The church that does not speak of the sins of the last generation is in no position to speak against the sins of this generation. Death in the City (Downers Grove, InterVarsity Press: 1969) 40

To reform the Church of God we should always begin with self-reform. Schisms and divisions will increase so long as we begin with reforming others.

We make a ladder out of our vices if we trample those same vices underfoot.

True repentance is to cease from sin.

It is not sinning that ruins men, but sinning and not repenting, falling and not getting up again.

We are trying to play without the ball when the church tries to evangelize before she has repented. The church can do many things after she has repented but nothing until she first repents.

God hath promised pardon to him that repenteth, but he hath not promised repentance to him that sinneth.

There is one case of death-bed repentance recorded, that of the penitent thief, that none should despair; and only one that none should presume.

We often do a bad act, and make a worse excuse.

A revival of religion presupposes a declension. Charles Finney

You cannot repent too soon, because you do not know how soon it may be too late.

The confession of evil works is the first beginning of good works.

There can be no revival when Mr. Amen and Mr. Wet-Eyes are not found in the audience.

Some people do not like to hear much of repentance; but I think it is so necessary that if I should die in the pulpit, I would desire to die preaching repentance, and if out of the pulpit I would desire to die practicing it.

I read of the revivals of the past, great sweeping revivals where thousands of men were swept into the Kingdom of God. I read about Charles G. Finney winning his thousands and his hundreds of thousands of souls to Christ. Then I picked up a book and read the messages of Charles G. Finney and the message of Jonathan Edwards on 'Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,' and I said, 'No wonder men trembled; no wonder they fell in the altars and cried out in repentance and sobbed their way to the throne of grace!'

God seeth the first good motions and stirring of our hearts toward Him, and He needs must do so, for He stirreth them up in us; there is no sacred fire upon our altar, but first cometh down from heaven.

Revival is a renewed conviction of sin and repentance, followed by an intense desire to live in obedience to God. It is giving up one's will to God in deep humility.