Principles of Discipleship

G. Finney Charles

Description

Following a period of great revival, Charles Finney reached a point of physical exhaustion which resulted in his writing a series of articles on various subjects to continue the work of discipleship in the new believers scattered throughout the regions of revival. These practical instructions were published in the Oberlin Evangelist periodical and took the form of letters addressed to specific themes. They now are collected and edited by Pastor L.G. Parkhurst to appear for the first time in book form.As well as letters concerning sanctification, major themes include Finney's letters:• To New Christians• To Ministers• To Parents• To Christians

Sujets

• Philosophie et théologie

Informations

• Publié par: Baker Publishing Group
• Date de parution: 01 février 1988
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781441261991
• Langue: English

Extrait

The Principles of Discipleship
Charles G. Finney Compiled and Edited by Louis Gifford Parkhurst, Jr.
© 1988 by Louis Gifford Parkhurst, Jr.
Published by Bethany House Publishers 11400 Hampshire Avenue South Bloomington, Minnesota 55438 www.bethanyhouse.com
Bethany House Publishers is a division of Baker Publishing Group, Grand Rapids, Michigan. www.bakerpublishinggroup.com
Ebook edition created 2012
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means for example, electronic, photocopying, recording without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.
ISBN 978-1-4412-6199-1
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.
The internet addresses, email addresses, and phone numbers in this book are accurate at the time of publication. They are provided as a resource. Baker Publishing Group does not endorse them or vouch for their content or permanence.
CONTENTS
Cover
Title Page
Copyright
Introduction
1. Letters to New Christians (1–4)
2. Letters to Ministers (5–15)
3. Letters to Parents (16–22)
4. Letters to Christians (23–25)
5. Letters on Sanctification (26–42)
About the Authors
Back cover
Introduction
In this day of necessary contending for the truth of the Christian faith, in both word and deed, the great evangelist Charles G. Finney becomes an example of learned humility, compassion and gentleness. His sympathetic heart shines through the words of the letters in this book, while at the same time his courage and mental acumen is manifest as he argues for the Christian truths he had discovered from God’s Word. Finney’s personality, as a loving champion of Christlike living, nowhere shines with more evidence than in these warm and personal letters sent to those who had heard him preach his famous revival sermons throughout America.
In many ways this book is a bridge to some of Finney’s other writings, and a companion volume to several in the Finney “Principles Series.” First, these letters from The Oberlin Evangelist complete the collection of Finney’s letters from that source. Donald W. Dayton compiled and edited Finney’s “Letters on Revival” from The Oberlin Evangelist in his book Reflections on Revival , also published by Bethany House Publishers. With Principles of Discipleship and Reflections on Revival , the student of Finney’s works has available for the first time in book form Finney’s letters to the readers of The Oberlin Evangelist . Finney intentionally wrote these letters as though he were addressing the individual personally , and asked that people read them on their knees in prayer and apply his ideas to their own particular situation and needs. He used some of his letters to answer questions people sent to him after they heard him preach or read his books and lectures.
Second, Principles of Holiness (Finney’s sermons on Christian holiness mostly from 1843), Principles of Sanctification (Finney’s lectures on Christian holiness from 1840), Principles of Union with Christ (Finney’s meditations on Christian holiness from 1847) and Principles of Discipleship (Finney’s letters on Christian holiness from The Oberlin Evangelist mostly during 1841) are all companion volumes which examine this topic from different perspectives. All four volumes challenge us to live wholly consecrated to Jesus Christ in a faithful and loving relationship with God and our fellowman, but each one explores the meaning of sanctification a little differently. Sanctification discussed more thoroughly with reference to the baptism of the Holy Spirit can be found in The Believer’s Secret of Spiritual Power by Andrew Murray and Charles Finney, also published by Bethany House Publishers.
Principles of Discipleship is both practical , with advice to parents and pastors, and theoretical , dealing with the critics of the doctrine of sanctification and making helpful applications and clarifications using categorical syllogisms. From this collection of letters, we see how unfair many of Finney’s critics were in their refusal to really try to understand what he was saying before they criticized him, and we also see with what patience and forbearance Finney replied to them, when necessary. He is an example to all of us! Finney never wrote to vindicate himself, but replied to the criticisms of the doctrine of sanctification because of the importance of its truth and because people needed a clearer understanding regarding Christian Holiness. (I would especially suggest that Finney’s letter in chapter 42 , be read prior to the censure of Finney’s views by the Troy Presbytery reprinted in that chapter. The Troy Presbytery so misrepresented his views that to analyze their comments before reading Finney’s reply will lead to needless confusion.)
A few of Finney’s ideas on diet will seem novel to us, and out of date, with regard to sanctification. However, when we remember that diet books and exercise books still make the bestseller lists in the secular book market today, Finney’s comments do not seem totally out of place. Finney argued for simple frontier living, and he worked with students in a frontier college they had literally carved out of the forest wilderness; therefore, what he had to say was certainly appropriate. He tried to be current in his understanding of whatever concerned the human condition, and when we recognize that his references to the ideas of Sylvester Graham on diet are from a two-volume work published in 1839, and his letters were written in 1840, we see just how current he was in a day when books were not easily obtained.
Some of Finney’s ideas regarding home schooling in comparison with public schooling are accepted by many families today, and his very protective ideas regarding the raising of children should cause people to reflect, especially when confronted with the rampant child abuse of today. All in all, through these letters we see a side of Finney not seen through his sermons and not captured in his Autobiography . No matter how active Finney was as a revivalist, theological teacher, pastor, and writer, he took seriously his duties as a father, and gave good suggestions regarding the importance of keeping our priorities in place.
Bethany House Publishers should be commended for their efforts to make Finney’s works more widely accessible to the modern reader. A fine blend of Finney’s works; collections of sermons, lectures, daily meditations, and letters, combine to introduce, educate, and inform new and old Christians alike. Finney tried to keep a very careful biblical balance, neither antinomian nor legalist, neither Arminian nor hyper-Calvinist: he understood the dangers of extremes. Finney cannot be easily pigeon-holed in a day when we prefer to label people and their ideas; therefore, with the many books by Finney now available, people can acquire their own understanding of truth and use Finney as a catalyst to help them think through biblical concepts and their contemporary application. Because some people who read Finney are legalistic, we cannot assume that Finney was legalistic, and because some people who read Finney are perfectionistic, we cannot assume that Finney was perfectionistic. Legalists, perfectionists, and critics of Finney, would all profit from an unbiased reading of these new books and new editions published by Bethany House Publishers.
I would like to personally thank Kathy Lytle for her typing of much of this manuscript, and for her fine editorial assistance in the midst of many pressing concerns.
For the sake of His Kingdom:
L. G. Parkhurst, Jr.
Part 1
Letters to New Christians
Chapter 1
To the young Christians who have been converted in the great revivals of the past few years, scattered up and down in the land, wherever the providence of God may have cast your lot
January 1, 1839
Beloved in the Lord:
My body is so far worn and especially my organs of speech so far exhausted that I cannot visit and preach to you the word of life. I therefore address you through the press, as the most direct and effectual medium through which I can communicate my thoughts.
I propose, the Lord willing, to address to you through the columns of the Oberlin Evangelist from time to time a series of short sermons on practical subjects that I deem most important to you and to the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ. [1] When I shall have said what I desire on those more immediately and highly practical topics, if the Lord permit, I design to give you a series of sermons on some doctrinal topics, especially the moral government of God, including the atonement and the influences of the Holy Spirit in the administration of that government.
A great many of you I know personally, but many more of you know me than I have the honor of a personal acquaintance. You do me the honor to call me your spiritual father, and I have the unspeakable happiness of believing that God has made me instrumental in doing you good. Those of you who know me personally know that it is my manner to deal with the souls and consciences of men with great plainness of speech and directness of address. You remember that this was my manner when I was with you. I have the greatest confidence that this is still the only way to do you good.
Now the thing that I desire to do, so far as I am able, is to lay open before you the very secrets of your hearts, and also to lead you to an entire renunciation of everything that grieves the Spirit of God, to a relinquishment of selfishness under every form and in every degree, and to hold out before you those “exceedingly great and precious promises” whereby you may be made “partakers of the divine nature.” The editors of this paper are willing that I should make it the medium of spreading before you my thoughts, as the providence and Spirit of God shall enab