The Wesleyan Tradition
In
the broad sense of the term, the Wesleyan tradition identifies the theological
impetus for those movements and denominations (and their name is Legion) who
trace their roots to a theological tradition finding its initial focus in John
Wesley. Although its primary legacy remains within the various Methodist
denominations (the Wesleyan Methodist, the Free Methodist, the African
Methodist Episcopal, the African Methodist Episcopal Zion, the Christian
Methodist Episcopal, and the United Methodist), the Wesleyan tradition has been
refined and reinterpreted as catalyst for other movements and denominations as
well, e.g., Charles Finney and the Holiness movement; Charles Parham and the
Pentecostal movement; Phineas Bresee and the Church of the Nazarene.
In
the more narrow sense of the term, the Wesleyan tradition has been associated
with Arminianism, usually in contrast to Reformed Calvinism. Historically,
Calvinists have feared that Wesleyans have strayed too close to Pelagianism. On
the other hand, Wesleyans have feared that Calvinists have strayed too close to
antinomianism. Arminius nor Wesley were
Pelagian. Justification by faith is pivotal for both traditions. Although free
will is an issue, in many respects the two traditions are not that far apart.
For example, Wesley stated that he and Calvin were but a hair's breadth apart
on justification. Sanctification, not free will, draws the clearest line of
distinction. Good theology, for Wesley, was balance without compromise. This
balance is most evident in Wesley's understanding of faith and works,
justification and sanctification.Those who espouse such a tradition like to
think of this as their peculiar genius.
Wesleyan Distinctives
In
a phrase, the Wesleyan tradition seeks to establish justification by faith as
the gateway to sanctification or "scriptural holiness." Taken
separately, justification by faith builds the foundation. Wesley himself in a
sermon entitled "Justification by Faith" makes an attempt to define
the term accurately. First, he states what justification is not. It is not
being made actually just and righteous (that is sanctification). It is not
being cleared of the accusations of Satan, nor of the law, nor even of God. We
have sinned, so the accusation stands. Justification implies pardon, the forgiveness
of sins. God justifies not the godly but the ungodly. They that are righteous
need no repentance so they need no forgiveness. This pardon or forgiveness
comes by faith. Then Wesley states what faith is and what it is not. It is not
that faith of a heathen, nor of a devil, nor even that of the apostle while
Christ remained in the flesh. It is "a divine supernatural, evidence or
conviction, 'of things not seen,' not
discoverable by our bodily senses." Furthermore, "justifying faith
implies a sure trust and confidence that Christ died for my sins, that He loved
me and gave Himself for me" (Works, V, 60-61). This faith is received by
repentance and our willingness to trust Christ as the one able to deliver us
from all our sins.
With
justification by faith as the foundation the Wesleyan tradition then builds a
doctrine of sanctification upon it. The doctrine develops like this. Man and
woman were created in the image of God's own eternity. They were upright and
perfect. They dwelt in God and God dwelt in them. God required full and perfect
obedience, and they were (in their unfallen state) equal to the task. They then
disobeyed God. Their righteousness was lost. They were separated from God. We,
as their seed, inherited a corruptible and mortal nature. We became dead, dead
in spirit, dead in sin, dead to God, so that in our natural state we hastened
on to death everlasting. God, however, was not to be undone. While we were yet
sinners Christ died for the ungodly. He bore our sins that by his stripes we
might be healed. The ungodly, therefore, are justified by faith in the full,
perfect, and sufficient sacrifice. This is not the end, however. This is only
the beginning. Ultimately for the true Wesleyan salvation is completed by our
return to original righteousness. This is done by the work of the Holy Spirit.
Although we are justified by faith alone, we are sanctified by the Holy Spirit,
the Spirit that makes us holy.
The
Wesleyan tradition insists that grace is not contrasted with law but with the works
of the law. Wesleyans remind us that Jesus came to fulfill, not destroy, the
law. God made us in his perfect image, and he wants that image restored. He
wants to return us to a full and perfect obedience through the process of
sanctification. As we continually yield to the Spirit's impulse, he roots out
those things that would separate us from God, from ourselves, and from those
around us. Although we are not justified by good works, we are justified for
good works. To be sure, no good works precede justification, as they do not
spring from faith in Christ. Good works follow after justification as its
inevitable fruit. Wesley insisted that Methodists who did not fulfill all
righteousness deserved the hottest place in the lake of fire. Fulfilling "all
righteousness" or being restored to our original righteousness became the
hallmark of the Wesleyan tradition.
To
fulfill all righteousness describes the process of sanctification. Wesley
insisted that imputed righteousness must become imparted righteousness. God
grants his Spirit to those who repent and believe that through faith they might
overcome sin. Wesleyans want deliverance from sin, not just from hell. Wesley
speaks clearly of a process that culminates in a second definite work of grace
identified as entire sanctification. Entire sanctification is defined in terms
of "pure or disinterested love." Wesley believed that one process
that culminates in a second definite work of grace identified as entire
sanctification. Entire sanctification is defined in terms of "pure or
disinterested love." Wesley believed that one could progress in love until
love became devoid of self-interest at the moment of entire sanctification.
Thus, the principles of scriptural holiness or sanctification are as follows:
sanctification is received by faith as a work of the Holy Spirit. It begins at
the moment of new birth.It progresses gradually until the instant of entire
sanctification. Its characteristics are to love God and one's neighbor as
oneself; to be meek and lowly in heart, having the mind which was in Christ
Jesus; to abstain from all appearance of evil, walking in all the commandments
of God; to be content in every state, doing all to the glory of God.
Wesleyanism
The
Wesleyan tradition's defense has normally exercised four basic proofs:
Scripture, reason, tradition, and experience. Although these "proofs"
represent only a construct of Wesley's theology, the principles can be clearly
identified.
Scripture
Wesley
insisted that Scripture is the first authority and contains the only measure
whereby all other truth is tested. It was delivered by men divinely inspired.
It is a rule sufficient of itself. It neither needs, nor is capable of, any
further addition. The Scripture references to justification by faith as the
gateway to scriptural holiness are well known to true Wesleyans: Deut. 30:6;
Ps. 130:8; Ezek. 36:25, 29; Matt. 5:48; 22:37; Luke 1:69; John 17:20-23; Rom.
8:3-4; II Cor. 7:1; Eph. 3:14; 5:25-27;
I Thess. 5:23; Titus 2:11-14; I John 3:8; 4:17.
Reason (The difference between William law and John Wesley)
Although
Scripture is sufficient unto itself and is the foundation of true religion,
Wesley writes: "Now, of what excellent use is reason, if we would either
understand ourselves, or explain to others, those living oracles" (Works,
VI, 354). He states quite clearly that without reason we cannot understand the
essential truths of Scripture. Reason, however, is not a mere human invention.
It must be assisted by the Holy Spirit if we are to understand the mysteries of
God. With regard to justification by faith and sanctification Wesley said that
although reason cannot produce faith, when impartial reason speaks we can
understand the new birth, inward holiness, and outward holiness. Although
reason cannot produce faith, it shortens the leap. William Law on the other hand taught, and rightly so, that human
reason is part of the old nature, and must be abandoned as well as all of the
rest of the "old man." We
must accept the Scripture alone and let reason be hanged. Here is a direct quote from Bro. William
Law "I teach that Reason is to be denied.
I own, I have not only taught this, but have again and again proved the
absolute Necessity of it. And this, because Christ has made it absolutely
Necessary, by saying, "Whosoever will come after me, let him deny
himself." For how can a man deny himself, without denying his Reason,
unless Reason be no Part of Himself? Or how can a rational Creature whose chief
Distinction from Brutes is that of his Reason, be called to deny himself any
other Way, than by denying that which is peculiar to Himself? Let the Matter be
thus expressed, Man is not to deny his Reason. Well, how then? Why, he is only
to deny himself. Can there be a greater Folly of Words? And yet it is their Wisdom
of Words, who allow the Denying of Self to be good Doctrine, but boggle, and
cry out at the denying of Reason, as quite bad. For how can a Man deny himself,
but by denying That which is the Life, and Spirit, and Power of Self?- What
makes a man a Sinner? Nothing but the Power and Working of his Natural Reason.
And therefore, if our natural Reason is not to be denied, we must keep up and
follow That which works every Sin that ever was, or can be in us. For we can
Sin nowhere, or in any Thing, but where our Natural Reason or Understanding has
its Power in us.- What is meant in all Scripture by the Flesh and its
Works?"
A scripture that says amen to this
thought, Proverbs 14:12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a
man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. Yes human reason will find it's way to hell, every time!
Tradition
Wesley
writes that it is generally supposed that traditional evidence is weakened by
length of time, as it must necessarily pass through so many hands in a
continued succession of ages. Although other evidence is perhaps stronger, he
insists: "Do not undervalue traditional evidence. Let it have its place
and its due honour. It is highly serviceable in its kind, and in its
degree" (Works, X, 75). Wesley states that men of strong and clear
understanding should be aware of its full force. For him it supplies a link
through 1,700 years of history with Jesus and the apostles. The witness to
justification and sanctification is an unbroken chain drawing us into
fellowship with those who have finished the race, fought the fight, and who now
reign with God in his glory and might.
Experience
Apart
from Scripture, experience is the strongest proof of Christianity. "What
the Scriptures promise, I enjoy" (Works, X, 79). Again, Wesley insists
that we cannot have reasonable assurance of something unless we have
experienced it personally. John Wesley was assured of both justification and
sanctification because he had experienced them in his own life. What
Christianity promised (considered as a doctrine) was accomplished in his soul.
Furthermore, Christianity (considered as an inward principle) is the completion
of all those promises. Although traditional proof is complex, experience is
simple: "One thing I know; I was blind, but now I see." Although
tradition establishes the evidence a long way off, experience makes it present
to all persons. As for the proof of justification and sanctification Wesley
states that Christianity is an experience of holiness and happiness, the image of
God impressed on a created spirit, a fountain of peace and love springing up
into everlasting life.
Development
of Wesleyan Thought. The emphasis on justification by faith as the foundation and
sanctification as the building upon it kept the people called Methodist moving
perpetually toward God. Even entire sanctification as an instantaneous
experience was never cause to sleep. Not to improve it was to lose it. One was
to grow in love. Perfect love continually plumbed some new depth of the human
experience. These distinctives of the Wesleyan tradition were powerful tools
for the perpetuation of the Evangelical Revival. Unfortunately, many of these
doctrines have been either lost or misdirected. Many with in the Wesleyan
tradition have slipped into legalism, for example. Their understanding of
sanctification has become too closely identified only with the form of
godliness. Wesley intended that sanctification should be a disposition of the
mind or a condition of the heart from which spring all good works. Wesley would
be grieved to see good works become an end in themselves.
Ironically,
in spite of an emphasis on "doing," many within the Wesleyan
tradition have lost their social vision as well. Originally Wesley championed
the fight against injustices like slavery and the lack of prison reform. Many
followed in his footsteps. The cry of the early Holiness movement (which
carried the banner of the Wesleyan tradition throughout the nineteenth century)
was "Repent, believe, and become an abolitionist." When such movements lose their theological
head (Finney died in 1875), they tend to become more and more rigid. The social
gospel became associated with liberalism, and many within the Wesleyan tradition
overreacted. There was also a period of infighting. At the turn of the century
the Wesleyan tradition, then deeply embedded within the Holiness movement,
splintered. Now the Wesleyan tradition can be traced through many different
movements and denominations which still hold, in one form or another, a view to
justification by faith as the gateway to sanctification. The principles of scriptural holiness have
meaning and contain much that is precious and important for our contemporary
world.
See
also JOHN WESLEY; METHODISM;
HOLINESS MOVEMENT