Where Does Revival Start?
Charles G. Finney (1792-1875), father of Revivalism, said on the opening page of his Lectures on Revivals in Religion: "Religion is the work of man."
J. H. Merle d’Aubigne (1794-1872) in the Reformation in England said:
"...to believe in the power of man in the work of regeneration is the great heresy of Rome, and from that error has come the ruin of the Church. Conversion proceeds from the grace of God alone, and the system which ascribes it partly to man and partly to God is worse than Pelagianism."
American Presbyterian, Princeton theologian, Charles Hodge (1797-1878) points out the same danger:
"No more soul-destroying doctrine could well be devised than the doctrine that sinners can regenerate themselves, and repent and believe just when they please. . . As it is a truth both of Scripture and of experience that the unrenewed man can do nothing of himself to secure his salvation, it is essential that he should be brought to a practical conviction of that truth. When thus convicted, and not before, he seeks help from the only source whence it can be obtained."
These three men were contemporaries. D’Aubigne and Hodge agree, but disagree with Finney. Everyone who speaks of the 'new birth' does not mean the same thing.
Finney is considered the hero of Evangelical Religion in America.
Whose religion is it?
Do we bring ourselves to God?
Are we regenerated (born again) because we believe?
OR
Do we believe because God regenerates us?
Ephesians 2:1-10 (KJV)
1And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; 2Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 3Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. 4But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 7That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. 8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
J. H. Merle d’Aubigne (1794-1872) in the Reformation in England said:
"...to believe in the power of man in the work of regeneration is the great heresy of Rome, and from that error has come the ruin of the Church. Conversion proceeds from the grace of God alone, and the system which ascribes it partly to man and partly to God is worse than Pelagianism."
American Presbyterian, Princeton theologian, Charles Hodge (1797-1878) points out the same danger:
"No more soul-destroying doctrine could well be devised than the doctrine that sinners can regenerate themselves, and repent and believe just when they please. . . As it is a truth both of Scripture and of experience that the unrenewed man can do nothing of himself to secure his salvation, it is essential that he should be brought to a practical conviction of that truth. When thus convicted, and not before, he seeks help from the only source whence it can be obtained."
These three men were contemporaries. D’Aubigne and Hodge agree, but disagree with Finney. Everyone who speaks of the 'new birth' does not mean the same thing.
Finney is considered the hero of Evangelical Religion in America.
Whose religion is it?
Do we bring ourselves to God?
Are we regenerated (born again) because we believe?
OR
Do we believe because God regenerates us?
Ephesians 2:1-10 (KJV)
1And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; 2Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 3Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. 4But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 7That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. 8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
posted by J. Glenn Ferrell at 6:27 PM
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