Who was John Wesley?

John Wesley

John Wesley was a significant figure in the history of Christianity, known for his role in founding Methodism, a movement that emphasized personal piety, social justice, and the pursuit of holiness. His life, ministry, and theological contributions have had a lasting impact on Christian thought and practice. Born in England in the 18th century, Wesley’s spiritual journey and passion for reforming the Anglican Church led to the creation of a new denomination that would spread across the world. In this essay, we will explore the life, ministry, and theological beliefs of John Wesley, as well as the legacy he left behind.

Early Life and Education

John Wesley was born on June 28, 1703, in Epworth, England, to Samuel and Susanna Wesley. He was the fifteenth of nineteen children, though many of his siblings died in infancy. Wesley’s father was a priest in the Church of England, and his mother was a devout Christian who played a crucial role in shaping her children’s spiritual lives. Susanna Wesley was known for her strong faith and disciplined approach to family life, and she often led Bible studies for her children.

At the age of five, Wesley had a formative experience that he later saw as a sign of divine protection. His family’s home caught fire, and young John was rescued from the flames at the last moment. He referred to himself as “a brand plucked from the burning,” a phrase he borrowed from Zechariah 3:2 (NKJV): “And the Lord said to Satan, ‘The Lord rebuke you, Satan! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?’” This experience stayed with Wesley throughout his life and contributed to his sense of calling and purpose.

Wesley’s education began at the Charterhouse School in London, and later, he attended Christ Church, Oxford, where he earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees. He was ordained as a deacon in 1725 and a priest in 1728 in the Church of England. Wesley’s time at Oxford was influential in shaping his religious views, and it was there that he, along with his brother Charles and a few other students, formed the “Holy Club.” This group, which focused on prayer, Bible study, fasting, and charity, would later be mockingly referred to as “Methodists” because of their methodical approach to Christian living.

Spiritual Awakening and Ministry in Georgia

Despite Wesley’s deep religious devotion, he struggled with doubts about his own faith. In 1735, he accepted an invitation to serve as a missionary in the newly established colony of Georgia, in America. His mission was to minister to the colonists and evangelize the Native Americans. However, his time in Georgia was marked by difficulties. He faced opposition from the colonists, struggled with interpersonal conflicts, and failed in a romantic relationship that further discouraged him. After two years, he returned to England feeling like a failure.

During the voyage to and from Georgia, Wesley encountered a group of German Moravian Christians whose calm faith during storms at sea deeply impressed him. He realized that they had something he lacked-an assurance of salvation. This encounter planted a seed in Wesley’s heart, prompting him to seek a deeper understanding of faith.

Aldersgate Experience and Conversion

One of the most pivotal moments in John Wesley’s life occurred on May 24, 1738, during a meeting at Aldersgate Street in London. While listening to someone read from Martin Luther’s preface to the Epistle to the Romans, Wesley had a profound spiritual experience. He later described it in his journal, writing: “I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone, for salvation; and an assurance was given me that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.”

This Aldersgate experience is often referred to as Wesley’s conversion. Although he had been a devout Christian and a priest for many years, this moment marked a turning point in his understanding of faith. He finally experienced the assurance of salvation and the inward witness of the Holy Spirit. This event became central to Wesley’s theology, as he emphasized the importance of personal conversion and assurance of salvation.

The Birth of Methodism

Following his Aldersgate experience, Wesley’s ministry took on a new intensity. He began preaching in a way that emphasized personal faith in Christ, the work of the Holy Spirit, and the pursuit of holiness. Wesley’s emphasis on holiness, or what he called “Christian perfection,” became a defining feature of the Methodist movement.

In 1739, Wesley took the unconventional step of preaching outdoors, which was considered improper for an Anglican priest at the time. He did this at the encouragement of his friend and fellow preacher George Whitefield, who had found success in open-air preaching. Wesley’s first outdoor sermon was delivered to a group of coal miners in Bristol, and it was the beginning of what would become a powerful evangelistic movement.

Wesley’s preaching attracted large crowds, and soon, small groups of believers began forming to support one another in their Christian walk. These groups, called “societies,” were characterized by their focus on accountability, prayer, Bible study, and good works. The Methodist societies were organized into “classes,” where members met regularly to discuss their spiritual progress and encourage one another.

Wesley also emphasized the importance of frequent participation in the sacraments, particularly the Lord’s Supper, which he believed was a means of grace. He remained a loyal member of the Church of England throughout his life, but as the Methodist movement grew, it began to develop its own identity, distinct from the Anglican Church.

Theological Beliefs of John Wesley

1. Grace and Salvation

Central to Wesley’s theology was his understanding of grace. He believed that God’s grace was active in every stage of a person’s life and that salvation was a process that involved different kinds of grace.

• Prevenient grace: This is the grace that goes before, awakening a person to their need for God and enabling them to respond to the offer of salvation. Wesley believed that prevenient grace was available to all people, giving everyone the opportunity to choose faith in Christ. As Titus 2:11 (NKJV) states, “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.”
• Justifying grace: This is the grace that brings about forgiveness of sins and reconciliation with God. It is received through faith in Jesus Christ and results in the person being declared righteous before God. Wesley strongly affirmed the doctrine of justification by faith, as outlined in Romans 5:1 (NKJV): “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
• Sanctifying grace: Wesley taught that salvation was not only about being saved from the penalty of sin but also about being transformed into the likeness of Christ. Sanctification is the process by which believers are made holy, and Wesley believed that this process could lead to Christian perfection. He described Christian perfection as loving God with all one’s heart, soul, mind, and strength, and loving one’s neighbor as oneself. He believed that through God’s grace, it was possible to be freed from the power of sin in this life. Philippians 1:6 (NKJV) reflects this idea: “Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.”

2. The Role of Faith and Works

Wesley held that salvation was by grace through faith, but he also emphasized the importance of good works as the evidence of a living faith. Obedience to the law doesn’t bring salvation but is simply the fruit of it (Romans 3:31). He famously said, “We are saved by faith alone, but the faith that saves is never alone.” Wesley believed that true faith would naturally result in a transformed life, characterized by love for God and neighbor.

James 2:17 (NKJV) captures this balance between faith and works: “Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” Wesley urged Christians to pursue both personal holiness and social responsibility, including acts of charity and justice.

3. The Witness of the Spirit

A key aspect of Wesley’s theology was the belief in the inner witness of the Holy Spirit. He believed that Christians could have assurance of their salvation through the Holy Spirit’s testimony to their spirit, as described in Romans 8:16 (NKJV): “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.” This assurance gave believers confidence in their standing before God and motivated them to live lives of holiness.

4. Christian Perfection

One of the most distinctive aspects of Wesley’s theology was his doctrine of Christian perfection or entire sanctification. He believed that it was possible for Christians to be so filled with love for God and neighbor that they would be freed from willful sin. Wesley defined Christian perfection as “pure love filling the heart and governing all the words and actions.”

Wesley did not believe that Christians could be free from all human weakness or mistake, but he did believe that they could reach a point where they no longer deliberately chose to sin. This idea was rooted in passages like 1 John 4:18 (NKJV), which states, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.”

Legacy of John Wesley

John Wesley’s legacy is immense, both in terms of his theological contributions and the movement he helped to create. At the time of his death in 1791, the Methodist movement had grown significantly, with tens of thousands of members in both England and America. While Wesley never intended to break away from the Church of England, the Methodist movement eventually became its own denomination, and today, Methodism is one of the largest Protestant traditions in the world.

Wesley’s influence can be seen in the holiness movement and various other branches of Christianity that emphasize personal piety, social justice, and the pursuit of holiness. His emphasis on grace, faith, and good works continues to inspire Christians around the world.

In conclusion, John Wesley was a man whose deep faith, tireless preaching, and theological insights helped to shape the course of Christian history. His life and ministry serve as a reminder of the transformative power of God’s grace and the call to live a life of holiness and love. As Wesley himself said, “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.”