is not uncommon to all evangelists including Billy Graham. That's not because of decisional regeneration.

[calebAUDREYALIVE]

you dont have to be a theologian to do the great commission. Finney was filled with the holy spirit and God worked through his life becaused he understood that he had to give his life entireliy up to God in order to fulfil his purpose. in my opinion you should spend less time bashing a man of God.

[calebAUDREYALIVE]

you completly misinterpreted the quote when finney said "religion is man's work" because "religion" and the whole idea of religion is based on rules and regulations christianity should be a RELATIONSHIP with God not a set of rules... that is what Finney was refering to.

[JTTNMinistries]

Lane have you ever actually read Finney's systematic theology all the way through?

[Aaron637]

Further more he states that unless the Holy Spirit brings about a revelation of mans sinfulness the man will never repent. Thus salvation is a work of God. But none the less, he states that all men are capable of repenting and turning to God. The thing is...they won't repent unless the Spirit draws them. Eh. Judge Finney by reading his works not through other people. He "did all to the glory of God" and I'm sure his devout life would have put many of us Christians to shame. Peace.

[Aaron637]

I have read finneys theology. and he did not say as this video professes that both justification and sanctification is mans work, nor did he deny the depravity of man. He believed...at least it is written in his systematic theology that faith alone is the way of salvation and faith alone is the way of sanctification. As for depravity it is true he did not agree with its definition given by many churches but he did not deny it. He explains that all men do sin but we are not guilty of Adams.

[wbmccarty]

@Aaron637 Did you read this? Finney: "As has been already said, there can be no justification in a legal or forensic sense, but upon the ground of universal, perfect, and uninterrupted obedience to law. This is of course denied by those who hold that gospel justification, or the justification of penitent sinners, is of the nature of a forensic or judicial justification." Finney's requirement that justification be grounded in perfect obedience makes justification man's, not God's, work.

[Aaron637]

@wbmccarty

Cheers for your comment...by the grace of God in the past year I have become "reformed" theologically. I completley agree with your comment and see Finney - a man I had respected for about 5 years....pretty much as a heretic whos theology is nothing more than a works based, - merit based, man centered salvation. It is legalistic perfectionism - dangerous man.....I can't believe I was blind for so long. So I do retract those two comments. I wrote that over a year ago.

[wbmccarty]

@Aaron637 Thanks for taking the time to reply. It's encouraging to learn that you've come to see Finney for what he was: an apparently quite well intentioned man who fell into many serious errors. Blessings,

[ButterfliesAndTigers]

people listen to this! all LaneCh´s videos are worthy to be listened to! THINK! THINK! Turn on your brains, folks...it´s about time NOW!

Michael

[WaitingforChrist]

Why did we ever allow heretics like Finney into the pulpit!?!

[ButterfliesAndTigers]

was he a heretic or just immature?

Michael

[LaneCh]

He was a heretic because he actually knew what the true doctrines were, rejected them, and made it his goal to teach against them.

[1OfTheRest]

Lane, does heretic = unsaved, necessarily? I ask that sincerely. I used to love Finney, and thought that everyone else had got Christianity wrong, so I set about trying to change my own heart. (Suffice it to say, I haven't succeeded so far!) [cont...]

[1OfTheRest]

I know now that Finney was way off (didn't he make sanctification a condition of justification!?) but I thought (hoped, even) that he was still a good man, just mistaken - and, yes, immature. But now I wonder. What do you think? (I know it doesn't really matter, in a way, but I'm genuinely interested.)

[LaneCh]

There's a primer on the internet called "Charles Finney: A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing". It was written by Phil Johnson who is in charge of John MacArthur's Grace to You ministry and who maintains Spurgeon Archive. If you search in Google for "Charles Finney", it should be one of the first articles that comes up. It should give you more insight on Finney's "honesty".

[1OfTheRest]

Thanks Lane. That answers my question on part two of this video as well.

[georgeatthecross]

I have read finney books and they have had a

means of directing people to self and not to

the merit's of the righteousness of the LORD,

Jesus Christ.He believe that man had no need

of repenting from sins of the mind,that is their thinking sin begins in the thoughts..

He really did not believe in the word of the

text.

[randy109]

"Fruits" show that we are saved, "Works" are a dead end. Grace is a FREE Gift. So many intelligent people, who know scripture confuse fruits and works. Religion is what's left after God has left the building...

Thanks for posting another great vid! (I'm gradually working my way through the almost 400 vids you have posted.)  While I don't agree 100% with most; I've found them very educational. Thanks Lane!

[Joshpb80]

Amazing. Some say 90% of his converts fell away. But most say at least 80% stayed true to their faith. Just goes to show we believe whoever we want to. Much more could be said to prove you and this video wrong on several points, I have many of Finneys books so I actually know what I'm talking about, but I'm not waisting anymore time with you. I assume you are the type that enjoys a good fight. That's not my Jesus.

[LaneCh]

If Finney's "Jesus" who doesn't impute His righteousness to any believer and doesn't teach that all men die in Adam is your Jesus, then you're right, that's not your Jesus. Your "Jesus" is a devil and is nowhere presented in Scripture. I take it that you're leaving because you've posted on other videos trying to prove Finney's authenticity but couldn't answer the quotes of his I provided. Good day.

[SlopeObadiah]

@LaneCh

Wow, dude, you are awesome. I recently converted to the Reformed faith. For years I had been trying to win people for Christ. What a relief to know now that all i have to do is read academic books. Decisionism is totally evil. I never make decisions anymore. I don't even decide what TV programs to watch. I just walk in the living room and the appropriate channel comes on automatically.

Thanks for posting all this information. You are very clever and must be extremely prayerful.

[LaneCh]

"I can only pray for you and urge you to change your heart. Sinners are bound to change their own hearts, you know."

That said it all. We've had enough heresy from you.

"A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh."

(Eze 36:26)

God gives a new heart. He doesn't fix the old one, much less does He expect us to change the old one. No more heresy or the man you follow.

[fractalfires]

He shouldn't make videos until he reads Finney from Finney's perspective. Finney fully affirmed the grace of God in salvation. Finney denied that the Holy Spirit gives the ABILITY to obey God. Yet, he fully affirmed that the Holy Spirit was given to CONVICT the conscience through the means of preaching, just as Jesus himself affirmed in John 16. Finney said, 'unless God interpose the influence of His Spirit, not a man on earth will ever obey the commands of God.' Revival Lectures 1.

[LaneCh]

Finney out "pelagianed" Pelagius (a heretic)! He denied justification by faith, imputed righteousness, original sin, and Christ's substitutionary atonement! All he did give us was a burned out district, heresies that we're still dealing with today, and people that want to take John 16 to make heretics fit their traditional heretical beliefs. Finney did glorify God, though; so did Pharoah.

[fractalfires]

The host misquotes Finney. When Finney said 'Religion is the work of man,' he continued, 'it is something for man to DO. It consists in obeying God. It is man's duty. It is true God induces him to do it.' Finney went on about God's part. The host quotes only the first sentence and said, 'IOW,God's done his part in making us and now the rest is up to us.' Balderdash! and bad scholarship!

[LaneCh]

He didn't get as far as the part when Finney tells others how to manipulate unbelievers, either:

"Go to a sinner, and talk with him about his guilt and danger; and if in your manner you make an impression that does not correspond, you in effect bear testimony the other way, and tell him he is in no danger. ...

[LaneCh]

If the sinner believes at all that he is in danger of hell, it is wholly on other grounds than your saying so. If you live in such a way as to show that you do not feel compassion for sinners around you; if you show no tenderness, by your eyes, your features, your voice; if your manner is not solemn and earnest, how can they believe you are sincere?"

Revival Lectures - Lecture 4 part 2

[LaneCh]

He can keep that garbage, too. We witness because we are sincere; not because we want to deceive people into thinking we are.

[talkback22]

Finney is the latest person to pick on.

He did so much for God and others,and now he is blamed for us Christians being slack.

This guy makes an altar call sound demonic.

Come on,calm down.

[LaneCh]

Making people presumptuous regarding their salvation is certainly what Finney did a lot of. He did do a lot for God, though.  Pharoah did, too.

[1Th1617]

I love this!! God bless you. :)

[Studier101]

Luther published an excellent treatise on Freewill called "The Bondage of the Will." The reason that it remains so vital and relevant today is that Luther did not regard so called "church authorities" but let his book be, from one end to the other, an exposition of the Scripture. And due to the grace of God, he labored and produced a remarkably Biblically accurate work. I reccomend everyone read it and see if his contextual interpretations of the Scriptural are true or not.

[Studier101]

The early church fathers mean nothing except as a historical witness. Even in the Apostles' day, men were turning from the Gospel. Even Peter was corrected once by Paul. This listening to men as authorities is foolishness; whether Finney or the Early Church Fathers or Luther. The only authority is the Word of God. So all things are to be measured by God's Word. I agree with Luther insofar as he agrees with the Scripture, and, fudamentally, in contrast to Finney (in the matter of Freewill)he did.

[michaelflat]

Read the early church fathers, what they wrote of them prior to Augustine and Jerome. Why so many centuries of teaching free will in the church then when Augustine comes in what they taught is completely wrong.

[LaneCh]

I take it you've read Bercot's works on the early church fathers. Is this a safe assumption?

[LaneCh]

In fact, here is a early church bishop before Augustine and Jerome from about the second century called Clement. He said, ...

[LaneCh]

"They all therefore were glorified and magnified, not through themselves or their own works or the righteous doing which they wrought, but through His will. ...

[LaneCh]

And so we, having been called through His will in Christ Jesus, are not justified through ourselves or through our own wisdom or understanding or piety or works which we wrought in holiness of heart, but through faith, whereby the Almighty God justified all men that have been from the beginning; to whom be the glory for ever and ever. Amen."

(1Clement 32:3-4)

[LaneCh]

How do you reconcile that with your assertion that "there was so many centuries of teaching free will before Augustine" when Clement who was from the second century said, "They all therefore were glorified and magnified, not through themselves or their own works or the righteous doing which they wrought, but through His will."? Your assertion isn't consistent with the facts.

[michaelflat]

Although that might not be the same Clement but there is so many qoutes from the early church regarding this as wrong

[LaneCh]

I have the book that was translated by Lightfoot. I can provide you a link if you like.

[LaneCh]

Also, why may "this might not be the same Clement"? If I would have posted a quote supposedly written by Clement advocating the free-will in salvation, would you have opposed? (Obviously, this is rhetorical question, and I don't expect an answer. I ask this so you may ask yourself this.)

[leahgabriel]

This video would be good if there where any references as to where all the errorful doctrine of finney was actually documented. Is there any proof of what is being said of finney other thans man's opinion ???? Is MacArther saying that the revivals that Finney was a part of, Fake??? Mr. MacArther is heavily bent on preaching calvinism, and against Arminianism.  So the debate continues on, but who can deny that God worked mightly with both calvinists and Arminianist???????

[LaneCh]

Quick question, are you really concerned about learning more about the errors of Finney or did you just comment to share your pejorative opinion? I have an article I could send you if you'd like to learn more.

[GreaterFaith1990]

SDG dear brother!!! This is such an eye-opener, I'm posting this on my blog

[thomasjg]

Thanks again for all your videos --

Soli Deo Gloria!