The Nature of Christian Perfection Part 1

THE NATURE OF CHRISTIAN PERFECTION.

 

in 1733, when Mr. Wesley was thirty years of age, he preached at St. Mary's, Oxford, before the University, his sermon on the "Circumcision of the heart,'' in which he said: —

 

"The circumcision of the heart is that habitual disposi­tion of soul, which, in the sacred writings, is termed holi­ness; and which directly implies the being cleansed from sin, from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit; and by con­sequence, the being endued with those virtues which were also in Christ Jesus; the being so renewed in the image of our mind, as to be perfect as our Father in heaven is perfect."

 

Thirty-two years after, in 1765, he says: —

 

'This sermon contained all that I now teach concerning salvation from all sin, and loving God with an undivided heart."—

Sermons, vol. i. p. 147.

 

"I believe it to be an inward thing, namely, the life of God in the soul of man; a participation of the Divine nature; the mind that was in Christ; or, the renewal of our heart, after the image of Him that created us."—Journal, Sept, 1739.

 

"What is, then, the perfection of which man is capable, while he dwells in a corruptible body? It is the complying with that kind command: "My son, give Me thy heart.' It is the 'loving the Lord his God with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his mind.' This is the sum of Christian perfection: it is all comprised in that one word, love. The first branch of it is the love of God: and as he that loves God loves his brother also, it is inseparably connected with the second: 'Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself;' Thou shalt love every man as thy own soul, as Christ loved us. 'On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets;' these contain the whole of Christian perfection."—Sermons, vol. ii. p 168.

 

His sermon on "Christian Perfection" was written in 1741. Mr. "Wesley says: —

 

"I think it was the latter end of the year 1740, that I had a conversation with Dr. Gibson, then Bishop of London, at Whitehall. He asked me what I meant by perfection I told him without any disguise or reserve. When I ceased speaking,' he said: 'Mr. Wesley, if this be all you mean, publish it to all the world.' I answered, 'My lord, I will'; and accordingly wrote and published the sermon on 'Christian Perfection.'"

 

Letter to the Bishop of London: —

 

"What, it may be asked, do you mean by 'one that is perfect,' or, 'one that is as his Master?' We mean one in whom is, 'the mind which was in Christ,' and who so 'walk-eth as He walked;' a man that 'hath clean hands and a pure heart;' or that is 'cleansed from all filthiness of flesh and spirit;' one 'in whom their is no occasion of stumbling,' and who, accordingly, 'doth not commit sin.' To declare this a little more particularly: We understand by that Scriptural expression, 'a perfect man,' one in whom God hath fulfilled His faithful word: 'From all your filthiness, and from all your idols will I cleanse you. I will also save you from all your uncleanness.' We understand, hereby, one whom God hath sanctified throughout, even in 'body, soul, and spirit;' one who 'walketh in the light, as He is in the light,' in whom 'is no darkness at all; the blood of Jesus Christ His Son' having 'cleansed him from all sin.'

 

"This man can now testify to all mankind, 'I am cruci­fied with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet I live not, but Christ liveth in me.' He 'is holy, as God who called him is holy,' both in life, and 'in all manner of conversation.' He 'loveth the Lord his God with all his heart, and serveth Him with all his strength'. He 'loveth his neighbor' (every man) 'as himself;' yea, 'as Christ loved us;' them in par­ticular that 'despitefully use him and persecute him,' be­cause 'they know not the Son, neither the Father.' Indeed, his soul is all love, filled with 'bowels of mercies, kindness, meekness, gentleness, long suffering.' And his life agreeth thereto, full of 'the work of faith, the patience of hope, the labor of love.' And 'whatsoever he doeth, either in word or deed,' he doeth 'it all in the name, in the love and power, of the Lord Jesus.' In a word, he doeth the will of God 'on earth, as it is done in Heaven.'

 

"This is to be 'a perfect man,' to be 'sanctified through­out, created anew in Jesus Christ;' even 'to have a heart so all flaming with the love of God' (to use Archbishop Usher's words), 'as continually to offer up every thought, word, and work, as a spiritual sacrifice, acceptable unto God through Christ.' In every thought of our hearts, in every word of our tongues, in every work of our hands, 'to show forth His praise who hath called us out of darkness into His marvelous light.' Oh, that both we, and all who seek the Lord Jesus in sincerity, may thus 'be made perfect in one!'"—

Works, vol. v. p. 342.

 

"By salvation, I mean, not barely, according to the vulgar notion, —deliverance from hell, or going to heaven; but a present deliverance from sin, a restoration of the soul to its primitive health, its original purity; a recovery of the Divine nature; the renewal of our soul after the image of God, in righteousness and true holiness, in justice, mercy, and truth. This implies all holy and heavenly tempers, and by consequence, all holiness of conversation."—

Written in 1744, Works, vol. v. p. 35.

 

Tyerman says, in his "Life of Wesley," that at the first conference, in 1744, Christian perfection was de­fined: —

 

"A renewal in the image of God, in righteousness and true holiness. To be a perfect Christian is to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, imply­ing the destruction of all inward sin; and faith is the con­dition and instrument by which such a state of grace is obtained."—

Tyerman, vol. i. p. 444.