Bible From A Wesleyan Perspective, Essay Example

Wesleyan theology is the result of John Wesley’s ministry after the collapse of morals and ethics in England as a result of religious ambiguity among society. His ministry started in 1738 with missionary work throughout England and leading into travels to America. Wesley was active in spreading the word of God and trying to make society see how morals and ethics were a large part of salvation. He was also known for his fight against slavery and the highly immoral practice of engaging in the slave trade profession. Wesley was the founder of evangelistic ministries and the creation of the Methodist denomination.

A Wesleyan perspective on the Bible includes the doctrine dedicated to salvation by grace with unlimited atonement and free will. John Wesley read and researched the Bible extensively to support his interpretation of the Scriptures. He believed in daily readings and earnest prayer time set aside for a dedicated and committed life to holiness. His sermons and teachings have been documented and are still used today to provide guidance and help in understanding the New and Old Testaments.

In the Preface to John Wesley’s Explanatory Notes Upon the Old Testament, he provides direction on how to read the Scriptures. His direction includes private time to read and mediate in prayer; reflecting on the words and meanings through simple pauses in reading to allow thoughts to develop. He states “Let there be no delay. Whatever you resolve, begin to execute the first moment you can. So shall you find this word to be indeed the power of God unto present and eternal salvation” (Wesley, 1765). With his strong evangelistic methods and beliefs, reading Scriptures was important to John Wesley.

John Wesley’s teachings were centered on leading a life of holiness and piety “that is demonstrably and empirically distinct from the rest of the world in its expression of ‘actual righteousness’” (Dayton, 2009, sec. 3, para. 1). Using Scriptures in theological discussions and sermons is one factor of evangelical selection and practice. His use of the Bible included discussions of faith, reason, law, and works. The Wesleyan tradition has provided a legacy of works of love to include his crusade against slavery, concern for the poor with campaigns for the reform of society which was meant to spread scriptural holiness across the land (Dayton, 2009, sec. 5, para. 5).

Wesley took from the Scriptures to support his firm belief in missionary work. Acts 17:16 Paul declares “and this God is not far from you” (Bible). The Wesleyan perceptive believes that God is already there at work and the missionary simply goes to meet Christ and aid in enlightenment of the people. “Rather, wherever the missionary goes, he go meet the Christ who is already there and at work (Burrows, p. 63). God is everywhere in the world and Wesley believed in spreading the Gospel to all people. Providing insight and knowledge would lead individuals to understanding grace and the works of God with wisdom for a Christian life in holiness.

The Book of Proverbs is about wisdom. Wesleyan thoughts on this book include the concept of the theology of wisdom. There are other books of wisdom in the Old Testament to include Genesis, Psalms, Job and Ecclesiastes. Proverbs is a practical or proverbial wisdom (Varughese, 2003, p. 244). Wesleyan perspectives on wisdom relates that wisdom takes work; “no one is truly wise, however, until wisdom goes to work” (Lennox, 1999, p.43). Wisdom and insight to the Wesleyan doctrine is important to knowing and understanding discipline by realizing the fear of God and the need to be wise to each person’s heart and intents. “Disobedience can have disastrous, even daily consequences” (Lennox, 1999, p. 45).

Wisdom books differ from other books of the Bible and are meant to guide mankind on living a productive life through wisdom and contribute to society for the betterment of humanity. Proverbs give instructions and guidance, lending moral and ethical standards to live by for a life of holiness. “Job and Ecclesiastes focus on difficult existential issues without providing answers to the questions raised in these books.  Proverbs deals with practical issues in life (Varughese, 2003, p. 244). Wisdom is first seen in the Book of Genesis when Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit and were awakened to wisdom. The power of sin was recognized and eating the fruit “was a display of lack of trust, self-sovereignty, price and rebellion against God’s sovereign authority over them” (Varughese, 2003, p. 69).

Wisdom in the Bible is not just about being smart or knowing things but rather is personified; “she was God’s first creation” (Bible, Proverbs 8:22). Having wisdom is knowing how to live a moral and ethical life, with longevity, health and success. John Wesley saw this in relation to working at Christian perfection. As wisdom is available to all people, Christian perfectionism is a gift from God which can be accomplished within one moment by faith alone. Wesley believed “there is thing such as perfection: for it is again and again mentioned in Scripture” (Sawyer, 1996, p. 4).

Adam and Eve were punished and banished from the Garden of Eve. Wesleyan principals on the sin by Adam and Eve view this as a narrative showing that human should live “in the experience of freedom that God graciously offers to us, but the discernment and recognition that our freedom has limits” (Varughese, 2003, p. 70). Matthew 4:1-11 Scriptures detail Jesus’ temptations and the power of the Devil. Temptations create apprehension and leads humans to become confused and often looking to materialism for the answer. Wesleyan theology centers on free will, however, slavery to human desires can create despair and doubt for mankind.

In Titus 3:3 Paul talks about the enslavement of pleasures meaning that people who are enslaved by their own desires are controlled by the tyranny of sin (Schreiner, 2009). Wesley believed sin to be voluntary and preached on the need to understand this and be forewarned in resisting acts of sin. In the New Testament sin and the bondage to the nature of sin is warned against. The Christian life is to be one of holiness and dedication to living Christ-like. However, here are individuals who are nominal Christians, but try to live a ‘good’ and decent life. “If people are not as sinful as they can possibly be, then in what sense are they slaves to sin?” (Schreiner, 2009, p. 2). Romans 1:21-25 details how the very heart of sin is in failing to glorify God as God (Bible). Wesleyan principles warn against self-worship and the need to devote time to God.

John Wesley (1831) writes

“I believe that Adam, before his fall, had such freedom of will, that he might choose either good or evil; but that, since the fall, no child of man has a natural power to choose anything that is truly good. Yet I know (and who does not?) that man has still freedom of will in things of indifferent nature” (Jackson, ed., 1979).

Wesley maintains that corruption is a part of being a human being. His own personal struggles with God and religion lead him to his firm belief in prevenient grace.

Wesleyan theology is founded on the doctrine of prevenient grace. The theology of prevenient grace “broke the chain of logical necessity by which the Calvinist doctrine of predestination seems to flow from the doctrine of original sin” (Schreiner, 2009, p. 3). Biblically Wesley has supporting evidence of prevenient grace based on his perceptive of the Bible. John 1:9 “The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world. (Bible). Wesleyan interpretation of this is that Christ brought the light to the world so they may use free will to accept or reject this doctrine (Schreiner, 2009, p.3). The Bible also contends that this illumination is granted to all people and the Wesleyan thought rejects the Calvinistic option of predestination.

Wesley further supported his argument in that prevenient grace is achieved by the atonement of Christ. In the Book of John, Wesley notes the use of ‘all people’ throughout the verses, again negating the Calvinistic view of predestination. Christ did not die for a few, but for all of mankind. The New Testament specifically addresses this issue and further supports Wesleyan doctrines through the warnings, invitations and commands in the Scriptures. God gave commands to all people and not a select few.”God would not command people to repent and be waiting for them to repent if he knew that they could not do so” (Schreiner, 2009, p. 6).

The Wesleyan concept of prevenient grace is seen in the Scriptures in 1 Timothy 2:4 stating that a God of love and mercy who desires salvation for all would not leave humans without the opportunity to choose salvation. God does not show favoritism and the Wesleyan doctrine of a loving God demonstrates the split from a belief in predestination. The interpretation comes from enlightenment and the true light referred to throughout the Scriptures. Wesleyans understand this enlightenment to refer to prevenient grace, which they believe is given to all people. Romans 2:4 says that God’s kindness is intended to lead people to repentance and “does this not imply that people have the ability to repent if they would only choose to do so?” (Schreiner, 209, p. 7).

John Wesley considered the Bible and Scriptures to be the law of God and used verses and quotes in all of his sermons to support his teachings. He recognized that man’s interpretation of Scriptures varied depending on the thought processes and beliefs of the individual. He believed firmly in using experience, reason and tradition to help him interpret the Bible. He was well aware of avoiding verse interpretation but rather reading the preceding and following passages to understand the content. Otherwise, isolating passages can lead to human desire to explain the meanings. John Wesley rarely mistreated a text as he had high regard for God’s revelation. Therefore, Wesley understood “to find true interpretation of such passages it is necessary to understand both the immediate context as well as the treatment of the subject by the rest of Scripture” (Wesleyan Perspective, para. 9).

The Wesleyan perspective of the Bible is founded on the goodness and truth of Christian faith and biblical Scriptures. The Wesleyan approach is one of personal salvation and the union of the heart and mind to study the Bible and foster a personal and intimate relationship with God. John Wesley taught compassion and justice just as much as he encouraged devotion and worship of God. He brought real life examples to demonstrate the need to live a holy and morally just life. His attempts to lead people to understand equality is demonstrated in his letters and sermons against the slave trade. One of his most famous quotes talks of the disparity of slavery.

“Give liberty to whom liberty is due, that is, to every child of man, to every partaker of human nature. Let none serve you but by his own act and deed, by his own voluntary action. Away with all whips, all chains, all compulsion. Be gentle toward all men; and see that you invariably do with every one as you would he should do unto you” (Wesley, quoted).

Sanctification is also a Wesleyan belief and part of its doctrine. God’s grace is purification of the mind, soul and body. It is considered a type of freedom in which one is free to love God and seek his will. It is salvation from all sin and is a continuous thought process to demonstrate words and actions to serve as a sacrifice to God and for praise and thanksgiving for understanding and wisdom. Sanctification also means living in fellowship and as Christ-like as humanly possible.

John Wesley lived his life struggling with his own relationship with God. Through these struggles he witnessed and preached to thousands. His intellect and self-discipline along with his enthusiasm for life brought radical changes to the Church of England and the creation of Methodism. He changed the concepts of God and love. Whereas the Bible was interpreted to include only the well and rich, Wesley thought about the ideas that the Gospel was intended for all people, regardless of health, age, wealth or status. His opposition of slavery and helping the sick and poor can be found in his numerous publications and historical accounts.

The perspective of the Bible through Wesleyan thought centers on love, free will and grace through belief in God. Salvation through grace with his rigid disregard for predestination led many individuals to develop a Christian belief and lifestyle. The biblical teachings of Wesley are still used by Wesleyan and Methodist churches in the United States. He preached until his death at the age of 88; still traveling and performing evangelistic ministries.

Works Cited

Bible. The Holy Bible, New International Version. Grand Rapids: The Zondervan Corporation, 1984.

Burrows, Clive. “Prevenient Grace: A Wesleyan Perspective on Mission.” Didache Faithful Teaching. Retrieved January 29, 2010 from http://didache.nts.edu/index2.php?option=com_docman&task=doc_view&gid=290&Itemid=39

Dayton, Donald W. The Use of Scripture in the Wesleyan. 2009. Religion-online. Retrieved January 28, 2010 from http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=13

Lennox, Stephen J. Proverbs: A Bible Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition. Wesleyan Publishing House. 1999. Retrieved January 28, 2010 from http://www.christianbook.clm/psalms-bible-commentary-the-wesleyan-tradition/stephen-lennox

Sawyer, M. James. “Wesleyan and Keswick Models of Sanctification.” Biblical Studies Press, 1996. Retrieved January 28, 2009 from http://www.bible.org

Schreiner, Thomas. “Does Scripture Teach Prevenient Grace in the Wesleyan Sense?” Still Sovereign. Bible Lighthouse. Retrieved January 28, 2010 from http://www.biblelighthouse.com/sovereignty/stillsovereign.htm

Jackson, T. ed.  The Works of John Wesley. 14 vols. (1831: reprint, Grand Rapids: Baker, 1979), 10:350. Retrieved January 28, 2010 from http://www.biblelighthouse.com/sovereignty/stillsovereign.htm

Wesley, John. “Explanatory Notes Upon the Old Testament.” Edinburgh.  April 25, 1765. John Wesley: Holiness of Heart and Life. Retrieved January 28, 2010 from http://gbgm-umc.org/umw/wesley/bible.stm

Wesleyan Perspective. The Wesley Bible. 1990. Thomas Nelson Publishers: Nashville, TN. Retrieved January 28, 2010 from http://ovrlnd.com/genealinformation/wesleyanperspective.html