“Many professing Christians are characterized by the fear of punishment and an unconcern for sin. True friends of God and man are more afraid of sin than of punishment. They don’t ask “If I do this, will I be punished?” Instead, they ask the question that Joseph asked: “How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” This is the spirit of a child of God…”
– Charles Finney
“The reason why wicked men and devils hate God is, because they see Him in relation to themselves. Their hearts rise up in rebellion, because they see Him opposed to their selfishness”
– Charles Finney
“If the presence of God is in the church, the church will draw the world in. If the presence of God is not in the church, the world will draw the church out.”
– Charles Finney
“A revival always includes conviction of sin on the part of the Church. Backslidden professors cannot wake up and begin right away in the service of God, without deep searchings of heart. The fountains of sin need to be broken up. In a true revival, Christians are always brought under such conviction; they see their sins in such a light that often they find it impossible to maintain a hope of their acceptance with God. It does not always go to that extent, but there are always, in a genuine revival, deep convictions of sin, and often cases of abandoning all hope.”
– Charles Finney
“You hear the word, and believe it in theory, while you deny it in practice. I say to you, that “you deceive yourselves”
– Charles Finney
“But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves”
– James 1:22
Wisdom of the Ages 