Chapter 8 – Holiness of Heart and Life: Sanctification
1. What are the distinctions and similarities between holiness and sanctification?
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.
2. How is the doctrine of faith related to the doctrine of sanctification?
Faith is the way an individual responds to the grace of God. Faith is only possible through God and cannot be obtained without God. “Faith is the appropriate way, in which humans respond to the provenience, justifying, and sanctifying grace of God. Human being can and must be collaborators with God in the great work of redemption”(p. 78, Campbell and Burns). Wesley believe that sanctification is by faith and that faith is only possible through the grace of God towards us.
3. What is the distinction between imputed and imparted righteousness?
Imputed righteousness is “what Scripture requires is a change in character and a change in the state of the relationship between God and humans” (p. 81, Campbell and Burns). God does not just say you’re forgiven but actually changes you from the inside out. “God not only declares us holy by granting pardon and forgiveness of s...
... middle of paper ...
...ent cultural backgrounds?
We, as a congregation, openly exposes the congregation to different cultures from around the country though the adjustment of worship service. We visit a Jewish Rabi during Passover to get a better understanding of the importance and reverence of this festival. We are currently talking to an African American Church in our area where we will exchange pastor twice a year for a Sunday worship experience. We are working to develop a Sunday Evening worship service to meet the needs of young families who are unable to attend Sunday morning worship. We expose the people in the congregation to worship quarterly at the retirement community close to the church by going there for an afternoon worship service.
Works Cited
1. Ted A. Campbell and Michael T. Burns., 2004, Wesleyan Essentials in a Multicultural Society. Abingdon Press, Nashville, TN.
...Multiculturalism: Essential Primary Sources. Ed. K. Lee Lerner, Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, and Adrienne Wilmoth Lerner. Detroit: Gale, 2006. 353-355. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 11 Apr. 2014
Wesley affirmed and thought essential was justification by faith alone, Wesley's emphasis was slightly different because he insisted that faith cannot mean only assent but must engage the heart and affections.
Takaki, Ronald T. A Different Mirror: A History of Multicultural America. Boston: Little, Brown &, 1993. Print.
In his thought-provoking book, “The Pursuit of Holiness,” Jerry Bridges offers a personal look on what it means to be holy like Christ. The book is scripture backed and covers all areas of holiness as a Christian. In the book, Bridges starts off with assessing just what holiness is. To be holy is to be morally blameless and to have no sin (p. 15). Holiness is being separated from the ways of the world and becoming more like Christ. To be holy does not mean that you obey a set of rules, but is instead string to do always do what is pleasing in the eyes of the Lord. In Romans chapter 12 verses 1 and 2, Paul challenges the people to give up their bodies as a holy sacrifice for kingdom work. He continues on saying that this is truly
Takaki, Ronald. A Different Mirror: A History of Multicultural America. Boston: Little, Brown & Co., 1993. Print.
Salvation is not something we can attain through holiness on our own. By Christ doing God’s will and dying for us on the cross, we are made holy. The author put it like this, “Holiness, then, is not necessary as a condition of salvation – that would be salvation by works – but as a part of salvation that is received by faith in Christ” (p. 34). While Jesus was here on earth he lived a life that was perfectly holy. His holiness was not just attributed to that fact that he had no sin, but that he
On the issue of predestination Wesley held that “God has decreed that those who believe will be saved; those who do not believe will not be saved” (p. 174, Abraham). Wesley went ever farther in the “God makes the decree, but the decree does not exclude genuine human agency and freedom; indeed, it builds the exercise of such freedom into the very content of the decree” (p. 174, Abraham). He held that if one would come to God that they should have no doubts about their salvation. God has a drive for our salvation but it is an active choice that we must make, even those God knows what the decision will be from the very beginning.
Kottak, Conrad Phillip and Kayhryn Kozaitis 2012 On Being Different, Diversity and Multiculturalism in the North American Mainstream, 4th edition, McGraw Hill Press, New York: Chapter 1.
Thessalonians 4:3 says, “It is God’s will that you should be sanctified” It is God’s goal for his people is to be blameless and holy. Once saved, we are no longer prisoner of our sin and sanctification begins. Sanctification is a process and not instantaneous. It involves you and God to make you free from sin. The process is striving to live a Christian life-style according to the word of God. In order to continue sanctification we have to put forth effort into our transformation by putting away vices and renewing our mind to be holy and just. Sanctification affects us and everyone around us and brings peace and joy into our lives. It makes us become an example to help fellowship with others in Christ and to support and grow with each other. As we grow in holiness, we aim to reflect Christ.
Reason is the first of the complimentary Quadrilateral factors. Wesley’s belief went against that of the “Enlightenment Period” which believed that reason was above scripture. This is confirmed by Wesley’s ideology that scripture is first and through scripture we gain faith and faith comes through hearing the Word of God. He also belie...
Manning, L. & Baruth. L. (2009). Multicultural education of children and adolescents (5th Ed.). Needham Heights, MA: Allyn and Bacon.
Rundblad, Georganne and Peter Kivisto. Multiculturalism in the United States. Thousand Oaks: Pine Forge Press, 2000.
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).
Students in the United States experience varying degrees of Multicultural Education. To my benefit, I was brought up in a learning environment that was culturally accepting and engaging. I was enrolled in the Franklin Pierce School District for my entire public education career and at Pierce College during my last two years of high school. Since the beginning of my academic career, I’ve been exposed to a learning environment filled with a rich amount of diversity among students which in turn produced well-roundedness in myself. In my experience as a FPSD student, I’ve shared experiences with fellow peers of different races, cultures, and socioeconomic standings. Pierce College boasts an even more specific type of diversity within the student
Garcia, E. (2002). Student cultural diversity: Understanding and meeting the challenge (3rd Ed.). New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Company.