Links
Chafer, Ryrie, Pentecost, Thieme,
Hodges, Bright, Hession,
Grubb, Torrey,
Gordon, Simpson, Tozer,
Moody, Murray
DR. A. W. TOZER
Miles J. Stanford
For many years the late Dr. Tozer "represented" the Christian Missionary Alliance (CMA) as pastor of one of their churches, as editor of Alliance Witness magazine, and as the author of numerous books published by the C & MA press, Christian Publications.
First, there is a way in which he did not represent the Alliance. In the loftiness of his devotional vision, and the depth of his exhortational insights, he was far beyond the C & MA realm. In this aspect of his ministry he was, for the most part, non-doctrinal.
However, when it came to doctrinal teaching, Dr. Tozer fully represented Dr. Simpson and the Alliance. There is where it becomes apparent.
THE DIVINE CONQUEST -- In this popular book Dr. Tozer attests his basic Arminianism. "Whoever would be filled by the Spirit should first judge his life for any hidden iniquities. He should then courageously expel from his heart everything which is out of accord with the character of God...."
KEYS TO THE DEEPER LIFE -- In this booklet Dr. Tozer again lays down a number of conditions for the filling of the Spirit. One is as follows: "Before there can be fullness there must be emptiness. Before God can fill us with Himself we must first be emptied of ourselves. There must be a total self-disvaluation, a death to all things without us and within us, or there never can be a real filling with the Holy Spirit."
PATHS TO POWER -- Here Dr. Tozer fully follows Charles G. Finney in saying that we must keep the law because God has given us the ability to do so. He ends his message with, "We could use another Finney today!" No one is held in higher esteem by the Arminians than Dr. Finney, who was neither Arminian nor Calvinist, but was one of the first charismatic Presbyterians with a theology all his own.
Finney wrote, "It is plain that all the law demands is the exercise of whatever strength we have, in the service of God. Now, as sanctification consists in perfect obedience to the law of God, and as the law requires nothing more than the right use of whatever strength we have, it is, of course, forever settled, that a state of entire sanctification is attainable in this life, on the ground of natural ability."
MR. D. L. MOODY -- Even the beloved Moody was infected by the Pentecostals and affected by his co-worker, Dr. Torrey. In one of his messages Mr. Moody said, "The Holy Ghost coming down with power is distinct and separate from conversion. Instead of urging a convert to seek the gift of the Holy Ghost, that he may be anointed for the work, we let him sleep. This world would soon be converted if all such were baptized with the Holy Ghost."
DR. ANDREW MURRAY -- We are happy to say that, basically, Dr. Murray was scripturally sound in what he taught concerning the filling with the Spirit. And all of his writing in the realm of growth was clearly grounded in the work of the Cross and the identification truths in the life of the believer. This cannot be said of any of the writers thus far considered.
Although a Covenant theologian who kept the Cross and identification principles central, an anomaly in itself, Dr. Murray did tend toward Arminianism in his terminology regarding the filling with the Spirit. He also set forth a number of Arminian conditions for the filling. He used the term "baptism" instead of "filling" in books such as Back to Pentecost, The Full Blessing of Pentecost, and his almost classic The Spirit of Christ. Had he used the scriptural terms it would have been a true classic, instead of controversial.
His use of the term "Pentecost" in the above titles was inaccurate. It is these books that the Pentecostals have promoted, plus his even more inaccurate book entitled Divine Healing. In his later years Dr. Murray repudiated his former teaching on the subject of healing but failed to withdraw the book, still a favorite in Pentecostal book stores.
Instead of Dr. Murray being affected by Dr. Torrey, it was the other way around. Dr. Torrey was influenced by Dr. Murray's synonymous usage of "baptism" and "filling with the Spirit." Sad to say, Torrey was not at all predisposed to Andrew Murray's stellar teaching concerning the Cross and the identification truths for spiritual growth. Torrey was too close a student of Dr. Finney's writings for that, which caused him to center in a "baptism with the Spirit for power in service."
DR. V. RAYMOND EDMAN -- The late Chancellor of Wheaton College was a full-fledged Arminian, a strong Finney fan, and a former missionary and pastor under the C & MA. One of his books is entitled Finney Lives On; and it is true that he lives on in the Torrey teaching of the baptism with the Spirit, as well as in the Pentecostal movement.
DR. R. A. TORREY III -- One of the foremost leaders of the neo-tongues movement, this grandson of Dr. Torrey, Sr., is an Episcopal rector, and has been director of "Jesus Abbey" in Hwangji, Korea, for the past twenty years.
This highly intellectual leader is not only drawing fellow missionaries and Korean Christians into tongues, but he has been notably "successful" in forming charismatic cells in homes here in the States during his time of furlough. The pattern is usually that these tongues groups soon degenerate into "demonism"; and before long there is a blowup, with the wild fire scattered throughout the area.