by Jim Kerwin
on November 26, 2015
A Plain Account of Christian Perfection
by John Wesley
Part V:
Advice to the Sanctified
Section 25 (continued)
Question 29: Can those who are perfect grow in grace?
Answer: Undoubtedly they can; and that not only while they are in the body, but to all eternity.
Question 30: Can they fall from it?
Answer: I am well assured they can: matter of fact puts this beyond dispute. Formerly we thought, that one saved from sin could not fall; now we know the contrary. We are surrounded with instances of those who lately experienced all that I mean by perfection. They had both the fruit of the Spirit, and the witness; but they have now lost both. Neither does anyone stand by virtue of anything that is implied in the nature of the state. There is no such height or strength of holiness as it is impossible to fall from. If there be any that cannot fall, this wholly depends on the promise of God.
Question 31: Can those who fall from this state recover it? [continue reading…]
Tagged as:
1 Corinthians 12:21,
1 Corinthians 12:25,
1 Corinthians 12:3,
1 Corinthians 1:12,
1 Corinthians 3:4,
1 John 4:1,
1 John 4:18,
1 Peter 5:5,
1 Peter 5:8,
1 Thessalonians 5:12,
1 Thessalonians 5:16,
1 Thessalonians 5:17,
1 Timothy 5:22,
2 Corinthians 2:11,
2 Corinthians 7:1,
2 Peter 1:11,
2 Peter 3:18,
Bernard of Clairvaux,
Colossians 2:11,
Ecclesiastes 9:10,
entire sanctification,
Exodus 5:17,
Farther Thoughts on Christian Perfection,
freedom from sin,
Galatians 5:1,
Galatians 5:7,
heart purity,
Hebrews 6:1,
holiness,
Isaiah 1:18,
Isaiah 42:21,
Isaiah 50:4,
James 1:19,
James 2:22,
John 6:12-13,
John Wesley,
Judges 12:5-6,
Leviticus 19:17,
Luke 9:23,
Matthew 6:22,
Philippians 1:29,
Philippians 2:5,
Philippians 3:15,
Philippians 4:8,
Proverbs 10:19,
Psalm 51:8,
Revelation 1:9,
Romans 10:4,
Romans 3:31,
Romans 8:7,
sanctification,
Titus 2:14
by Jim Kerwin
on October 26, 2015
by John Wesley
Part I:
Historical Background
of the Teaching
Section 1
What I purpose in the following pages is, to give a plain and distinct account of the steps by which I was led, during a course of many years, to embrace the doctrine of Christian Perfection. This I owe to the serious part of mankind; those who desire to know all the truth as it is in Jesus. And these only are concerned in questions of this kind. To these I would nakedly declare the thing as it is, endeavouring all along to show, from one period to another, both what I thought, and why [continue reading…]
Tagged as:
1 Corinthians 10:31,
1 Corinthians 15:28,
1 Corinthians 2:16,
1 Corinthians 6:17,
1 Corinthians 9:27,
1 John 1:10,
1 John 1:3,
1 John 1:5,
1 John 1:7,
1 John 1:8,
1 John 1:9,
1 John 2:10,
1 John 2:20,
1 John 2:6,
1 John 3:3,
1 John 3:6,
1 John 3:9,
1 John 4:17,
1 John 5:18,
1 John 5:20,
1 Kings 8:46,
1 Peter 1:15,
1 Peter 1:3-4,
1 Peter 1:6-7,
1 Peter 1:8,
1 Peter 2:9,
1 Peter 4:19,
1 Peter 5:7,
1 Thessalonians 1:3,
1 Thessalonians 5:16,
1 Thessalonians 5:17,
1 Thessalonians 5:18,
1 Thessalonians 5:23,
1 Timothy 1:5,
2 Chronicles 6:36,
2 Corinthians 3:17,
2 Corinthians 3:18,
2 Corinthians 3:5,
2 Corinthians 6:14-15,
2 Corinthians 6:2,
2 Corinthians 7:1,
2 Timothy 4:8,
Acts 13:41,
Acts 15:36-41,
Acts 15:9,
Acts 17:11,
Acts 24:16,
Arvid Gradin,
Christian perfection,
circumcision of the heart,
Colossians 1:27,
Colossians 3:12,
Colossians 3:12 1 John 2:15,
Colossians 3:17,
Deuteronomy 10:16,
Deuteronomy 30:6,
Deuteronomy 6:5,
Deuteronomy 6:6-7,
Ecclesiastes 7:20,
entire sanctification,
Ephesians 4:13,
Ephesians 4:23,
Ephesians 4:29,
Ephesians 4:30,
Ephesians 5:2,
Ezekiel 36:25,
Ezekiel 36:29,
freedom from sin,
Galatians 2:20,
Gerhard Tersteegen,
Hebrews 11:27,
Hebrews 12:1,
Hebrews 4:9,
Hebrews 7:25,
homo unius libri,
Isaiah 51:11,
James 2:10,
James 3:1,
James 3:2,
James 3:9,
Jeremiah 4:4,
Jeremy Taylor,
Job 1:21,
John 14:10,
John 14:15,
John 15:21,
John 5:14,
John 5:39,
John 6:38,
John 8:11,
John 8:36,
John Wesley,
Luke 10:27,
Luke 18:9,
Luke 3:9,
Luke 6:40,
Mark 12:30,
Mark 7:21,
Matthew 10:20,
Matthew 10:24-25,
Matthew 11:29,
Matthew 15:19,
Matthew 22:38,
Matthew 26:42,
Matthew 3:10,
Matthew 5:44,
Matthew 5:48,
Matthew 5:8,
Matthew 6:10,
Matthew 6:19,
Matthew 6:22,
Matthew 7:16,
Matthew 7:18,
Matthew 7:20,
Methodism Philippians 3:12,
Paul Gerhardt,
Philippians 2:10,
Philippians 2:5,
Philippians 3:12,
Philippians 4:6,
Philippians 4:7,
Philippians 4:8,
Proverbs 13:10,
Proverbs 24:16,
Psalm 119:32,
Psalm 24:3-4,
Psalm 37:37,
Psalm 73:25,
Psalm 73:261 John 4:18,
Psalm 84:7,
Revelation 3:17,
Romans 12:1,
Romans 13:10,
Romans 14:17,
Romans 2:29,
Romans 5:1-2,
Romans 5:5,
Romans 6:14,
Romans 8:17,
Romans 8:2,
sanctification,
Savannah Georgia,
Thomas à Kempis,
Titus 2:10,
William Law,
Zechariah 12:8
by Jim Kerwin
on October 26, 2015
A Plain Account of Christian Perfection
by John Wesley
Part II: The Teaching Explained
Section 17
On Monday, June 25, 1744 our first conference began, six clergymen and all our preachers being present. The next morning we seriously considered the doctrine of sanctification, or perfection. The questions asked concerning it, and the substance of the answers given, were as follows:—
Question: What is it to be
sanctified?
Answer: To be renewed in the image of God, in righteousness and true holiness [Ephesians 4:24].
Question: What is implied in being a perfect Christian?
Answer: The loving God with all our heart, and mind, and soul (Deut. vi. 5). [continue reading…]
Tagged as:
1 Corinthians 15:22,
1 Corinthians 15:53,
1 Corinthians 15:53-54,
1 John 3:8,
1 John 4:17,
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18,
1 Thessalonians 5:23,
1 Timothy 6:17,
Christian perfection,
Daniel 5:27,
Deuteronomy 30:6,
Deuteronomy 6:5,
entire sanctification,
Ephesians 3:14,
Ephesians 4:24,
Ephesians 5:25-27,
Ezekiel 36:29,
freedom from sin,
Hebrews 10:29,
Hebrews 4:15,
Hebrews 7:25,
James 3:2,
Job 12:2,
John 14:12,
John 15:5,
John 17:20-23,
John 7:24,
John Wesley,
Luke 10:27,
Luke 11:33,
Luke 11:4,
Luke 16:31,
Luke 1:69,
Luke 21:1-4,
Mark 12:20,
Mark 4:21,
Mark 9:41,
Matthew 22:36-40,
Matthew 22:37,
Matthew 2:13,
Matthew 5:15,
Matthew 5:48,
Matthew 6:13,
Philippians 3:14,
Romans 13:10,
Romans 5:19,
Romans 8:3-4,
Titus 2:11-14,
Zechariah 2:8
by Jim Kerwin
on October 26, 2015
A Plain Account of Christian Perfection
by John Wesley
Part III:
Tares Among the Wheat Contrasted
with the Wonderful Testimony of Jane Cooper
Section 20
In the year 1762 there was a great increase of the work of God in London. Many, who had hitherto cared for none of these things, were deeply convinced of their lost estate; many found redemption in the blood of Christ; not a few backsliders were healed; and a considerable number of persons believed that God had saved them from all sin. Easily foreseeing that Satan would be endeavouring to sow tares among the wheat [Matthew 13:24-30], I took much pains to apprise them of the danger, particularly with regard to pride and enthusiasm. And while I stayed in town, I had reason to hope they continued both humble and sober-minded. But almost as soon as I was gone, enthusiasm broke in. Two or three began to take their own imaginations for impressions from God, and thence to suppose that they should never die; and these, labouring to bring others into the same opinion, occasioned much noise and confusion. Soon after, the same persons, with a few more, ran into other extravagances,—fancying they could not be tempted; that they should feel no more pain; and that they had the gift of prophecy, and of discerning of spirits. [continue reading…]
Tagged as:
1 Corinthians 13,
1 Corinthians 15:41,
1 Corinthians 15:55,
1 Corinthians 1:30,
1 John 1:7,
1 John 2:27,
1 John 4:16,
1 John 4:18,
1 Peter 1:11,
1 Thessalonians 5:23,
2 Peter 1:16,
Acts 10:34,
Christian perfection,
Ephesians 3:19,
Ephesians 3:8,
Galatians 3:11,
heart purity,
Hebrews 10:38,
Hebrews 12:14,
Hebrews 2:10; 1 Peter 5:10],
Hebrews 8:10,
James 1:4,
Jane Cooper,
Jeremiah 31:31,
Job 17:14,
John 7:39,
John Wesley,
Lady Maxwell,
Luke 10:27,
Luke 11:2,
Luke 4:4,
Malachi 3:1-3,
Mark 12:30,
Mark 16:6-7,
Matthew 13:24-30,
Matthew 4:4,
Matthew 6:10,
Nancy Rogers,
Proverbs 24:7,
Psalm 131:1,
Revelation 20:1-3,
Revelation 2:18,
Romans 1:17,
Romans 8:38-39,
Romans 8:4,
testimonies
by Jim Kerwin
on October 26, 2015
A Plain Account of Christian Perfection
by John Wesley
Part IV:
“Farther Thoughts on Christian Perfection”
Section 25
The next year [1763], the number of those who believed they were saved from sin still increasing, I judged it needful to publish, chiefly for their use, Farther Thoughts on Christian Perfection:—
Question 1: How is “Christ the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth”? (Rom. x. 4)
Answer: In order to understand this, you must understand what law is here spoken of; and this, I apprehend, is:— [continue reading…]
Tagged as:
1 Corinthians 13:4-7,
1 Corinthians 9:21,
1 John 2:20,
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18,
1 Timothy 1:5,
entire sanctification,
Farther Thoughts on Christian Perfection,
Galatians 6:2,
heart purity,
Hebrews 10:14,
holiness,
James 1:25,
James 2:12,
James 3:2,
John 8:12,
John 9:5,
John Wesley,
Romans 7:4,
sanctification
