The Letters of Francis Schaeffer

In the Letters of Francis Schaeffer, we gain a window into the heart of a man undergoing spiritual renewal in in the early 1950's. He realized that in his defense of the truth in the 1940's, he had lost his first love.

“The fallacy is this: that insofar as we are right [about their stand for the authority of the Bible], therefore it would certainly follow that God’s rich blessing would be upon us individually and as a movement. I no longer believe this is so... These struggles were needed and right; but the correct perspective as mislaid in the process. The “movement” grew in our thinking until for me, the wonderful closeness which I felt to Him in previous days was lost. I wonder if that is not what happened to the church of Ephesus in Revelation 2? (38)

“I’ve seen the Holy Spirit work in individual lives like I have never experienced before. It reminds me of what I have heard of the revivals of yesterday. It would not be counted for much—only one’s and two’s—but it is as different as day and night from the way I’ve seen it come before. If the Lord can do it with me, with all I know that is wrong with Schaeffer, with one’s and two’s, He can do it with hundreds too if He wishes…” (40)

“We have gone along from day to day not trying to make plans too definitely, but rather hoping that His plans would be our only plan. The way has been sweet and our hearts have been glad except as we view our own coldness of heart and habit of returning to the old ways. Indeed, we have much to unlearn by His grace…” (63)

“I see that a combat for the faith must flow from an ever closer walk with God and not take the place of it.” (52)

Schaeffer agreed with his friend, who wrote, “I used my Bible to hit and embarrass those who could not see and read the way I did. I regret this time in my life. Our own strength, zeal, and enthusiasm ends, usually, like Peter’s sword attack, in betraying the One we love.” (68)