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Frequently Asked
Questions
Letters on
Finney's Theology and Practice
Letter 1:
Glad you
enjoyed Answers To Prayer, and I too enjoy retelling the story
about his prayer for rain.
Regarding
Finney's theology:
1. When
Finney
published his Systematic Theology, he only completed volumes 2 and 3
(he did not live long enough to complete 1 and 4). Not knowing
this, some of his critics think he did not believe as they did or
do about Christ, salvation, etc. He did write volumes 2 and 3
first, because these were his thoughts that were different from his
critics.
2. Finney did
not stereotype his theological views, and never tried to. He always
claimed that he was a student of the Bible and God kept teaching him
new things as he prayerfully studied the Bible, which he knew was
the infallible word of God.
3. Finney knew
that people needed to know what Jesus Christ came to save them
from. Jesus came to save people from their sins. Much of his
theology was trying to show people what sin was, convict them of
sin, and then lead them to Jesus Christ to save them from their
sins. Not understanding this, some thought Finney was teaching
legalism rather than salvation by faith. His so-called "legalism"
was an effort to show people their need of Christ and that they
could not save themselves. He wanted to show them that their only
hope was Jesus Christ and trusting in Him for salvation.
4. Since you
have read his Answers to Prayer, you know how much he depended on
the Holy Spirit for everything. This is also clearly stated in his
Principles of Prayer and in his sermons. Some have not recognized this,
and have accused him of being humanistic.
5. Finney was
in the theological stream of "New School Calvinism" or the "New
England Theology" and he tried to find a middle ground (along with
many others) between Calvinism and Arminianism. Because of this, he
had some who were committed to both "isms" attacking him (and those
who thought in ways similar to him).
6. Finney was
not the only one in his time to think pretty much as he did. The
great commentator Albert Barnes thought as Finney, for example. The
Cumberland Presbyterian Church was founded in 1810 and had similar
revival theology to Finney's.
7. What Finney
objected to often was the Fatalism in the Westminster Confession of
Faith, which was one of the reasons the Cumberland Presbyterian
Church was founded and why they revised the Westminster Confession
of Faith (taking out the fatalism teachings, but keeping the rest).
Finney was often attacked because he objected to this in the
Westminster Confession of Faith.
8. I think God
moved because of Finney's theology, his sincere humility, his prayer
life, his following the leading of the Holy Spirit, his deep love
for God in Jesus Christ that shined forth from him, his love for
others (Christians and sinners), the love of Christ that flowed
through him toward others (Christians and sinners), and his powerful
preaching that did not just get up and read from a prepared
manuscript.
Thanks for your
kind letter. Hope this helps answer some of your questions. Feel
free to write again.
Love in the Lamb
of God,
L.G.
Published by Agion Press
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