Saved, sanctified and secured by grace? This is not a question for me, I strongly affirm that I am saved, sanctified and secured by God's grace alone! Recently I was asked about a doctrinal belief concerning a Wesleyan church. They are an evangelical church and we would have many points of agreement on essential doctrines. But as well there are several differences. Here is how I approached the question.
1. Local Church Statement: I check out their own statement on the web, realizing in many cases that they will have a “light” statement for the public that is non-threatening. In this case I saw that their statement about the Holy Spirit says, “That God is able and does fill entirely the believer who seeks the fullness of His Holy Spirit.” This appears to suggest a “sinless perfection” sanctification theology.
Also I note the statement that they believe “in the bodily resurrection of everyone who has lived, an everlasting blessedness and reward for those who continue in a right relationship with God.” This is apparently referring to the loss of salvation.
2. Denominational Statements: I then check out the fuller statements from the denominational headquarter, http://www.wesleyan.org/beliefs. I find that they believe in “a gradual or progressive sanctification as the believer walks with God and daily grows in grace and in a more perfect obedience to God. This prepares for the crisis of entire sanctification which is wrought instantaneously … effected by the baptism with the Holy Spirit.”
I also note that concerning the atonement, “It is unconditionally effective in the salvation of those mentally incompetent from birth, of those converted persons who have become mentally incompetent, and of children under the age of accountability.”
I have now learned that they believe that at a “crisis of entire sanctification” they can receive a second baptism of the Holy Spirit that will allow them to reach a place of complete holiness but if they fail to stay in that condition and lapse into sin they can loss their salvation, unless they have become mentally incompetent.
3. Web search: I then do a quick web search on Wesleyan Arminian Doctrine and find http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conditional_preservation_of_the_saints and note several things about their beliefs. “Wesleyan Arminianism holds that:
· Conscious, unconfessed sin (without any expression of regret) is the beginning point for the fall from grace
· Repentance (confession and change) is a necessary part of the Christian walk and restores holiness and salvation
· It is possible for long periods of backsliding to create a “shipwreck” of faith and loss of eternal life should it continue untended, but in spite of this God can radically call one back to saving grace”
In the same article I note this explanation and illustration. “The term Conditional Preservation of the Saints is used to describe the belief that a Christian’s salvation can be lost. The central tenet holds that believers are preserved from all attempts to “snatch them from the Father’s hand” but can willingly reject the Gospel after it has been accepted, thus being conditional on remaining faithful to Jesus.
Pastor and theologian David Pawson comments, “The Arminian position is accurately portrayed by someone throwing a lifeline to a drowning man and saying ‘grab hold of this and keep holding on tightly until I pull you to safety.’ I would maintain that no one rescued in this way would dream that he had saved himself or even made a ‘contribution’ which merited his rescue. He would be filled with gratitude towards his rescuer.”
Biblical Position: Paul teaches in Ephesians 4:30, “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption,” (NIV). Paul uses the passive “were sealed,” indicating that God did the sealing, not the believer (see Eph. 1:13). Also Paul notes that the sealing was until the “day of redemption.”
Commentaries:
UBS New Testament Handbook Series, Ephesians 4:30, This “seal” is a guarantee of the final and complete redemption.
Wuest’s Word Studies from the Greek New Testament, Ephesians 4:30, The Holy Spirit …is the seal, indicating that the transaction whereby the Son of God paid the penalty of human sin at the Cross is a finished transaction, and that God owns us as His property by right of purchase, also that because of the two preceding facts the saints are secure in salvation “unto the day of redemption,” that is, with a view to the day (at the Rapture) when our physical bodies will be glorified. The Holy Spirit is the seal God places upon the saints which guarantees all this.
Wuest’s Word Studies from the Greek New Testament, Ephesians 1:13, The word “sealed” is sphragizœ, “to set a seal upon, mark with a seal.” The papyri afford the following examples of its use: “If the fruit is sealed, then everything is in order: the sealing is the last thing that must be done prior to delivering;” “let him seal a sample,” obviously to prevent the corn from being tampered with during its transit; “I gave the letter sealed (to the messenger);” “send the ass to be branded” (Moulton and Milligan, Vocabulary of the Greek Testament).
Church Position:
Salvation: We believe we are saved solely by the grace of God through faith in Christ alone. This salvation was purchased by the substitutionary death and shed blood of Jesus Christ for the sins of every person and is offered to everyone as a free gift. The person who has trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior is eternally secure, and can enjoy the assurance of salvation. We believe that at death believers enter eternal glory and that unbelievers enter eternal torment.Acts 16:31; 20:20-21; Rom 3:28; 10:9; 1 Cor. 15:3-4; John 1:12; 3:16; 10:28; Eph. 2:8-9; Phil. 1:6
Sanctification: We believe that every believer has been sanctified, set apart with a perfect standing before God. As we yield ourselves to the Holy Spirit, we will experience spiritual growth in holiness, but we will not experience perfection in conduct. Future rewards are determined by our obedience to the Lord. Heb. 10:10; Phil. 3:12; Rom. 6:13-19; 1 Cor. 3:8
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