DEAR BROTHER:
Let us now notice:
X. THAT A STATE OF ENTIRE SANCTIFICATION IS ATTAINABLE IN THIS LIFE.
By this proposition I mean, that this state is attainable in a practicable sense, and in such a sense as to render the expectation of making this attainment rational to those who set their hearts upon it. To me it has appeared wonderful, that in so many articles which have been written by the opposers of this sentiment, there should be so much of the appearance of admitting the attainability of this state in the sense I have explained, while, in fact, they do not fully admit it.
In the celebrated article of Dr. Woods upon this subject, while he fully admits that it may be attained, he denies that it is attainable in such a sense as that we may rationally expect to make this attainment in this life. I do not recollect his words, but he sentiment is this: that is such men as Paul, and other eminent saints, have failed to make this attainment, the expectation on our part of making it is irrational. Now admitting that Paul did not make this attainment, and that as yet it has never been made by any being merely human; yet it no more follows that it never will be made, or that it is irrational in the saints, in all future time to expect to make this attainment, than it would be irrational in them to expect the world's conversion, because it never had been converted.
It has been common with the opposers of this doctrine to admit, in general language, the attainability of this state, while their general course of argument makes it plain, that they do not consider it attainable in any such sense as that we may rationally expect to make this attainment in this life. They have refused to take issue with us upon the question of attainability, manifestly because they have felt, that before God and the church it would not do to deny the attainability of this state; and that neither the Bible nor the church would bear them out in making such denial. Furthermore, they have admitted the necessity of aiming at a state of entire sanctification as indispensable to any degree of religion in the soul; and yet, I do not recollect that any one of them has marched right up to the admission, that this state is attainable in such a sense that we may expect, and are bound to expect to make this attainment. They have strangely maintained, that we were bound to intend and really mean to be perfectly holy in this life--while it has been considered irrational to expect to be so; and even dangerous to entertain any such expectation.
As I have so repeatedly argued the attainability of this state, in you[r] paper, recently, I will not repeat the arguments in this place, but refer your readers to what they may find on this subject in my reply to the Troy Presbytery, and also in my "Views of Sanctification in this Life."
I have only introduced this head here for the sake of calling attention to the fact, that while there has been so much of the appearance of admitting the attainability of this state in this life; yet, as a matter of fact, it does not seem to have been admitted to be attainable in any practicable sense; that is, in such a sense that any body ever has made, or will make it, or can rationally expect or hope to make such an attainment.
Your Brother in the love and
fellowship of the blessed Gospel,
C.G. FINNEY
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Charles Finney (1792 - 1875)
Known as one of the leaders in the Second Great Awakening revival in America. He was a revivalist who called for deep introspection of sin and preaching of the law to bring about sin. He was known to preach 30+ nights on sin and than the last night on Christ to have people flee to Him for mercy. Used greatly in the book: "Revivals of Religion" which is a classic on the subject of revival.He preached on the true Baptism of the Holy Spirit and its necessity. In his revivalistic campaigns he was used of the Lord to bring some estimate over 50,000 souls to the Lord which many were sound converts. There has been questions raised surrounding his theology in the later years of his ministry but this does not discredit that God used him powerfully in revival and for God's kingdom.
Charles Finney was born in Connecticut to an ordinary family and life that gave little hint of the great things God had in store for him. He was a schoolteacher and then a lawyer before his conversion at age 29. Finney was filled with the Holy Spirit on the same day he was saved and immediately began witnessing to friends and family members. More than twenty people were saved in the 24 hours following Finney's conversion. Finney's personal evangelism soon became public evangelism as he began to travel and preach in extended revival meetings. He considered revival to be a natural result of following the instructions God had laid out in His Word.
During Finney's fifty years of preaching, more than 500,000 were saved. He wrote many books, the most enduring of which are The Autobiography of Charles Finney and Lectures on Revival of Religion. After ill health forced him to stop traveling in meetings, he accepted the pastorate of a church in New York City. From 1852 until 1866 he served as president of Oberlin College in Ohio. Although some of his theology was lacking, he was a powerful, Spirit-filled soul winner who brought revival to cities and towns across the eastern United States.