This Classic book - The Backslider in Heart -- introduces and orients the reader to critical biblical/theological thinking from a biblical perspective. Finney's presentation is written with a clarity that fosters biblical thought and facilitates Bible comprehension. You won't be disappointed. While staunch Calvinists believed in the perseverance of the saints, Finney believed that a Christian could "backslide," or turn back from the Christian life and revert to a life of sin. In this address, Finney clarifies his theology of backsliding, first explaining what it is not, then what it is. He describes what a backslidden life might look like, and what consequences living in sin bring upon the sinner. Finney is consistently one of the best Bible scholars and this one is at the top of his writing. He's bold in his writings but solid in Scripture. "It's impossible to measure the influence of Finney over God's church. His works remain in print and are widely read, which shouldn't surprise us. He is considered one of the most outstanding pastoral, evangelistic writers on practical and devotional themes.

The backslidden condition is a lot more common than people like to believe - especially about one self. You may fool yourself into believing that you are in good shape with the Lord. But let me tell you, if you have a sin or sins you have not overcome yet then that is a very real sign that you are not in a pure state before God (i.e. backslidden or lukewarm). Take the diagnoses that Charles Finney gives and carefully and soberly consider whether you have any backslidden tendency in your heart or actions. Because of the deceitfulness of sin you may not be very good at your own diagnosis. Earnestly ask the Holy Spirit what areas in which you need to overcome. If you already know you need to overcome - that is a good sign that you are hearing from God. Then take the crucial next step and earnestly ask the Lord to help you overcome ALL sin. Including any disobedience. It is a great deal more important than you realize !

“If there were a Guinness Book of World Records entry for ‘amount of times having prayed the sinner’s prayer,’ I’m pretty sure I’d be a top contender,” says pastor and author J. D. Greear. He struggled for many years to gain an assurance of salvation and eventually learned he was not alone. “Lack of assurance” is epidemic among evangelical Christians. In Stop Asking Jesus Into Your Heart, J. D. shows that faulty ways of present- ing the gospel are a leading source of the confusion. Our presentations may not be heretical, but they are sometimes misleading. The idea of “asking Jesus into your heart” or “giving your life to Jesus” often gives false assurance to those who are not saved—and keeps those who genuinely are saved from fully embracing that reality. Greear unpacks the doctrine of assurance, showing that salvation is a posture we take to the promise of God in Christ, a posture that begins at a certain point and is maintained for the rest of our lives. He also answers the tough questions about assurance: What exactly is faith? What is repentance? Why are there so many warnings that seem to imply we can lose our salvation? Such issues are handled with respect to the theological rigors they require, but Greear never loses his pastoral sensitivity or a communication technique that makes this message teachable to a wide audience from teens to adults.

What is backsliding, really? Is it serious? What can be done about it? The Christian life is a race, a marathon. Through the gospel, God summons us to sustained and persevering effort. He empowers his children by grace--free and undeserved blessing through Christ. But he does not carry them to heaven on flowery beds of ease. Faith is a living, athletic grace. God's mercy motivates Christians and energizes them to press on and overcome great obstacles. Christ blazed the trail before us. He now calls us to follow Him to the end (Hebrews 12:1-2). Looking unto Jesus--that is how we persevere. In him is everything we need. But realistically speaking, Christians are not always pressing forward. Sometimes they wander off the narrow path, slip, and injure themselves. To the confused and injured runner, this book says, "God can help you. You can finish this race--and finish it well." Drawing from the wisdom of the Scriptures and aided by the insights of godly Bible teachers through the centuries, Getting Back in the Race addresses the age-old problem of backsliding. Backsliding is a season in the life of a professing Christian when his sin grows stronger and his obedience to God declines. The beginning of the book uncovers signs of sliding into a spiritual rut, for this is often more subtle than falling into scandalous sins. The rest of the book shows that there is hope for the backslider. God is so amazing! Even though our backsliding insults him, dishonors him, grieves him, and pushes away his love, still he calls us to return to him. When you grasp hold of God's methods by faith, you discover that Christ has grasped hold of you. Our spiritual Physician has potent medicines to heal his people from their injuries and get them back on track to finish the race. This book is a wake-up call to careless Christians and an encouragement to all believers to keep running to the Lord.

In this book, Bishop Dag Heward-Mills sounds the alarm, and graphically shows why every Christian must make it to Heaven!

Reprint of the original, first published in 1840.