Preface: I realize that these continue to be very strange and difficult times for many people. I believe that leaders are doing the best that they can to be faithful and lead well in a very difficult season, especially when we don’t know nearly as much as we’d like. This post is intended to share a moment of gratitude in what has been a difficult season. It is not intended as a passive aggressive attack on other churches or even as comparison. I want to share good news with you. I hope you can receive it in that spirit as a testimony of thanks and God’s goodness to me.

I am confident that March 11, 2020 will be the day I most associate with the beginning of experiencing Covid-19 as a pandemic that would change life in radical ways I could not have anticipated. There are many details between that day and today that are fuzzy and when one day runs into another. But I remember many details of that day clearly, as I talked about in an initial post on growing your faith in a time of social distancing.

Yesterday is a day I hope will be a day that marks the beginning of a return to a new normal. Please read that last sentence as an expression of hope and not as an overly-confident prediction of the future.

On August 2, 2020 at 11:00 am, my church’s parking lot was full of cars once again. It was different than the last time the church parking lot was full on a Sunday. This time there were no people in the building. The congregation was assembled not in pews or folding chairs, but in cars, trucks, and SUVs.

We were given the order of worship as we entered the parking lot, which identified the FM station we were to tune our radios to. And we were directed by parking lot attendants/ushers to our “seats.”

As one of our pastors gave an opening greeting, the congregations honked their horns in celebration of the moment.

There were moments that felt awkward to me. It was almost impossible to simply stay in the car when we arrived because we so badly wanted to be closer to our family of faith that we hadn’t seen in way too long. And there were the inevitable moments when the technology didn’t work as it was intended.

But it was glorious.

As our pastor said at the beginning of his sermon, it is time to stop playing defense with Covid-19. Yesterday was only a first step. But it was a step.

I slid over into the seat with my wife for the celebration of Holy Communion. I wanted to be able to see our pastors as they celebrated and held the elements. I had tears in my eyes throughout the responsive liturgy. I was moved because I realized how hungry and desperate I was for Jesus once the liturgy began. And I was emotional because I was so grateful to be able to receive the Lord’s Supper once again.

We waited forty minutes after the liturgy to receive communion in our car. And it was worth every minute.

Now that doesn’t mean I enjoyed every minute of waiting. At various points every person in the car, myself included, had a moment of impatience. But we also had an awareness that if we could wait five months, we could wait a few more minutes.

I want you to know that the service was not perfect. And I want you to know that I am inexpressibly grateful to the leadership of our church for taking the risk and seeing it through.

I told my kids that this was a unique moment because this is a rare time when the church is doing something it has never done before and never thought it would need to do in this way. There are bound to be hiccups and gaffes along the way. I was excited to see our church stepping into a place where we would make mistakes, but they would be the right kind of mistakes to make in the places we need to learn.

If I’m honest with you, I am aching to be united physically in the same space in closer proximity with my brothers and sisters in Christ. I am not content for Drive-In Church to become the new normal. But I don’t think it will be. And I am grateful to see my church thoughtfully and carefully working to find ways to reunite the Body of Christ to recite these powerful words:

Christ has died.

Christ is risen.

Christ will come again.

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This is the 11th sermon in this series. You can expect to see a new post in this series by 10am EST on Tuesday mornings. Just joining the growing number of people reading these sermons? Feel free to start at the beginning by reading the first sermon linked below, or jump right in with us!

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Background:

Did you know that many of John Wesley’s sermons are part of the formal doctrinal teaching of multiple Wesleyan/Methodist denominations? Wesley’s sermons have particular authority because these were the main way he taught Methodist doctrine and belief.

“The Witness of Our Own Spirit” is the eleventh sermon of the Wesleyan Standard Sermons and is related to the previous sermon, “The Witness of the Spirit, I.” In hopes of sparking interest in Wesley’s sermons and Methodism’s doctrinal heritage, here is my very short summary of “The Witness of Our Own Spirit.” I hope it will inspire you to read the sermon in its entirety yourself. Links to the sermon and other resources are included at the end of this post.

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Key quote: 

To conclude. Christian joy is joy in obedience – joy in loving God and keeping his commandments. And yet not in keeping them as if we were thereby to fulfil the terms of the covenant of works; as if by any works of righteousness of ours we were to procure pardon and acceptance with God. Not so: we are already pardoned and accepted through the mercy of God in Christ Jesus – not as if we were by our own obedience to procure life, life from the death of sin. This also we have already through the grace of God. ‘Us hath he quickened, who were dead in sin.’ And now we are ‘alive to God, through Jesus Christ our Lord’. But we rejoice in walking according to the covenant of grace, in holy love and happy obedience. We rejoice in knowing that ‘being justified through his grace’, we have ‘not received that grace of God in vain’; that God having freely (not for the sake of our willing or running, but through the blood of the Lamb) reconciled us to himself, we run in the strength which he hath given us the way of his commandments. He hath ‘girded us with strength unto the war’, and we gladly ‘fight the good fight of faith’. We rejoice, through him who liveth in our hearts by faith, to ‘lay hold of eternal life’. This is our rejoicing; that as our ‘Father worketh hitherto’, so (not by our own might or wisdom, but through the power of his Spirit freely given in Christ Jesus) we also work the works of God. And may he work in us whatsoever is well-pleasing in his sight, to whom be the praise for ever and ever! [20]

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One sentence summary:  

The Christian’s joy comes from that happy peace, calm satisfaction of spirit, which arises from the testimony of his own conscience that he is a child of God.

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Scripture passage for the sermon:

“This is our rejoicing, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world.” – 2 Corinthians 1:12 (KJV)

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Concise outline of “The Witness of Our Own Spirit”

1. Such is the voice of every true believer in Christ, so long as they abide in faith and love.
2. What is the nature and ground of a Christian’s joy?
3. What are we to understand by conscience?
4. By ‘man is a conscious being’ is meant people have inward perception of things present and past relating to themselves, their own tempers, and outward behavior.
5. According to St. Paul, conscience is a faculty or power of perceiving right or wrong in individual’s hearts and lives.
6. What is the rule by which people judge right or wrong? The Word of God – this alone.
7. To have a good conscience toward God we must have a right understanding of the Word of God and a true knowledge of ourselves. Then, an argument of our heart and lives with the Word of God. Finally, an inward perception of this agreement with our rule.
8. A good conscience must be built on the right foundation – faith in Jesus Christ. Heart and life produce good fruit – i.e., conformity to the rule of God’s commandments.
9. This includes every notion of our heart, tongue, hands, and bodily members.
10. This world is thoroughly impregnated by the evil spirit it continually breathes.
11. We need simplicity – singly fixed on God, aimed at God alone.
12. And sincerity – simplicity is the intention sincerity is the execution of it.
13. Difference between Godly sincerity and the sincerity of the heathens.
14. This does not come through any power of our own that we naturally possess.
15. It comes through the power of the Holy Ghost which works in us to will and do his good pleasure.
16. This is the ground of the Christian’s joy.
17. This is not a natural joy.
18. The joy of a Christian does not arise from blindness of conscience, from not being able to discern good from evil.
19. The joy of a Christian does not arise from any dullness or callousness of conscience.
20. Christian joy is joy in obedience – in loving God and keeping his commandments.

---

Resources:

Read “The Witness of Our Own Spirit” in its entirety.

Check out my brief summaries of the first ten Standard Sermons:

“Salvation by Faith”

“The Almost Christian”

“Awake, Thou That Sleepest”

“Scriptural Christianity“

“Justification by Faith“

“The Righteousness of Faith“

“The Way to the Kingdom“

“The First-Fruits of the Spirit“

“The Spirit of Bondage and of Adoption“

“The Witness of the Spirit, I“

I highly recommend the critical edition of Wesley’s sermons, which has excellent references that show his reliance on Scripture throughout his preaching. There are four volumes if you want every known Wesley sermon. They aren’t cheap, but this is the most important publication by Abingdon since its release. Highly recommended!

---

Kevin M. Watson is a professor at Candler School of Theology, Emory University. He teaches, writes, and preaches to empower community, discipleship, and stewardship of our heritage. Click here to get future posts emailed to you. Affiliate links used in this post.

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This is the 10th sermon in this series. You can expect to see a new post in this series by 10am EST on Tuesday mornings. Just joining the growing number of people reading these sermons? Feel free to start at the beginning by reading the first sermon linked below, or jump right in with us!

---

Background:

Did you know that many of John Wesley’s sermons are part of the formal doctrinal teaching of multiple Wesleyan/Methodist denominations? Wesley’s sermons have particular authority because these were the main way he taught Methodist doctrine and belief.

“The Witness of the Spirit, I” is the tenth sermon of the Wesleyan Standard Sermons and one of many sermons addressing this topic. In hopes of sparking interest in Wesley’s sermons and Methodism’s doctrinal heritage, here is my very short summary of “The Witness of the Spirit, I.” I hope it will inspire you to read the sermon in its entirety yourself. Links to the sermon and other resources are included at the end of this post.

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Key quote: 

The testimony of the Spirit is an inward impression on the soul, whereby the Spirit of God directly ‘witnesses to my spirit that I am a child of God’; that Jesus Christ hath loved me, and given himself for me; that all my sins are blotted out, and I, even I, am reconciled to God. [I.7]

The Spirit of God does give a believer such a testimony of his adoption that while it is present to the soul he can no more doubt the reality of his sonship than he can doubt of the shining of the sun while he stands in the full blaze of his beams. [I.12]

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One sentence summary:  

God confirms adoption of Christians as sons and daughters through a direct witness of the Holy Spirit with their spirits that they are sons or daughters of God.

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Scripture passage for the sermon:

“The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.” – Romans 8:16 (KJV)

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Concise outline of “The Witness of the Spirit, I”

1. How many people have misunderstood this Scripture? The danger of mistaking the voice of our imagination for the true witness of the Spirit addressed.
2. The opposite error is imagining that the witness of the Spirit is not the privilege of ordinary Christians.
3. Is there not a middle way between these two extremes?
In hopes of finding this middle way, the sermon will:
First, define the witness of the Spirit.
Second, clarify how the witness of the Spirit is different from the presumption of the natural mind and the delusion of the devil.

I. What Is the Witness of the Spirit?

1. “There is in every believer both the testimony of God’s Spirit, and the testimony of his own, that he is a child of God.”
2. We can know that we are children of God based on whether we are led by the Spirit of God in our lives.
3. Wesley gives examples of Scripture passages in 1 John.
4. Those who have the marks identified in Scripture are children of God.
5. This appears to ourselves with direct immediacy.
6. There is a consciousness of having received the tempers mentioned in Scripture by the Spirit.
7. The testimony of the Spirit is an inward impression on the soul, whereby the Spirit of God directly witnesses to my spirit that I am a child of God.
8. The testimony of the Spirit comes before the testimony of our own spirits.
9. Then, and not till then, we love God because he first loved us and for his sake we love our brother also.
10. He does not in any way intend to exclude the operation of the Spirit of God.
11. The testimony of our spirit is beyond all reasonable doubt evidence of the reality of our sonship.
12. Wesley does not claim to explain how the Spirit witnesses to our spirits. But this testimony is so strong he can no more doubt it than he can doubt the shining of the son while he is standing in the full blaze of its beams.

II. How is the Witness of the Spirit Different from the Presumption of the Natural Mind and the Delusion of the Devil?

1. This is a very important question.
2. How is this testimony distinguished from the presumption of the natural mind?
3. The Scriptures abound with marks for distinguishing one from the other.
4. Repentance and conviction of sin always precede this witness.
5. Scripture describes being born again as a vast and mighty change.
6. Is joy in the Lord humble and self-abasing?
7. One who has received the witness of the Spirit will keep God’s commandments.
8. If you lack any of the previous and say you have the witness of the Spirit, you are deceiving yourself.
9. The real thing is distinguished from the false immediately and directly by our spiritual senses, if our spiritual senses are rightly disposed.
10. The direct immediacy of spiritual experience is valid epistemologically.
11. One who has spiritual senses will struggle to express or explain to one who has not.
12. Test the inward and outward fruit.
13. By the same fruit you shall distinguish the voice of God from any delusion of the devil.
14. If you have this, give thanks to God, “cleanse thyself from all filthiness of flesh and Spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God; and let all thy thoughts words, and works be a spiritual sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ!”

---

Resources:

Read “The Witness of the Spirit, I” in its entirety.

Check out my brief summaries of the first nine Standard Sermons:

“Salvation by Faith”

“The Almost Christian”

“Awake, Thou That Sleepest”

“Scriptural Christianity“

“Justification by Faith“

“The Righteousness of Faith“

“The Way to the Kingdom“

“The First-Fruits of the Spirit“

“The Spirit of Bondage and of Adoption“

I highly recommend the critical edition of Wesley’s sermons, which has excellent references that show his reliance on Scripture throughout his preaching. There are four volumes if you want every known Wesley sermon. They aren’t cheap, but this is the most important publication by Abingdon since its release. Highly recommended!

---

Kevin M. Watson is a professor at Candler School of Theology, Emory University. He teaches, writes, and preaches to empower community, discipleship, and stewardship of our heritage. Click here to get future posts emailed to you. Affiliate links used in this post.

---

This is the 9th sermon in this series. You can expect to see a new post in this series by 10am EST on Tuesday mornings. Just joining the growing number of people reading these sermons? Feel free to start at the beginning by reading the first sermon linked below.

---

Background:

Did you know that many of John Wesley’s sermons are part of the formal doctrinal teaching of multiple Wesleyan/Methodist denominations? Wesley’s sermons have particular authority because these were the main way he taught Methodist doctrine and belief.

“The Spirit of Bondage and of Adoption” is the ninth sermon of the Wesleyan Standard Sermons. In hopes of sparking interest in Wesley’s sermons and Methodism’s doctrinal heritage, here is my very short summary of “The Spirit of Bondage and of Adoption.” I hope it will inspire you to read the sermon in its entirety yourself. Links to the sermon and other resources are included at the end of this post.

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Key quote: 

To sum up all. The ‘natural man’ neither fears nor loves God; one ‘under the law’ fears, one ‘under grace’ loves him. The first has no light in the things of God, but walks in utter darkness. The second sees the painful light of hell; the third, the joyous light of heaven. He that sleeps in death has a false peace. He that is awakened has no peace at all. He that believes has true peace, the peace of God, filling and ruling his heart…. To conclude: the natural man neither conquers nor fights; the man under the law fights with sin, but cannot conquer; the man under grace fights and conquers, yea is ‘more than conqueror, through him that loveth him.’ [III.8]

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One sentence summary:  

This sermon describes three possible states in relation to God: asleep (false peace or indifference), awake and aware of separation from God, and awake and aware of receiving acceptance and pardon with God.

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Scripture passage for the sermon:

“Ye have not received the spirit of bondage again unto fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.” – Romans 8:15 (KJV)

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Concise outline of “The Spirit of Bondage and of Adoption”

1. Paul is writing to children of God by faith.
2. The spirit of bondage and fear is widely distant from the loving spirit of adoption.
3. Most people have neither the fear of God before their eyes nor the love of God in their hearts.
4. You may remember when you were in the same situation.
5. A “natural man” has neither fear of God nor love for God.

I. The State of a “Natural Man”

1. The state of a natural man is a state of sleep, discerning neither spiritual good nor evil.
2. Because they are asleep, they are in some sense at rest.
3. They are secure because they are ignorant of themselves.
4. This ignorance is especially strong in people of learning.
5. From this ignorance there may sometimes be a joy in self-congratulation on their own wisdom and goodness.
6. It is not surprising if such a one thinks they walk in great liberty.
7. All this time the natural man is a servant of sin.
8. How can such a person be convinced of sin?

II. The State of One that is “Under the Law”

1. God touches them in some way and wakes them from their sleep and they see God’s justice.
2. The inward spiritual meaning of the law now begins to glare upon them.
3. Their heart is bare and they see it is all sin.
4. They feel they deserve to be cast into the fire that shall never be quenched.
5. Here ends this pleasing dream, this delusive rest, this vain security.
6. They feel the anguish of a wounded spirit.
7. Now they truly desire to break loose from sin, and begin to struggle with it. But sin is mightier than they are.
8. The more they strive, the more they feel their chains.
9. This struggle is the struggle of people under the law.
10. Who shall deliver me from this bondage? The grace of God through Jesus Christ my Lord.

III. The State of One under Grace

1. Then bondage ends and they are no more under the law, but under grace.
2. They cried unto the Lord in their trouble and God delivered them.
3. God breaks through and they are reconciled to God by the blood of the covenant.
4. Here end both the guilt and the power of sin.
5. The Spirit brings liberty from guilt, fear and sin itself.
6. They are a living witness of the glorious liberty of the sons of God.
7. The Spirit delivers us from anger, pride, and all vile affections.
8. To conclude: the natural man neither conquers nor fights; the one under the law fights but cannot conquer; and the one under grace fights and conquers.

IV. The Insufficiency of Sincerity

1. It is not sufficient to divide people into sincere and insincere. Examine not whether you are sincere, but whether you “be in faith.”
2. These states often mingle together in one person.
3. People don’t consider how far a person may go and yet be in a natural or at best a legal state.
4. Beware, if you call yourself a Christian that you come not short of the mark of thy high calling.

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Resources:

Read “The Spirit of Bondage and of Adoption” in its entirety.

Check out my brief summaries of the first eight Standard Sermons:

“Salvation by Faith”

“The Almost Christian”

“Awake, Thou That Sleepest”

“Scriptural Christianity“

“Justification by Faith“

“The Righteousness of Faith“

“The Way to the Kingdom“

“The First-Fruits of the Spirit“

I highly recommend the critical edition of Wesley’s sermons, which has excellent references that show his reliance on Scripture throughout his preaching. There are four volumes if you want every known Wesley sermon. They aren’t cheap, but this is the most important publication by Abingdon since its release. Highly recommended!

---

Kevin M. Watson is a professor at Candler School of Theology, Emory University. He teaches, writes, and preaches to empower community, discipleship, and stewardship of our heritage. Click here to get future posts emailed to you. Affiliate links used in this post.

---

I have been so encouraged by the number of readers who have emailed me directly about this series. Some of you have indicated that knowing when these posts will appear would help you read the sermons. Going forward, you can expect to see a new post in this series by 10am EST on Tuesday mornings.

---

Background:

Did you know that many of John Wesley’s sermons are part of the formal doctrinal teaching of multiple Wesleyan/Methodist denominations? Wesley’s sermons have particular authority because these were the main way he taught Methodist doctrine and belief.

“The First-Fruits of the Spirit” is the eighth sermon of the Wesleyan Standard Sermons. In hopes of sparking interest in Wesley’s sermons and Methodism’s doctrinal heritage, here is my very short summary of “The First-Fruits of the Spirit.” I hope it will inspire you to read the sermon in its entirety yourself. Links to the sermon and other resources are included at the end of this post.

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Key quote: 

By “them which are in Christ Jesus” St. Paul evidently means those who truly believe in him; those who “being justified by faith, have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ.” They who thus believe do no longer “walk after the flesh,” no longer follow the motions of corrupt nature, but “after the Spirit.” Both their thoughts, words, and works are under the direction of the blessed Spirit of God.

“There is therefore now no condemnation to” these. There is no condemnation to them from God, for he hath “justified them freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Jesus.” He hath forgiven all their iniquities, and blotted out all their sins. And there is no condemnation to them from within, for they “have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that they might know the things which are freely given to them of God”: “which Spirit bearers witness with their spirits that they are the children of God.” And to this is added “the testimony of their conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, they have had their conversation in the world.” [1-2]

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One sentence summary:  

There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ and walk by the Spirit.

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Scripture passage for the sermon:

“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” – Romans 8:1 (KJV)

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Concise outline of “The First-Fruits of the Spirit”

1. By “them which are in Christ,” Paul means those who truly believe in him.
2. There is therefore now no condemnation to these.
3. I propose to show, 1. who those are that are in Christ and 2. how there is no condemnation to these.

I. Who Those Are That Are in Christ?

1. Those who believe in his name.
2. They do not sin or walk after the flesh.
3. Those in Christ have crucified the flesh with its affections and lusts.
4. They walk after the Spirit in their hearts and lives. They are led by the Spirit into every holy desire.
5. They are led by the Spirit into all holiness of conversation.
6. Being filled with the Holy Ghost they show the genuine fruits of the Spirit of God.

II. How There Is No Condemnation for Those in Christ Jesus

1. There is no condemnation for those in Christ on account of past sins.
2. There is no condemnation in their own breast, no guilt of dread of the wrath of God. They have the witness of the Spirit and adoption.
3. Those who are in Christ neither are condemned by God or their own heart.
4. They are not condemned for any present sins, because they are freed from them.
5. They are not condemned for inward sins even though it does now remain.
6. They are not condemned though their heart is wicked as long as they don’t yield to its desires.
7. They are not condemned even though they are aware of sin clinging to them and what they do.
8. They are not condemned for sins of infirmity.
9. They are not condemned for anything it is not in their power to help.
10. A believer may sometimes be grieved because he can’t do what he longs to do.
11. Sins of surprise are a difficult category.
12. Sins of surprise that come from willful neglect of one’s soul are more serious.
13. Things that couldn’t be anticipated but lead to sin are less serious and should not fear condemnation.

III. Practical Inferences

1. Given what has been said, why are you fearful?
2. If you have sinned since coming to faith, do you have faith now? Then you are once again free.
3. Those who commit sin now are not included in this freedom from condemnation.
4. Do not fret because of heart sin if you do not give in to them.
5. Don’t let your weakness shake your trust in God.
6. If you sin through surprise, repent and confess in trust and confidence that God will forgive you.

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Resources:

Read “The First-Fruits of the Spirit” in its entirety.

Check out my brief summaries of the first seven Standard Sermons:

“Salvation by Faith”

“The Almost Christian”

“Awake, Thou That Sleepest”

“Scriptural Christianity“

“Justification by Faith“

“The Righteousness of Faith“

“The Way to the Kingdom“

I highly recommend the critical edition of Wesley’s sermons, which has excellent references that show his reliance on Scripture throughout his preaching. There are four volumes if you want every known Wesley sermon. They aren’t cheap, but this is the most important publication by Abingdon since its release. Highly recommended!

---

Kevin M. Watson is a professor at Candler School of Theology, Emory University. He teaches, writes, and preaches to empower community, discipleship, and stewardship of our heritage. Click here to get future posts emailed to you. Affiliate links used in this post.

---

I have been so encouraged by the number of readers who have emailed me directly about this series. Some of you have indicated that knowing when these posts will appear would help you read the sermons. Going forward, you can expect to see a new post in this series by 10am EST on Tuesday mornings.

I am delighted to see the interest in engaging the Wesleyan doctrinal heritage! Here is sermon #7 “The Way to the Kingdom.”

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Background:

Did you know that many of John Wesley’s sermons are part of the formal doctrinal teaching of multiple Wesleyan/Methodist denominations? Wesley’s sermons have particular authority because these were the main way he taught Methodist doctrine and belief.

“The Way to the Kingdom” is the seventh sermon of the Wesleyan Standard Sermons. The sermon is divided into two parts. The first part defines the kingdom of God. The second part defines the way to the kingdom of God.

I am going to stop saying that each sermon is a foundational sermon for Wesleyan/Methodist doctrine. The inclusion of each of these in the Standard Sermons makes them foundational for Methodist doctrine.

In hopes of sparking interest in Wesley’s sermons and Methodism’s doctrinal heritage, here is my very short summary of “The Way to the Kingdom.” I hope it will inspire you to read the sermon in its entirety yourself. Links to the sermon and other resources are included at the end of this post.

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Key quote: 

Believe this [Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners], and the kingdom of God is thine. By faith thou attainest the promise: ‘He pardoneth and absolveth all that truly repent and unfeignedly believe his holy gospel.’ As soon as ever God hath spoken to thy heart, ‘Be of good cheer, thy sins are forgiven thee,’ his kingdom comes; thou hast righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. [II.9]

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One sentence summary:  

The kingdom of God, which is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost, is attained by faith in Jesus Christ.

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Scripture passage for the sermon:

“The kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.” – Mark 1:15 (KJV)

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Concise outline of “The Way to the Kingdom”

I. The Nature of True Religion, or The Kingdom of God

1. The kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
2. The kingdom of God is not about observance of the law.
3. It isn’t any outward thing, the whole substance is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
4. It isn’t in outward forms or ceremonies.
5. The nature of religion does not properly consist of any outward action.
6. Neither does religion consist in orthodoxy or right opinions.
7. This alone is religion: righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. Righteousness is, first, loving the Lord.
8. Righteousness is, second, loving thy neighbor.
9. Righteousness also includes mercy, humility, gentleness, meekness, and long-suffering.
10. True religion implies happiness as well as holiness.
11. Peace with God also brings joy in the Holy Ghost.
12. This holiness and happiness is the kingdom of God.
13. This kingdom of God is at hand.

II. The Way to the Kingdom of God

1. This is the way: walk ye in it. First, repent. Know yourselves.
2. The consequences of inbred corruption of the heart.
3. Only bitter evil fruit comes from a corrupt heart.
4. The wages of sin is death – temporal and eternal.
5. There is nothing we can do to appease the wrath of God.
6. Even if perfect obedience could atone for past sins, we aren’t capable of it.
7. Conviction of inward and outward sin also needs sorrow and despair in self. Repent and believe the gospel.
8. The gospel is that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners.
9. Believe this and the kingdom of God is thine.
10. Faith is not mental assent to propositions but sure trust and confidence in God in Christ.
11. When you believe, the peace of God is in your heart and sorrows and sighing flee.
12. If you now believe, then the love of God is shed abroad in your heart.
13. The world regards this as madness, but stand strong in faith.

---

Resources:

Read “The Way to the Kingdom” in its entirety.

Check out my brief summaries of the first six Standard Sermons:

“Salvation by Faith”

“The Almost Christian”

“Awake, Thou That Sleepest”

“Scriptural Christianity“

“Justification by Faith“

“The Righteousness of Faith“

I highly recommend the critical edition of Wesley’s sermons, which has excellent references that show his reliance on Scripture throughout his preaching. There are four volumes if you want every known Wesley sermon. They aren’t cheap, but this is the most important publication by Abingdon since its release. Highly recommended!

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Kevin M. Watson is a professor at Candler School of Theology, Emory University. He teaches, writes, and preaches to empower community, discipleship, and stewardship of our heritage. Click here to get future posts emailed to you. Affiliate links used in this post.

Over the past few weeks, I have been invited to be on a handful of podcasts. As it happened, all three of the most recent interviews were released on the same day. I wanted to spread them out a bit here so as not to overwhelm you and in hopes of featuring each of the work these folks are doing. This is the third of the three.

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I was invited to be a guest on Brian Russell’s Deep Dive Spirituality Conversations podcast. Dr. Russell is Associate Provost at Asbury Theological Seminary, Dean of the Orlando School of Ministry, and Professor of Biblical Studies.

Our conversation focused on two related topics.

First, we discussed the role of small group formation in the history of Methodism and its relevance for today.

Second, we talked about entire sanctification and its connection to pursuing Christ with others.

Readers of this blog know that I am passionate about both of these topics! I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I enjoyed being part of it.

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Check out my conversation with Matt Reynolds of Spirit & Truth and Scott Kisker, which was the first of the three. The second was my conversation with The Weight podcast, hosted by Chris McAlilly and Eddie Rester. It has been a blessing to connect with Wesleyans in Ohio, Mississippi, and Florida over the past few weeks. I hope these conversations are a blessing to you.

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Kevin M. Watson is a professor at Candler School of Theology, Emory University. He teaches, writes, and preaches to empower community, discipleship, and stewardship of our heritage. Click here to get future posts emailed to you.

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I have been so encouraged by the number of readers who have emailed me directly about this series. I am delighted to see the interest in engaging the Wesleyan doctrinal heritage! Here is sermon #6 “The Righteousness of Faith.”

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Background:

Did you know that many of John Wesley’s sermons are part of the formal doctrinal teaching of multiple Wesleyan/Methodist denominations? Wesley’s sermons have particular authority because these were the main way he taught Methodist doctrine and belief.

“The Righteousness of Faith” is the sixth sermon of the Wesleyan Standard Sermons. The sermon is a rich unpacking of the doctrine of justification by faith and is connected to the previous sermon, “Justification by Faith.”

This sermon is another foundational sermon for Wesleyan/Methodist doctrine.

In hopes of sparking interest in Wesley’s sermons and Methodism’s doctrinal heritage, here is my very short summary of “The Righteousness of Faith.” I hope it will inspire you to read the sermon in its entirety yourself. Links to the sermon and other resources are included at the end of this post.

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Key quote: 

What is the difference then between the ‘righteousness which is of the law’ and the ‘righteousness which is of faith’? Between the first covenant, or the covenant of works, and the second, the covenant of grace? The essential, unchangeable difference is this: the one supposes him to whom it is given to be already holy and happy, created in the image and enjoying the favour of God; and prescribes the condition whereon he may continue therein, in love and joy, life and immortality. The other supposes him to whom it is given to be now unholy and unhappy; fallen short of the glorious image of God, having the wrath of God abiding on him, and hastening through sin, whereby his soul is dead, to bodily death and death everlasting. And to man in this state it prescribes the condition whereon he may regain the pearl he has lost; may recover the favour, and the image of God, may retrieve the life of God in his soul, and be restored to the knowledge and the love of God, which is the beginning of life eternal. [I.11]

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One sentence summary:  

In contrast to seeking righteousness through perfect obedience to the law, the righteousness of faith (which brings forgiveness and reconciliation with God) comes through faith in Jesus Christ.

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Scripture passage for the sermon:

“Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them. But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:) Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach.” – Romans 10: 5-8 (KJV)

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Concise outline of “The Righteousness of Faith”

1. Paul opposes the covenant of grace to the covenant of works, not Moses to Christ.
2. Paul was speaking affectionately to the Jews earlier in this chapter.
3. They were ignorant that Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believes.
4. And how many are equally ignorant now?

I. Discussion of the Righteousness of the Law

1. The righteousness of the law requires perfect obedience in order to continue in the holiness and happiness wherein people were created.
2. It required that people should fulfill all righteousness, inward and outward; negative and positive.
3. It farther required that this inward and outward holiness be perfect in degree.
4. It also must be perfectly uninterrupted.
5. A summary of the righteousness of the law.
6. The righteousness of faith is the new covenant which God has established with sinful people through Christ.
7. By righteousness of faith is meant the condition of justification which was given by God to fallen people through the merits and mediation of his only begotten Son.
8. The covenant does not say to sinful people, perform unsinning obedience and live.
9. The covenant says: Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.
10. This condition of life is plain, easy, always at hand.
11. The difference between the covenant of works and the covenant of grace is that the former supposes people are already holy and happy and the latter supposes people are unholy and unhappy.
12. In order to continue in favor with God, the covenant of works requires people maintain perfect uninterrupted obedience. The covenant of grace requires only faith.
13. In the covenant of grace, we have nothing to pay, God frankly forgives us all.
14. The first covenant required what is now far off from us all, unsinning obedience.

II. The Folly of Trusting the Righteousness of the Law and the Wisdom of Submitting to the Righteousness of Faith

1. The first step of those who trust in the law is a mistake because they are not in the state in which the covenant was made.
2. Neither do they consider that the law requires perfect and entire obedience.
3. Neither do they recognize that obedience to the law must be perfect in degree.
4. The law condemns all who do not perform uninterrupted and perfect obedience.
5. It is the height of foolishness for sinful people to seek acceptance by their own righteousness.
6. Disclaiming our own righteousness is wise because it is acting according to the truth.
7. It is further wise because it is submitting to the way God has made.
8. It is mere grace, free love, undeserved mercy that God has given sinful people any means of reconciliation with himself.
9. It is wisdom to aim at the best end by the best means. The best end is happiness in God. The only means to that end is submitting to the righteousness of faith.

III. How to Be Forgiven and Reconciled to the Favor of God

1. Do not say I must first do this. First believe.
2. Do not say I can’t be accepted because I am not good enough.
3. Do not say I am not contrite enough.
4. Do not say I must do something before I come to Christ.
5. Do not wait for more sincerity.
6. This is it: “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.”

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Resources:

Read “The Righteousness of Faith” in its entirety.

Check out my brief summaries of the first five Standard Sermons:

“Salvation by Faith”

“The Almost Christian”

“Awake, Thou That Sleepest”

“Scriptural Christianity“

“Justification by Faith“

I highly recommend the critical edition of Wesley’s sermons, which has excellent references that show his reliance on Scripture throughout his preaching. There are four volumes if you want every known Wesley sermon. They aren’t cheap, but this is the most important publication by Abingdon since its release. Highly recommended!

---

Kevin M. Watson is a professor at Candler School of Theology, Emory University. He teaches, writes, and preaches to empower community, discipleship, and stewardship of our heritage. Click here to get future posts emailed to you. Affiliate links used in this post.

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I have been so encouraged by the number of readers who have emailed me directly about this series. I am delighted to see the interest in engaging the Wesleyan doctrinal heritage! Here is sermon #5 “Justification by Faith.”

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Background:

Did you know that many of John Wesley’s sermons are part of the formal doctrinal teaching of multiple Wesleyan/Methodist denominations? Wesley’s sermons have particular authority because these were the main way he taught Methodist doctrines and beliefs.

We have already summarized the four Oxford sermons that served as a kind of preface to the Sermons on Several Occasions. “Justification by Faith,” as the titled suggests, is a sermon focused on the doctrine of justification by faith. Wesley is typically concerned with the relevance and experience of these doctrines, and this sermon is no different.

“Justification by Faith” is a foundational sermon for Wesleyan/Methodist doctrine.

In hopes of sparking interest in Wesley’s sermons and Methodism’s doctrinal heritage, here is my very short summary of “Justification by Faith.” I hope it will inspire you to read the sermon in its entirety yourself (check out the resources at the end of this post).

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Key quote: 

Faith in general is a divine, supernatural ‘evidence’ or conviction ‘of things not seen,’ not discoverable by our bodily senses as being either past, future, or spiritual. Justifying faith implies, not only a divine evidence or conviction that ‘God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself,’ but a sure trust and confidence that Christ died for my sins, that he loved me, and gave himself for me. And at what time soever a sinner thus believes, be it in early childhood, in the strength of his years, or when he is old and hoary-haired [having gray or white hair], God justifieth that ungodly one; God for the sake of his Son pardoners and absolveth him who had in him till then no good thing. Repentance indeed God had given him before. But that repentance was neither more nor less than a deep sense of the want of all good, and the presence of all evil. And whatever good he hath or doth from that hour when he first believes in God through Christ, faith does not find but bring. This is the fruit of faith. First the tree is good, and then the fruit is good also. [IV.2]

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One sentence summary:  

Justification is pardon or forgiveness of all past sins that comes solely through faith, which is “a sure trust and confidence that Christ died for my sins, that he loved me, and gave himself for me.”

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Scripture passage for the sermon:

“To him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted to him for righteousness.” – Romans 4:5 (KJV)

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Concise outline of “Justification by Faith”

1. An important question: How can a sinner be justified before God?
2. And yet, despite this question’s importance, how little has it been understood!
3. I will show:
   1. The general grounds of the doctrine of justification.
   2. What justification is.
   3. Who they are that are justified.
   4. On what terms they are justified.

I. The general ground of the doctrine of justification

1. Humans were made in the image of God, holy, merciful, perfect.
2. God gave people a perfect law, to which he required full and perfect obedience.
3. God added one positive law: Don’t eat the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden.
4. In paradise, the first humans were holy and happy. But if they disobeyed they forfeited all.
5. Man did disobey and ate of the tree. And he died, his soul died and was separated from God.
6. Thus ‘by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin.’
7. This was our state when God so loved the world he gave his only begotten Son so that we might not perish but have everlasting life.
8. The Son has tasted death for everyone. God has reconciled the world to himself.
9. This is the grand doctrine of justification where we are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ.

II. What is justification?

1. It is not being made just and righteous, that is sanctification. The one is what God does for us through his Son; the other what he works in us by his Spirit.
2. The conceit that justification is the clearing us from accusation; particularly of Satan, is not provable in Scripture.
3. Justification is also not the clearing of accusation brought against us by the law.
4. Least of all does justification imply that God is deceived.
5. Justification is pardon, forgiveness of sins. It is the act of God the Father whereby, for the sake of the propitiation made by the blood of his Son, he showeth forth his righteousness (or mercy) by the remission of the sins that are past.

III. Who are justified?

1. The ungodly. Forgiveness has an immediate reference to sin and nothing else.
2. Justification precedes sanctification. It is not a saint but a sinner that is forgiven.
3. The good Shepherd seeks and saves that which is lost.
4. The sick, guilty, and ungodly need pardon.
5. All works done before justification are not good in the Christian sense, because they do not come from faith in Christ.
6. A summary of the argument: No works are good which are not done as God hath willed and commanded them to be done; no works before justification are done as God hath willed and commanded. Therefore, no works done before justification are good.

IV. On what terms are the ungodly who have no good works justified?

1. By faith.
2. Faith is a divine, supernatural evidence or conviction of things not seen, not discoverable by our bodily senses as being either past, future, or spiritual. Justifying faith implies, not only a divine evidence or conviction that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, but a sure trust and confidence that Christ died for my sins, that he loved me, and gave himself for me.
3. Faith is a sure trust and confidence that God has and will forgive our sins, that he has accepted us again into his favor for the merits of Christ’s death and passion.
4. There is no justification without this faith.
5. Faith is the only necessary condition of justification.
6. Faith is the only thing without which none is justified, the only thing absolutely required for pardon.
7. It does not become poor, guilty, sinful worms to ask God the reasons for his conduct.
8. One reason we may humbly conceive of God fixing this condition was to protect people from pride.
9. Go straight to God with all your ungodliness. Look unto Jesus! Plead only the blood of the covenant. Believe in the Lord Jesus; and thou, even thou, are reconciled to God.

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Resources:

Read “Justification by Faith” in its entirety.

Check out my brief summaries of the first four Standard Sermons:

“Salvation by Faith”

“The Almost Christian”

“Awake, Thou That Sleepest”

“Scriptural Christianity“

I highly recommend the critical edition of Wesley’s sermons, which has excellent references that show his reliance on Scripture throughout his preaching. There are four volumes if you want every known Wesley sermon. They aren’t cheap, but this is the most important publication by Abingdon since its release. Highly recommended!

---

Kevin M. Watson is a professor at Candler School of Theology, Emory University. He teaches, writes, and preaches to empower community, discipleship, and stewardship of our heritage. Click here to get future posts emailed to you. Affiliate links used in this post.

Over the past few weeks, I have been invited to be on a handful of podcasts. As it happened, all three of the most recent interviews were released on the same day. I wanted to spread them out a bit here so as not to overwhelm you and in hopes of featuring each of the work these folks are doing. This is the second of the three.

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The Weight is hosted by Chris McAlilly and Eddie Rester, who are both United Methodist pastors at Oxford University UMC, in Oxford, MS. Chris and Eddie are thoughtful and gracious hosts who are passionate about facilitating deeper, more substantive, and nuanced conversation and weighty topics in the church and broader culture. I love the way they introduce their blog:

Let’s be honest. There are some topics that are too heavy for a 20 minute sermon. There are issues that need conversation, not just explanation. That’s why we have created The Weight.

This is a podcast that creates a space for honestly discussing some of the heavy topics we face in our culture today. We believe that the church is called to engage in a way that honors the weightiness and importance that these topics have for how we live faithfully today.

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I was invited to be on The Weight before Covid-19 to talk about the upcoming General Conference (now postponed to late summer/early fall 2021). Chris and Eddie suggested that the conversation shift from the original focus, as their podcast in general did, to aspects of ministry in the midst of social distancing and a global pandemic. You can get a sense of their initial focus from their first two episodes which feature Bishop Ken Carter in the first and Carolyn Moore in the second.

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The episode I am on was creatively titled: “Big Pandemic. Small Groups.” We talked about the potential contribution of Wesleyan small group formation, especially the class meeting and the band meeting, in the time of a pandemic.

In thinking back on this conversation in comparison to my conversation with Matt Reynolds of Spirit & Truth and Scott Kisker of United Theological Seminary, I am struck by the benefit of multiple conversation partners. The topic of both episodes was roughly the same, but the conversation went in different directions and has certainly helped my own thinking. Both were helpful to me. I hope they are to you too.

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Please check out what Chris and Eddie are doing at The Weight. I hope you find the episode I was on helpful. And don’t miss their latest episode with Bishop James Swanson. Here is their description:

A serious dialogue on race and equity is imperative for the life of the church, a truth that we are painfully reminded of in the aftermath of the murder of Ahmaud Arbery in Brunswick, Georgia. How can the Church do better in its pursuit of justice for all? How can we pursue reconciliation that isn’t shallow or even callous, but rather is honest about the work that still needs to be done to bring about substantive change? How can we posture our hearts, minds, and actions towards the vision of God’s creation where all are truly cared for, valued, and protected?

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Kevin M. Watson is a professor at Candler School of Theology, Emory University. He teaches, writes, and preaches to empower community, discipleship, and stewardship of our heritage. Click here to get future posts emailed to you.