FLOODGATES OF HERESIES OPENED IN THE 1800’s
By Nick Bibile
Matthew 7:15 – “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.”
What does “sheep’s clothing” mean? It represents Christian vocabulary. These deceivers cloak themselves with the language of faith. They quote Scripture, they sound pious, and they may even appear loving and kind. But inwardly, Jesus says, they are wolves—predators who come to steal, kill, and destroy the flock.
As Paul warned: “Satan himself transforms into an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14). Likewise, false teachers use Christian terms not to glorify Christ, but to deceive as many souls as possible.
False doctrine is not new. In the 4th century, a man named Pelagius denied the doctrine of inherited sin (Romans 5:12). His teaching undermined the very atonement of Christ, for if man is not born sinful, then why would we need a Savior? Pelagianism was condemned as heresy, yet its poison would resurface again and again throughout church history.
During the First Great Awakening in North America, God raised up men like Jonathan Edwards, who preached the unforgettable sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” The Spirit of God fell powerfully; people wept, trembled, and cried out for mercy.
The Second Great Awakening (1791) also began with genuine revival. Crowds traveled over a hundred miles to hear preachers like James McGready, and multitudes came to Christ as heaven’s fire touched the earth.
But something changed. Enter Charles Finney (1792–1875). Finney shifted the focus from a God-centered gospel to a man-centered religion. He denied original sin, rejected salvation by grace alone (sola gratia), and emphasized human effort over divine sovereignty. He even pioneered the modern altar call.
In his Systematic Theology (1846), Finney wrote that “regeneration consists in the sinner changing his ultimate choice.” Princeton theologian B. B. Warfield responded sharply, saying Finney’s system was not theology at all—for God could be entirely removed from it without altering its essence.
Tragically, Finney’s influence spread across America. His Pelagian seeds of heresy germinated, and by the mid-1800s, pulpits across the land began to echo man-centered, liberal theology.
The 19th century saw a flood of new sects and heresies, each claiming “new light” while departing from the truth of Scripture:
Mormonism – Joseph Smith, 1830
Seventh-Day Adventism – Ellen G. White, 1844
Christian Science – Mary Baker Eddy, 1879
Jehovah’s Witnesses – Charles Taze Russell, 1884
Restoration Movement (1790–1840) – Thomas Campbell, later forming the Church of Christ
Each of these movements added to or twisted God’s Word, leading millions astray.
False teachers are often 90% correct but slip in 10% deadly error. Think of a cake laced with just 10% poison—still fatal to the one who eats it. Likewise, a gospel of faith plus works or grace plus human merit is no gospel at all.
The only safeguard is a serious, consistent study of God’s Word. Test everything by Scripture. Cling to Christ alone. Do not be swayed by personalities, emotions, or traditions—hold fast to the unchanging truth of the Bible.