Principles of Salvation

G. Finney Charles

Description

A clear explanation of salvation taken from twenty-three of Finney's salvation sermons.

Sujets

• Philosophie et théologie
• Christian theology

Informations

• Publié par: Baker Publishing Group
• Date de parution: 01 juin 1989
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781441261984
• Langue: English

Extrait

Principles of Salvation
Charles G. Finney Compiled and Edited by Louis Gifford Parkhurst, Jr.
© 1989 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 978-1-4412-6198-4
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.
Dedication
This collection of Charles G. Finney’s sermons on salvation are dedicated to the congregation of Christ Community Church in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. To a people who are committed to the truth, who stand for the truth, and who desire that others come to the truth, who speak the truth in love and love one another.
Contents
Cover
Title Page
Copyright
Dedication
Preface
Part One: Christ or the Crowd
1. On Following Christ
2. A Public Profession of Christ
3. Bound to Know Your True Character
4. True and False Repentance
5. True and False Conversion
6. True Submission
7. Selfishness Is Not True Religion
8. Love of the World
9. The Way of Salvation
10. Conditions of Being Saved
11. The Whole Counsel of God
12. Regeneration
Part Two: The Call of God; the Capacity of Man
13. The Sinner’s Natural Power and Moral Weakness
14. Hardening the Heart.
15. Quenching the Spirit, Part 1
16. Quenching the Spirit, Part 2
17. The Spirit Will Not Always Strive
18. The Spirit Ceasing to Strive
19. Salvation Is Difficult for the Christian, Impossible for the Sinner
20. The Salvation of Sinners Is Impossible
21. The Doom of Those Who Neglect the Great Salvation
Part Three: The Charge to the Church
22. Converting Sinners Is a Christian Duty
23. The Conversion of Children
Bibliography
About the Author
Back Cover
Preface
Principles of Salvation is the promised companion to Principles of Faith . It will stand alone as Finney’s most definitive treatment of the process and the assurance of salvation. Combined, these two books contain more than forty sermons dealing with these two major Christian themes.
Previously, some have read Finney out of context concerning faith and salvation; some have harshly judged him and a few others have become legalistic professing Christians. I hope the sermons in these two books will solve some of these problems. Since Finney began his Systematic Theology (which is really volume two; he never completed volume one) with a discussion of moral law, some have misjudged him with regard to salvation. I hope Principles of Faith and Principles of Salvation will be a good starting point for those who wish to study his Systematic Theology .
Finney’s words are true to Scripture and reason. His words are true to the way God created us with a mind, will, and body; true to what we have become as fallen, sinful creatures. His words are true concerning what we can become by the grace of God through a saving faith in Jesus Christ. Because his words are true and suited to the purposes of God, God the Holy Spirit can anoint his words, bring them home to us, save us, and save others through us. I pray that you will be blessed through these two books, and be prepared to bless others.
With Love in the Risen Lamb,
L. G. Parkhurst, Jr.
Part 1
Christ or the Crowd

“If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23).
Chapter 1
On Following Christ [1]

“Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? Follow thou me” (John 21:22).
Jesus Christ spoke these words to Peter, having warned him previously that in his later years Peter would have his liberty restrained and ultimately glorify God through martyrdom. A question arose in the mind of Peter, who was more curious than wise, about how things would be for his fellow disciple John. “Lord, and what shall this man do?” he inquired. Gently rebuking this idle inquisitiveness, Jesus replied, “If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? Follow thou me.”
Jesus’ reply hints at a principle with a broad practical application. Assuming this principle is for us at the present day, what is Jesus saying to us ?
Suppose Jesus himself stood before you at this moment. You wait eagerly as He prepares to speak. You see the halo of glory around His head. You note the blending of meekness and majesty that identifies Him most fully as the Son of God. Your whole soul is moved within you to catch every word He may utter. Oh, what an earnest expectation! If He were to speak, you would hear even the ticking of your clock more plainly than you do now. If you did not happen to catch every word distinctly, you would turn to someone and ask, “What did He say? What was that?”
He speaks to you in a tone positive, yet commanding. What is this command? Remember, if it is the Lord Jesus Christ, He has the right to command. Who else in earth or heaven has this right more absolutely than He? It is of the utmost importance to know what He commands us to do. Whatever it is, it vitally affects our well-being both to know and to do it. Words from one so benevolent must be for our good. Certainly, He never spoke unless it was for the good of those to whom He spoke.
Jesus must speak for the general good; for the Great King and Lord of all never overlooks what pertains to the general good. Moreover, He must be safe to obey. Indeed, how can it be otherwise? Did anyone ever obey Him and find it unsafe?
Of course it must be our duty to obey Him. How shall Christ ever command us, if we are not solemnly bound to obey Him? Also, it must be possible for us to obey. Did Christ ever enjoin us otherwise? Could He possibly do a thing so unreasonable?
All these points must be assumed and admitted. How can we even for a moment doubt any one of them?
This, then, is the state of the case. What, now, should be the attitude of our mind? Manifestly this: Let Him speak. I will surely listen and obey. What does He say? Every word He says, I know, will be infinitely good. Let me catch every intimation of His will . “The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb” (Ps. 19:10–11).
Or will you turn away and say, “I don’t care what He says”? Would you not rather say this: Let Him say what He will, it is all good, and I will surely hear and obey it ? If this is your attitude toward Him, then you are ready to examine what He says.
Observe, He gives you something to be done, and more to the point, something to be done by yourself . To you it does not matter just now what others may do, or what God’s providence may allot to them. What is that to thee? It has always been the temptation of the human heart to look at the duties of others rather than one’s own. You must resist and put down this temptation. Christ has work for you to do, and it becomes you to address yourself earnestly to it. Observe, also, that it is to be done now . He gives you no furlough, not even to go home and bid farewell to those of your house. There can be no excuse for delay.
What does He require? He says, “Follow thou Me.” What does this mean? Must I leave my home? Must I abandon my business? Am I to follow Him all over the land? We can see plainly that when Jesus dwelt in human flesh among men, He called certain of them to follow Him as His servants and disciples. They were to attend Him in all His journeys, to go where He went and stop where He stopped. They were to aid Him in His missionary work.
Now, Christ is no longer here in human flesh. Following Him cannot have precisely the same physical sense. Yet now, no less than then, it implies that you obey His revealed will and do the things that please Him. You must imitate His example and follow His instructions. By various methods, He still makes His will known and you are to follow wherever He leads. You must accept Him as the Captain of your salvation and allow His laws to control all your life. He comes to save you from your sins. He comes to save you from the ruin that unforgiven sin must bring. You must accept Him as such a Savior. This is a part of following Him.
The Implications of Obedience
Following Jesus Christ implies confidence in Him who commands. With confidence, you commit yourself fully to obey Him and trust all consequences of your actions to His disposal. There can be no hearty, cheerful obedience without this implicit confidence.
Following Him implies a willingness to be saved by Him. You must be willing to be saved from all sin . You cannot reserve a favorite indulgence. You recoil from all sin and set yourself earnestly to withstand every sort of temptation.
When you decide to follow Christ, you commit yourself to follow Him through evil or good report, whatever the effect may be on your reputation. You are ready to make sacrifices for Christ, rejoicing to be counted worthy to suffer shame for His name.
A common fault is to admit what Christ requires, yet shy from doing it. Some say, “I go, sir,” but go not. Such a person does not follow Christ, who requires immediate action. He has work for you to do today , and He demands that you commit yourself to full obedience.
Why Follow Him?
Suppose Jesus Christ were personally to anno