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:
freedom from sin,
Exodus 5:17,
2 Corinthians 7:1,
Isaiah 50:4,
1 Thessalonians 5:17,
heart purity,
John 6:12-13,
1 Peter 5:5,
Psalm 51:8,
Matthew 6:22,
Bernard of Clairvaux,
Ecclesiastes 9:10,
Hebrews 6:1,
2 Peter 1:11,
sanctification,
Farther Thoughts on Christian Perfection,
Romans 8:7,
James 1:19,
2 Corinthians 2:11,
Colossians 2:11,
entire sanctification,
1 Corinthians 12:21,
James 2:22,
Proverbs 10:19,
Isaiah 1:18,
Revelation 1:9,
holiness,
1 Thessalonians 5:12,
Philippians 3:15,
1 Timothy 5:22,
1 John 4:1,
Romans 3:31,
1 John 4:18,
Luke 9:23,
2 Peter 3:18,
Isaiah 42:21,
1 Peter 5:8,
1 Corinthians 12:25,
Galatians 5:7,
Judges 12:5-6,
1 Corinthians 12:3,
1 Corinthians 1:12,
Philippians 2:5,
Titus 2:14,
Galatians 5:1,
1 Corinthians 3:4,
Philippians 4:8,
John Wesley,
Leviticus 19:17,
Romans 10:4,
Philippians 1:29,
1 Thessalonians 5:16
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:
Colossians 3:17,
Matthew 5:8,
Matthew 6:22,
2 Corinthians 3:5,
freedom from sin,
Mark 12:30,
circumcision of the heart,
1 Kings 8:46,
Romans 6:14,
John 8:36,
John 14:15,
Psalm 73:261 John 4:18,
Mark 7:21,
Matthew 5:44,
1 John 1:9,
Matthew 11:29,
James 2:10,
Philippians 2:10,
Thomas à Kempis,
Luke 10:27,
Romans 2:29,
2 Chronicles 6:36,
Romans 5:1-2,
1 Corinthians 2:16,
Romans 14:17,
1 Thessalonians 5:16,
Matthew 7:18,
John 15:21,
1 Thessalonians 5:23,
1 Corinthians 15:28,
Acts 24:16,
Matthew 10:20,
William Law,
Romans 13:10,
Ephesians 4:23,
Ecclesiastes 7:20,
Acts 17:11,
2 Corinthians 6:14-15,
Zechariah 12:8,
1 Peter 1:3-4,
1 John 3:3,
Colossians 3:12,
2 Corinthians 7:1,
Hebrews 12:1,
Psalm 119:32,
John 14:10,
Jeremy Taylor,
Romans 12:1,
1 Timothy 1:5,
1 John 3:6,
John 5:39,
Matthew 15:19,
Colossians 1:27,
1 Thessalonians 5:18,
1 John 1:5,
1 John 2:6,
sanctification,
Hebrews 7:25,
Job 1:21,
Matthew 6:10,
Matthew 26:42,
Paul Gerhardt,
Matthew 7:20,
Matthew 22:38,
James 3:2,
1 Corinthians 9:27,
1 Thessalonians 1:3,
Hebrews 11:27,
1 Peter 4:19,
Luke 3:9,
entire sanctification,
Romans 8:17,
Ezekiel 36:25,
Deuteronomy 6:6-7,
1 John 2:20,
Gerhard Tersteegen,
2 Corinthians 3:18,
Philippians 4:8,
James 3:9,
Ephesians 5:2,
Romans 5:5,
Matthew 10:24-25,
Philippians 4:6,
1 Peter 1:15,
1 Peter 2:9,
Acts 15:9,
Matthew 6:19,
Ephesians 4:30,
Christian perfection,
1 John 1:3,
1 Corinthians 6:17,
James 3:1,
Psalm 24:3-4,
Philippians 4:7,
Deuteronomy 10:16,
1 Thessalonians 5:17,
Philippians 3:12,
Matthew 5:48,
2 Corinthians 6:2,
Ephesians 4:29,
1 John 5:20,
1 John 1:7,
Matthew 3:10,
1 Corinthians 10:31,
1 John 1:8,
1 John 2:10,
Hebrews 4:9,
Jeremiah 4:4,
Proverbs 13:10,
Psalm 84:7,
Luke 6:40,
2 Timothy 4:8,
Titus 2:10,
1 Peter 1:6-7,
1 Peter 1:8,
1 Peter 5:7,
Savannah Georgia,
1 John 1:10,
1 John 3:9,
Matthew 7:16,
Deuteronomy 6:5,
Colossians 3:12 1 John 2:15,
2 Corinthians 3:17,
Ephesians 4:13,
1 John 5:18,
homo unius libri,
Luke 18:9,
Galatians 2:20,
Arvid Gradin,
Methodism Philippians 3:12,
John 5:14,
Psalm 37:37,
Deuteronomy 30:6,
Acts 15:36-41,
John 6:38,
Acts 13:41,
John Wesley,
1 John 4:17,
Philippians 2:5,
Proverbs 24:16,
Isaiah 51:11,
Revelation 3:17,
Romans 8:2,
Psalm 73:25,
John 8:11,
Ezekiel 36:29
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:
freedom from sin,
Mark 12:20,
Luke 10:27,
John 7:24,
Ezekiel 36:29,
Christian perfection,
1 Corinthians 15:53,
Romans 13:10,
Hebrews 10:29,
Ephesians 4:24,
Zechariah 2:8,
Matthew 22:36-40,
Matthew 22:37,
Job 12:2,
Romans 8:3-4,
John 14:12,
Matthew 5:15,
Matthew 2:13,
Daniel 5:27,
Matthew 6:13,
Deuteronomy 30:6,
Mark 4:21,
Deuteronomy 6:5,
entire sanctification,
Luke 11:4,
Hebrews 4:15,
Luke 11:33,
1 Corinthians 15:22,
John 17:20-23,
Philippians 3:14,
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18,
John 15:5,
Ephesians 3:14,
1 Thessalonians 5:23,
1 Timothy 6:17,
1 Corinthians 15:53-54,
Titus 2:11-14,
Hebrews 7:25,
Romans 5:19,
1 John 3:8,
Luke 1:69,
Matthew 5:48,
Luke 21:1-4,
Ephesians 5:25-27,
John Wesley,
Luke 16:31,
1 John 4:17,
Mark 9:41,
James 3:2
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:
Hebrews 8:10,
Nancy Rogers,
Revelation 20:1-3,
Jane Cooper,
Galatians 3:11,
Hebrews 12:14,
1 Peter 1:11,
testimonies,
Hebrews 10:38,
Mark 12:30,
Jeremiah 31:31,
1 Corinthians 1:30,
Ephesians 3:8,
Luke 10:27,
Romans 8:4,
1 John 1:7,
1 John 4:16,
Ephesians 3:19,
Luke 11:2,
1 John 4:18,
Job 17:14,
James 1:4,
Psalm 131:1,
John 7:39,
1 Corinthians 15:55,
Lady Maxwell,
Malachi 3:1-3,
1 John 2:27,
2 Peter 1:16,
Matthew 4:4,
Mark 16:6-7,
1 Corinthians 15:41,
Luke 4:4,
Revelation 2:18,
John Wesley,
Acts 10:34,
Romans 8:38-39,
Hebrews 2:10; 1 Peter 5:10],
Matthew 6:10,
heart purity,
1 Corinthians 13,
1 Thessalonians 5:23,
Proverbs 24:7,
Matthew 13:24-30,
Christian perfection,
Romans 1:17
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:
Galatians 6:2,
James 2:12,
sanctification,
John 9:5,
Hebrews 10:14,
entire sanctification,
1 Timothy 1:5,
holiness,
James 3:2,
1 John 2:20,
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18,
Farther Thoughts on Christian Perfection,
Romans 7:4,
John Wesley,
1 Corinthians 9:21,
heart purity,
1 Corinthians 13:4-7,
John 8:12,
James 1:25
