Did Charles Finney Just Preach a Man-Centered Gospel?

Repent ye, and believe the Gospel.   
–Mark 1:15 (KJV)–

30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. 31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
–Luke 16:30-31 (KJV)–

God commendeth his love toward us,

in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 
–Romans 5:8 (KJV)–

He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities…it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin…by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities…he bare the sin of many. 
–Isaiah 53:5, 10-12 (KJV)–

Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. 
–1 Peter 2:24 (KJV)–

How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?   
–Hebrews 9:14 (KJV)–

31 And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them: 32 And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods. 33 They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into THE PIT, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation. 34 And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them: for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up also. 35 And there came out A FIRE FROM THE LORD, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense.   
–Numbers 16:31-35 (KJV)–

And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.
–Isaiah 66:24 (KJV)–

And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
–Daniel 12:2 (KJV)–



Charles Finney, Sermons On the Way of Salvation (E. J. Goodrich, 1891).

Charles Spurgeon, Spurgeon’s Sermons on the Cross of Christ (Kregel, 1993).

Charles Finney (d. 1875)
Charles Spurgeon (d. 1892).

Roger Olson, “Arminianism Is God-Centered Theology.” Certainly there is some truth in these criticisms, but their target is wrong when aimed at classical Arminian theology. Unfortunately, all too seldom do the critics name any Arminian theologians or quote from Arminius himself to support these accusations. When they say “Arminianism” they seem to mean popular folk religion which is, admittedly, by-and-large semi-Pelagian. Some, most notably Horton, name 19th century revivalist Charles Finney as the culprit in dragging American Christianity down into human-centered spirituality.  Whether Finney is a good example of an Arminian is highly debatable. I agree with Horton and others that too much popular Christianity in America, including much that goes under the label “evangelical,” is human-centered. I disagree with them, however, about classical Arminianism about which I suspect most of them know very little.

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