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How we got where we're at
In the early 1800’s, Charles Finney instituted the "Anxious Bench" as an integral part of his evangelistic campaigns. This was the forerunner of the present day "Altar Call", and though it was an unheard of practice for the first 1800 years in the history of the Church, God somehow managed to save "them that believed."
CHARLES FINNEY and HIS INFLUENCE: Mr. Finney was noted for his irreverence because he espoused a very base view of God. It was nothing for him to speak out during prayer or to use vulgarities in the pulpit in an attempt to shock his hearers. In the first Chapter of his Lectures On Revival he capsuled his Arminian theology by stating, "Religion is the work of men," and it has resulted in the attitude that "unless a minister has seen a soul saved on Sunday, he has no right to golf On Monday;" and that "unless a church is growing numerically, SOMETHING is wrong."
Finney’s premise, however, was wrong, and it is not possible to start off wrong and to end up right. God is Sovereign over Revival, and though in former days He moved upon large numbers of men in an unusual way --convicting, reproving, converting, and correcting them, He has not chosen to so move amongst us in our own generation. Is it any wonder then that a large portion of the Modern Church has chosen to "Counterfeit" Real Revival, and that it has grown fat and satisfied with man-made results? Instead of earnestly seeking after the convicting power of God, the Church of today has substituted "Crowd Manipulation," and instead of laboring to preach the Gospel in its simplistic purity, the Word has been displaced by the "pleasing of men." But as the Apostle Paul stated, "If I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ." (Gal. 1:1Ob)
THE "PARTY" SPIRIT: The Modern Church is often characterized by a "party spirit" complete with hamburgers and hot dogs, and clowns. Then there is the "Mystery Seat" that may have either money or tickets for a "vacation for two" taped under it for some "lucky winner." Then there are the jars filled with nickels, dimes, and quarters into which the
person who has brought the most visitors may put his hand and take so many as his greedy heart can wrap his fingers around. Even elephants have had their day in church! Then, there are the quartets who vie with Hollywood with their artistry imitating the sleazy attitudes of those in the entertainment industry --all in an attempt to amuse the philistines who attend.
"THE BUILDING PROGRAM:" Then came the Building Programs to accommodate the crowds. And then it became necessary to put the Church On a "solid, business-like foundation." To do this Businessmen were appointed to its "Boards" and "Committees" –whether they were Godly men or not. Piety thus became irrelevant. Such men with their Business acumen declared it was necessary to keep the crowds coming in order to finance the "Building Program." Since Bible truth is naturally offensive to men dwelling under the just condemnation of God, Doctrine was diluted or done away with completely; and since to Reprove such a "Mixed Multitude" for their worldly practices would necessarily offend them, they must never be Rebuked nor Disciplined.
In its zeal to daily add to its numbers --by Hook or by Crook, I might add --Church Discipline ’eras dispensed with and was allowed to become a "dead dog."
CHURCH DISCIPLINE: Today if a Church performs Biblical Discipline upon a member in an attempt to restore him upon Repentance, he can go to another church and the elders will with pitying eye receive him into their midst and will extend to him the "Right Hand Of Fellowship." Brethren, how can this be tolerated another moment?
PREACHERS WHO WILL NOT "PASTOR", and PASTORS WHO WILL NOT "PREACH:"
The pulpit has thus become emasculate with Preachers who will not pastor, and with Pastors who consistently go unprepared into the pulpit. The pitiful plight of the Church today is the direct result of Pastors who will not PREACH, and Preachers who will not "Pastor."
‘Should Christian parents lay up money for their children?’ I answer: ‘It is the duty Of every parent, who can, to lay up what is necessary to put every child in a condition to earn his bread. If he neglect this, he undoubtedly sins against God and Nature.’
"But should not a man lay up besides this, a fortune for his children, if he can honestly?" I answer, "Yes, if there are no poor within his reach; no good work which he can assist; no heathen region on earth to which he can contribute to send the Gospel of Jesus; but not otherwise. God shows in the course of His Providence, that this laying up of fortunes for children is not right; for there is scarcely ever a case where money has been saved up to make the children independent and gentlemen, in which God has not cursed the blessing. It was saved from the poor, from the ignorant, from the cause of God."
-Adam Clarke, Christian Theology, pp. 317,318
JANUARY
7, 1715 --France. Fenelon dies at Cambral. Revered for his mystical approach to the Scriptures, he once declared, "Even though God –indeed an impossible supposition--should destroy the souls of the Just, or abandon them for eternity to the temptations and pains Of this life, or condemn them for all eternity to the pains of Hell, these souls would none the less love Him and serve Him faithfully."
19, 1684 --England; Having been driven from his pulpit by the Ejection of 1662 because of his refusal to conform to the
Act of Uniformity which demanded all ministers in the English realm to conform with the Episcopal liturgy found in the Church of England, William Jenkyn dies today in the Newgate prison. He has been denied the mercy of praying with his daughter.
In Whitehall Palace, Charles II jestingly falls upon his musicians to play a tune known as "Jenkyn’s Farewell" when a nobleman courageously addresses him, "Your Majesty, Jenkyn has got his liberty."
"Aye," says the King in surprise, "who gave it him?"
"A greater than your Majesty: Jenkyn is dead."
27, 98 --Italy. Domitian, the Roman Emperor whose past time was spent in catching flies, is credited with boiling the Apostle John in oil, and when the man of God survived, banished him to the Isle of Patmos. Nerva, who succeeded him as Emperor, recalled him. Today at Rome, Emperor Nerva dies, and is succeeded by Marcus Ulpius Trajan.
Trajan is a Spaniard by birth, and a soldier by profession, and after subjugating the province of Bithynia Pontus, he will send Pliny, the Younger to restore order there. Pliny will immediately perceive himself face to face with a wide extension of Christianity. Consequently, the worship of the gods will be in neglect. Pliny will feel his responsibility embraces the maintenance of the state religion, and thus he will interfere by virtue of his office. People admitting to the charge against them of being Christians will he tried in court and sentenced to death. Roman citizens, however, will be confined to the city.
"They affirmed," says Pliny, "the whole of their guilt or their error was that they were in the habit of meeting on a certain fixed day before it was light When they sang in alternate verses a hymn to Christ, as to a god, and bound themselves by a solemn oath not to any
wicked deeds, but never to commit any fraud, theft, or adultery, never to falsify their word nor to deny a trust when they should be called on to deliver it up..."
Trajan will regard the Christian confession as an offence worthy of death. Those, however, who renounce their adherence to Christianity by sacrificing to the gods, will go free.