Samuel Chadwick

”Samuel Chadwick menee asian ytimeen tässä klassikkokirjassaan. Kristinusko on toivotonta ilman Pyhää Henkeä, eikä mikään muu kirja, mitä olen lukenut aiheesta, analysoi niin selvästi sekä hengellisiä ongelmiamme että Jumalan ihmeellistä lupausta Pyhän Hengen saamisesta.”– Jim Cymbala”Saarnaaja joka poltti saarnansa ja syttyi pyhän hengen tulesta!” Samuel Chadwick (1860–1932) oli wesleyläinen metodisti, joka tarjosi suoraviivaista opetusta kaikille, jotka olivat valmiita ottamaan sitä vastaan. Hänen opetuksensa ei keskity teoreettisiin pohdiskeluihin siitä, mitä Jumala voi tehdä ja mitä ei, vaan sen sijaan sen pääosassa on kristillinen kokemus. Hän opettaa kuitenkin vain sellaisista kokemuksista, jotka perustuvat selvästi Raamattuun. Chadwickin tällä kirjalla on suuri arvo, koska juuri Chadwickin opetukset vaikuttivat tämän päivän helluntailiikkeen syntyyn. Hänen sanomaansa tarvitaan kipeästi nykypäivän seurakunnissa. Ei ole epäilystäkään siitä, miksi Chadwickin teokset ovat säilyneet niin monia vuosia hänen kuolemansa jälkeen. Hän opetti selvästi Jumalan elävää Sanaa, joka kestää iankaikkisesti. Kirjoittajasta: 1880-luvulla nuori Samuel Chadwick toimi erään itseriittoisen englantilaisen seurakunnan pastorina. Hän turhautui siinä määrin toimattomuuteensa, että kokosi kaikki saarnansa kasaan ja poltti ne. Välittömästi tämän jälkeen Pyhä Henki laskeutui hänen päälleen. Chadwickin seuraava saarna oli täynnä uutta elämää ja voimaa, ja tämän seurauksena seitsemän ihmistä antoi elämänsä Kristukselle. Seuraavien vuosien kuluessa hänen maineensa kasvoi niin, että kirkko oli täynnä jo puoli tuntia ennen kokousta ja poliisi oli kutsuttava paikalle ohjaamaan väkijoukkoja. Viimeisinä elinvuosinaan Chadwick toimi saarnaajakoulun rehtorina. Näinä vuosina hän kirjoitti tunnetuimman kirjansa ”Takaisin helluntaihin” (The Way to Pentecost), joka julkaistiin hänen kuolemansa jälkeen vuonna 1932.

Samuel Chadwick (1860-1932) was a Wesleyan Methodist who offered up straight-forward teaching to as many as would receive it. His teachings focus not on the theoretical expanses of what God may or may not do, but are instead centered on the Christian experience. However, he teaches only the experience which is clearly backed up by the Bible. Chadwick's definition of Pentecost is different than that of today's mainline Pentecostal churches. He is speaking of the classic Methodist teaching of entire sanctification, perfect love, or whatever else it may be called. However, this book is of great value to mainline Pentecostals, as these teachings are what helped birth the modern Pentecostal movement. What he has to say is desperately needed in the church today. There is no question why Chadwick's works have endured these many years past his death. He taught plainly from the living Word of God, and that word endures forever.

In our day, much as in Chadwick's, Pentecost is mostly misunderstood by the Church at large and is therefore either feared or turned into a circus. In both cases the Spirit of God is either lacking or completely grieved. This is evident in the absence of power; power to embrace and live a holy life in spite of the deprivations of the professing church and the pollutions of the world around us. "The Christian religion is hopeless without the Holy Ghost" and yet the majority of the Church seems to be content without Him and His tangible presence. In "The Way to Pentecost", Chadwick sets forth the Biblical presentation of Pentecost, the giving of the Holy Ghost, and what that means for Christians throughout the Church Age. Christians today are in as much, or greater, need of a fresh presentation of Pentecost as ever. Lack of power and victory are the inevitable witnesses to this fact. "The Way to Pentecost" is a call for the true Church of Jesus Christ to rise up and take possession of the promise of the Father. "The only power that is adequate for Christian life and Christian work is the power of the Holy Ghost."

What is Christian Perfection? Why are so many professing Christians afraid of the doctrine? Why is the idea so vehemently resisted? These answers and more are found in Samuel Chadwick's "The Call to Christian Perfection". "Christian Perfection," says Chadwick, "is not infallibility." And neither is it encompassed in the dissolution of our physical existence. Is moral perfection possible in this life? Chadwick's presentation to the affirmative is contained in these pages. Based on John Wesley's teachings on entire sanctification, "The Call to Christian Perfection" examines the Biblical basis of the doctrine. The reality of entire sanctification is only realized through crises in which the soul cries out to be conformed to the image of Christ, and the experience is as much a crises as conversion itself. Without holiness, says the Scriptures, "no man shall see the Lord." This being so, it is vitally important that we rightly and Biblically define "holiness". To the shame of the professing church, much of it is content in their "less than perfect" state, actually defending their spots and wrinkles, casting the blame for their worldly imperfection upon their domineering flesh, or even on God Himself. "It is a tragedy when 'holiness' people are not holy people."

Too often we fail claim the authority of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Chadwick--a man who lived what he preached--challenges us to dig deeper into our spiritual walks to discover the power of the Spirit. No other book I have ever read on the subject so clearly analyzes both our spiritual problems and God's wonderful promise concerning the supply of His Spirit. - Pastor Jim Cymbala

The Path of Prayeranswers the question: what is prayer and what are its functions? This helpful volume is based not on theory but experience, and it is imply written so everyone will be able to apply its vital principles.