Wesley and Methodism

Lesson 10

Objectives • Describe the key social, spiritual, and theological forces that

contributed to John Wesley’s life and thought • Describe what was unique about the Wesleyan movement of the

18th century and what contribution it made to Great Britain and transatlantic religion

• Compare Wesleyanism to other great religious and theological traditions including Roman Catholic, Lutheran, and Reformed traditions

• Explain the contribution of Wesleyanism to the history of the idea of Christian perfection, and how the Wesleyan revival laid the foundation for later evangelical and holiness movements, as well as revivalism and the great spiritual awakenings of the 19th century

• Identify: John Wesley, Charles Wesley, Samuel Wesley, Epworth, Holy Club, August Spangenberg, Aldersgate, John Fletcher

John Wesley (1703 - 1791)

• Born in Epworth, England

• Father: Samuel Wesley– Scholar– Lots of debt– Not very popular in Epworth

• Mother: Susanna Wesley– Huge spiritual influence on Wesley– 18 children!– Well educated

Methodists

• John Wesley studied in Oxford University (England) to become a priest.– Founded the "Holy Club" for improving the standard of

leadership in the Anglican church.• Live frugally• Simply• Give generously to the poor• attend church service• rigorous in daily devotions• Bible reading• other means of grace (communion, testimonies, etc)

• Their methods of trying to draw closer to Christ and improve the reputation of ministers led others to call them "Methodists."

Early Days

• Wesley studied biblical languages.

• Wesley became a well-liked preacher and teacher.

• Felt called to a mission to Georgia

Moravian Experiential Influence

• 1735 he left for America to evangelize the Indian groups in Georgia.– There he was very impressed by the

Moravian missionaries who knew they were saved and going to Heaven - to the point where they were not scared to die.

– August Spangenberg (Moravian) asked:– "Have you the witness within yourself?"– "Does the Spirit of God bear witness

with your spirit that you are a child of God?"

– "Do you know Jesus Christ?"– "Do you know that he has saved YOU?"

End of Mission

• Wesley's mission to Georgia failed

• On his way back he again was with Moravians, and again impressed by their sincere faith and peace that passed understanding.

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_aMrlukyKH60/TQKCOKnqE3I/AAAAAAAABwA/pGgIIg6JP3U/s1600/stormy-seas.jpg&imgrefurl=http://normlangston.blogspot.com/2010_12_01_archive.html&usg=__Gqd7ZCJYPQbJtU4M75Ap7R6ofwY=&h=752&w=1000&sz=102&hl=en&start=6&sig2=T_WgLlT6DGaa14stcEGdQA&zoom=1&tbnid=ygFG9z2PxgR2fM:&tbnh=112&tbnw=149&ei=jLpDUq_HMamxiwLMk4GACg&itbs=1&sa=X&ved=0CDcQrQMwBQ

Conversion / Sanctification?

• Wesley attended a Moravian meeting May 24, 1738 at Aldersgate Street in London.

• During the reading of Martin Luther's "Preface" to Romans he felt his heart "strangely warmed."

• He felt he really did trust in Jesus Christ alone for salvation.

• He felt an assurance inside.

Inside Out

• Little changed for Wesley outside. He still lived frugally, continued helping the poor, etc.

• Inside he was not doing it "legalistically" but now did so "evangelically" and out of love.

• Soon he was telling people that he thought he was not even a Christian before this experience.

Rejection and New Preaching

• Wesley's preaching about this new assurance that a person could have cause him to have much less welcome in churches across England.

• He went with George Whitefield (more Reform-church oriented) into the fields and streets to preach.

• This was a great success.• His "method" was particularly

successful at building groups of people that wanted to go deeper with Christ.

Classes and Bands 1

• Even groups that could not read the Bible flourished.• 1. In what ways were you tempted this past week?

Group leader always starts.• 2. How have you sinned this past week? Remind sinner

that God loves them, and that they are correct in that the sin is wrong. Pray with them for God's power and grace to be victorious.

• 3. How have you been victorious over temptation this past week? Praise - maybe even sing a hymn or chorus.

• 4. Is there anything else you would still like to confess? Remember, this is a time to get clean with God - do not let pride keep you from Heaven!

• If people were available to read the Bible, one person would do so.

Classes and Bands 2

• When a pastor was available, they would try to come to these "classes"

• When people were really serious about using this method, they were promoted to the "band" where they were given more responsibility and opportunities for leadership.

• This allowed a Holiness movement to sweep quickly across England and the United States, leading to a longer-lasting Methodist movement.

• Wesley agreed with the Moravians that a personal experience was necessary for salvation.

Wesley Breaks with Moravians

• Wesley disagreed with their low opinion of communion, fasting, etc.

• Moravians also emphasized experience over Scripture.

• He also disagreed that Christ's righteousness is given all at once, without a "growth in grace" afterwards. John Wesley believed there was still growth afterwards into Christ-likeness or Christian Perfection.

• Moravians did not believe that the law applied to Christians. Wesley believed that grace helps us fulfill the law (works) even better.

• Balance between antinomianism (no works needed, sin can exist in your life), and legalism (you must obey all laws and do works in order to get to Heaven)

Sola Fide! But Actions are Proof

• Wesley: Only by faith are you justified, but the Holy Spirit enables obedience. This means that after you are justified, if there is no fruit, then you should question your salvation. Grace enables works, works enables greater perseverance in grace - cycle!

• Faith, coming only from God, produces holiness and good works. You cannot separate them.

• John Wesley's sermons are found in Extras - Reference Materials - John Wesley (John Wesley - Salvation by Faith Sermon 1 Eph 2v8.pdf).

Wesley and Calvinism

• Wesley believed he was on the "very edge" of Calvinism.

• All good comes from the free grace of God

• All natural power to choose God is gone - you cannot do it by yourself!

• Man cannot do anything to save himself. No points, no merit. What he has or does is all a grace of God.

Wesley differed from Calvinism

• A person CAN lose salvation.• Your CURRENT position before God is what

matters, no yesterday's position.• People are completely fallen (utterly sinful) BUT

they are completely redeemable! They can be completely restored and cleaned up.

• Do you believe that?• God's love is so great, and when our love

reflects back God's love, we can become perfected.

• Love is not just thinking of God, but active love.

Making it Last Longer• Wesley travelled all over England with this

message. • Organization:• Classes: “a company of men having the form

and seeking the power of godliness, united in order to pray together, to receive the word of exhortation, and to watch over one another in love, that they may help each other to work out their salvation.”

• Bands: More intense groups for really interested believers trying to reach Christian Perfection.

• Conferences to help encourage classes and local preachers.

• Intense study of the Bible and other Christian works.

• Published articles to support these people.

Growth

• In 24 years = 19,761 Methodists• Wesley found that women received

the message of God's love quickly and they became leaders! This was a big change.

• Wesley expected those who were converted to become strong and faithful members of their local church. They built "preaching houses" and schools, but Methodists in England did not build their own church buildings or give communion. This was not a church spilt, this was a reform movement!

Other

• Wesley did get married after lots of people telling him he should. The marriage was not a happy marriage.

• Wesley opposed the Revolutionary War in America and urged Methodists to stay loyal to the king. After the war he knew that the movement would have to be separate from Anglicanism.

Stephen Tomkins writes that he "rode 250,000 miles, gave away 30,000 pounds, ... and preached more than 40,000 sermons

Charles Wesley (1707-1788)

• Helped John as a founder of the Holy Club• Best friend of John Wesley• Went to Georgia but had a terrible time

there.• He came home early.• He had his own (Moravian-influenced)

conversion experience before John. (1738)• Published first hymn book in 1739• Rector in Bristol.• 1771 became a preacher for the "Methodist

City Road Chapel."• Charles helped Methodism remain inside of

the Anglican Church.• He write hymns rich in Theology to support

the movement.

John Fletcher (1729 - 1785) from Switzerland.

• Studied in Geneva as Calvinist.• 1750 moved to England and joined Methodism.• 1757 Joined Anglican Church• Wrote about "baptism with the Holy Spirit" and

Pentecost as important images when writing about the way God gives (dispenses) His grace to us.

• John Wesley believed John Fletcher was the best example of Christian Perfection.

• Wesley wanted Fletcher to lead the Methodists, but Fletcher died several years before Wesley did.

Other Methodists

• Francis Asbury and Thomas Webb made Methodism strong in America. Asbury was the only Methodist leader that stayed in America after the Revolutionary War, which separated Methodists from Anglicanism.

• At age 80 Wesley made moves to make sure Methodism would continue.

• Ordained "bishops" Thomas Coke, Francis Asbury, Richard Whatcoat, Thomas Vesey to continue his work in England and in America - and around the world.

Wesley and Social Holiness:

• Wesley was deeply concerned with the poor people.

• He spent the night with them when on his trips.• He even would go around and beg for them.• He felt that their situation was not a curse of

God, or God's will. God loved everyone and wanted the best for His children.

• But all must join their will with God's will to make this happen.

Wesley and Social Holiness:

• Even at age 80 Wesley was walking the snowy, wet streets of London asking people to give to the needy.

• If God's will was that all people should be saved, then is certainly seemed that it would be His will that they had enough food as well.

• Wesley also believed that staring with the rich just meant that it was man's work, not God's miracle.

Wesley began to study social forces at work:

• Much of the corn and wheat crop went to producing alcoholic drinks. This raised food prices.

• Rich people raised horses instead of chickens, pigs and cows. This raised the prices of meat.

• This also made the other crops more expensive because fields that could grow good food was used for growing horse food.

• Also, everything, including food, was heavily taxed to pay for the national debt (war etc. created).

• Wesley did not believe that lots of wealth was Christian. It was obviously NOT God's blessing or favor, as it often took advantage of many poor people.

• He did not say it was sinful to be rich, but he did say it was dangerous.

• "All my riches are above, all my treasure is love!"

Wesley was a big part in the moral revival of England.

• The church was mobilized as a force for social change. And it worked!

• Christian Perfection was doing the works of God here on earth.

• Christianity was not passive and only at home. It was getting out and making a real difference by helping someone, fixing something, making things the way the Lord wants them.

• Sitting in a pew and doing nothing during the week made people uncomfortable in the Methodist movement.

• All of these works were grace-enabled love. Not guilt-ridden works.

• “Let justice, mercy, and truth govern all our minds and actions.

• Let our superfluities give way to our neighbor’s conveniences. . . .

• our conveniences to our neighbor’s necessities;

• our necessities to his extremities.” • Wesley's last letter was to William

Wilburforce begging him to take up the cause of abolishing slavery. Over time, this happened!

Revival

• The revival in England resulted in many churches changing, not just Methodism.

• The revival resulted in many clubs and "societies" being formed for local social work and far away missions work.

• 30 years after Wesley's death the first Methodist missionaries arrived in the South Pacific.

Wesleyanism as the Middle Way

• The gospel is for everyone - free grace.• Everyone could have assurance of their

salvation.• The gospel of for the whole person: Christian

Perfection - body, soul and mind• (He taught that:• all people needed to be saved• all people could be saved• all people could know they were saved• All people could be saved "to the uttermost" - all

the way through.

A middle way between Greek and Roman Catholic

• This way between the Greek understanding of experience and the Roman understanding of law.

• Justification is Christ's work FOR us.

• Sanctification is Christ's work IN us.

• Not only saved by grace, but healed by grace!

Also a middle way between Catholic and Protestant theology

• Promoted the mystical idea of communion as important for cleansing before God.

• We can be made holy and live holy, which means bear fruit.

• Justification by faith was true. (Reformed)

• Holiness leads to works is true. (Roman)

Also a balance between "crisis" experience and "process" salvation.• Prevenient grace works to draw you to

Christ.

• You will have a crisis when you know that you trust in Christ completely.

• You will continue to grow in grace, perhaps through several crises, or minor awakenings. (process).

CRISISPROCESS

Wesleyan Quadrilateral

• Theology was formulated on four sources:• Scripture: this was given primary

significance. (3 points?)• Tradition of the church: The church had

provided good guidance in the past, and we should not throw that away. (1 point)

• Reason: The enlightenment had shown that using the Scientific Method helped make things repeatable. It found out God's laws, so we should not ignore this. (1 point)

• Experience: God's witness through your own Spirit does count for something. But many people are misled this way too, so it should never be given precedence. (1 point)

Quadrilateral

Christian Perfection:– A "Middle Way"– Not the pre-Adamic state of innocence– Not the human idea of perfection with it's arrogance– Christ-like perfection with both divine (Spiritual enlightenment)

and human nature. Christ showed us the example, and said we can do it. It needs God's help and our agreement.

– Perfection in Love is attainable in this life!– Perfection in deeds and knowledge is (most likely) not attainable

in this life.– If you say that you have Christian Perfection, you probably do

not, as you have no humility! :-) Wesley himself never claimed Christian Perfection, but said that he knew some who had it.

– It is perfection in love as God loved.– Agape + sanctified phileo and eros.

– Full consecration + sanctifying grace.– Lives by faith and uses responsibility.– Refinement of character but by grace, not self-effort.– Day by day refining as you give each day to Christ.

Questions:

• Discipleship 1: Think about John Wesley's life, practice of his religion, and theology. If Wesley were alive today, what would he say to the church here in this country?

• Leadership 1: You want the people you teach to really learn right? What do you do to make sure they understand and use what you teach?

• Leadership 2: Is what you believe important enough that others need to know it? What ways can we grow our church (as Wesley did?)?