How to overcome sin – Charles Finney

In chapter 10 of “Power From On High,” Finney offers key insights into overcoming sin, emphasizing that it is not achieved through self-effort but through faith in Christ. He stresses that sin is not merely external behavior but an internal state of the will.

Here are the primary insights Finney provides on overcoming sin:

• Sin is Internal: Finney asserts that sin is not found in outward acts, muscular actions, or involuntary feelings. Instead, it is rooted in a “voluntary, ultimate preference or state of committal to self pleasing” .
• Resolutions are Ineffective: Attempts to overcome sin by making resolutions and fighting against it are futile because they focus only on the outward actions, leaving the root of sin untouched.
• Resolutions are Ineffective: Attempts to overcome sin by making resolutions and fighting against it are futile because they focus only on the outward actions, leaving the root of sin untouched.
• Love Cannot Be Forced: Finney argues that trying to produce love or eradicate selfishness through personal resolutions is an impossible task.
• Faith in Christ is Essential: Overcoming sin is achieved through faith in Christ, who is made “wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption”. This is the key to overcoming sin, not self-effort.
• The Holy Spirit Works Through Faith: The Spirit of Christ works through faith, enabling individuals to act according to God’s will. This is not a passive process but an active cooperation with divine influence. The Spirit of Christ is received by faith to dwell in the heart.
• Sanctification is by Faith: Sanctification, or the process of becoming holy, is achieved through faith in Christ, not by works.
• Trust in Christ is Paramount: Diverting focus from Christ and relying on personal strength to combat sin leads to delusion. Trusting in Christ opens the door for Him to work within, purifying the heart.

These insights underscore Finney’s belief that true freedom from sin comes not from human effort but from a reliance on Christ’s power through faith.

Power From On High Chapter 10.