Wesley's Doctrine of Sanctification
Sanctification according to the modern day dictionary means to grow in divine grace because of Christian commitment after baptism or conversion (Merriam-Webster, n.d.). However, Wesley gave it the following definition of sanctification in a practical way. He believed that true Christian maturity was primarily evidenced by "'a faith that works by divine love in the crucible of everyday life" (Sullivan, 2012).
This paper was prepared through research of sermons and texts with regards to one great theologian by the name of John Wesley on his distinctive’s of sanctification and the “new creation”. Wesley held to a different view on the renewal of the image of God through the new creation.
The new creation is a cosmic overall dimension of the renewal in God’s image per the Methodist view, however Wesley being more focused on the renewal of a person led him to write research and write about his distinguishing characteristics of the steps to sanctification. The theme to Wesley’s soteriology was that of the renewing of the image. The renewing of the face of the earth begins with the renewing of humans who inhabit it, which links redemption to salvation, understood by Wesley to be the renewing of the heart and the change to how one lives.
The difference between the Wesleyans and the Protestants is how Wesley’s instance of the renewal in the image of God involves the actual transformation of a person into a new creature, with which Wesley describes as “relative” change in the believer as an actual renewal of the image.
Wesley describes human beings as receiving the love of God and then reflecting that love on all living creatures. In ______ sermon Wesley shared his understanding of the image of Go...
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...be instantaneous or progressive, but it must begin with Justification, this order actually eventually brings you to salvation. Wesley’s actual order of salvation begins with the “new birth” going on to justification, then on to sanctification and finally glorification “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn of many breathren”. ~ Romans 8:29-30 (NKJ).
References
Jakes, T.D., (1998). Holy Bible: Woman Thou Art Loose. Thomas Nelson Publishers. Nashville, Tenn.
Scaer, D., (1985) Sanctification in Lutheran Theology. Retrieved from
http://webzoom.freewebs.com/pastormattrichard/scaersanctificationinlutherantheology.pdf
Sullivan, M., (2012) Five Views on Sanctification: An In- Depth Analysis. Retrieved from
http://www.xenos.org/ministries/crossroads/OnlineJournal/issue1/fiveview.htm
Christianity is clearly a living religious tradition through both the significant person in Roncalli, and the practice of baptism. The continuing effects of the impacts of Pope John XXIII in his encyclicals and himself catalysing Vatican 2 and ‘aggiornamento’ create the sense that Christianity is a living religious tradition. The sacred practice of baptism allows adherents to make physical their faith, including the belief in the trinity, and allows candidates to become one with God through the renewal of life, abolishing original sin. It is evident that both aspects of the Christian faith have lead to Christianity being considered a living religious tradition.
Holiness is “the presence or character of God reflected especially in the quality of human beings’ moral and spiritual lives, while “sanctification”: is the process by which human being are made holy” (p. 79, Campbell and Burns). Wesley believed that there is an inward and outward holiness. Inward holiness is when the individual seek to reflect God’s love in their live. Outward holiness is reflection of God’s love as witness to other people. Holiness is the normal state of being that a person is trying to return to. Sanctification is the process in which a person seeks to obtain holiness. Holiness is a deep intense personal relationship with God’s love.
Finney, Charles Grandison. Lectures on Revivals of Religion. New York: Christian Classics Ethereal Library, 2009. Accessed April 21, 2014. http://www.ccel.org/ccel/finney/revivals.toc.html.
...the transition between the two practices, where the Deists whom were once thought to be strict “rationalize” shifting into becoming “enthusiastic” and the Methodists whom were thought to be “enthusiastic” became more “rationalize”. As mention earlier, Deism may strictly seem as a rationalistic movement and Methodism as a totally enthusiastic, but both provided a lot of devotion and commitment to publicize addressing religious problems and liberated it from the four walls of the church. They used the benefit of the religious freedom that they gained in forming societies and organizations to further discourse and exercise alternative religious approaches. Even though they might not recognize that they have a lot in common, and claimed that one over another was unorthodox, but in the end they both sought to locate their religious belief based on their experience.
The conversion experience deals with a transformation from an ‘old life’ to a ‘new’ one. This produces a change of conduct in the converts, who now consciously try not to return to their ‘old life’ represented by their pre-conversion years (Adeboye, 2003 ; 2004).
Wesley's seventh essential doctrine was regeneration through the "new birth," Campbell said. Methodism's founder warned against leaning on the "slender read of baptism," when salvation required being born again. Belief in the possibility of entire sanctification beyond regeneration was a distinguishing mark of Methodism, though Campbell said Wesley did not make that an essential Christian doctrine.
With this in mind, the objective of this essay is to focus on the main ideas of each theologian, and discuss how each theologian’s ideas are compensatory to the other. This is important because even though each theologian’s writings were inspired by the harsh realities of the societies, and also by the effect each writer experienced in their moment in history, their critiques specifically of Christian institutions remain a consistent amongst all three writings. Furthermore, not only are their critiques consistent, but their goals for providing new frameworks for the future of the Church and Christian discipleship are consistent as well.
Wesleyans and Fundamentalist may have different views on different subject matter reguarding the doctrine and the theology because of their presupsitions. Although this book makes comparasionsleyans to between Wesleyans and Fundamentalists , the Authors of this book makes a clear message that although we may have differnt views on scripture tere is no way to be sure which one is correct however, "we recognize that Wesleyans and their sisters and brothers who are fundamentalists share a love for Jesus Christ and his inaugurated kingdom." (8) Meaning that we the readers should not discriminate between the two views because untimently they both love Jesus and it is for the glory of God.
...s distributed in Theology 101 at the University of Notre Dame, Fremantle on 22 April 2008.
“Human beings are made for worship. Everyone worships someone or something” (Calhoun 2005). The above statement is so true. Some people worship money, themselves, other people or pagan Gods. As for me I worship God the Almighty Father of Heaven and Earth. “True worship of God happens when we put God first in our lives” (Calhoun 2005). Worship isn’t just singing at the beginning of a church service on Sunday. Worship is a daily surrender where we put God first in everything such as our marriage, work life, friendships, family, money, and lifestyle. Worship is where we totally surrender and trust God with everything in our lives.
Kerr, H. (1990). Readings in christian thought (2nd ed.). H. T. Kerr (Ed.). Nashville: Abingdon Press.
Salvation through faith in Jesus Christ is the inward change, which in turns perpetuates an outward visible signs of the inward change in the form of works.
Methodism began as a sect of the Anglican Church founded by John Wesley, an educated, articulate theologian and pastor who focused at least as much on the heart as on the head. Born in 1703, John Wesley was the “fifteenth of nineteen children born to Samuel and Susanah Wesley,” (Cairns 382). His father was the pastor of a small church called Epworth. His parishioners, to say the least, did not care for him. Bruce Heydt says that “their worldly ways and fierce independence left little room in their hearts for a curate who took his work too seriously,” (Heyd...
The doctrine of salvation contains various aspects. The intent of this research paper is to provide a general overview of salvation from the angle of justification, propitiation, grace, redemption, and sanctification.
The differences between spiritual transformation and conversion can be made by giving the distinction between spirituality and religion that now dominates much of the scientific study of religion. Psychologists define conversion as a radical transformation of self and these definitions emphasize intrapersonal processes. Spiritual transformation is expressed in nonconventional religious language and often in opposition to religious institutions from the individual has converted. The concept of deconversion careers makes clear that from some converts, a variety of conversion experiences can be expected. This specially characterizes converters to a new religious movement, the majority of whom can be expected to leave within a few years. Deconversion