Pastor John Wright

Wesley's sermon "The Almost Christian" has been a source of some debate on how to interpret his understanding of salvation in recent Wesley scholarship -- those who want to read Wesley through Protestant evangelical eyes have referred to the text to support an evangelical understanding against an interpretation of Wesley in which salvation comes for those outside faith of Christ through what people (not Wesley) call prevenient grace. However, in reading the sermon, that is not Wesley's issue at all. Wesley's concern in the sermon is to show how grace perfects nature, rather than annulling it, or being added on to a nature that is autonomous. For Wesley human beings have a natural desire for God that must be elevated and taken up in Christ to its true end of love of God in Christ and love of neighbor. None of the "almost" is annulled by Wesley; but he argues that it is vain unless it is enfolded in Christ by the faith in Christ that works in love. I want to give an excerpt of the life that Wesley sees as "altogether a Christian".

II. If it be inquired, 'What more than this is implied in the being altogether a Christian?' I answer,

(i) First, The love of God. For thus saith His word, 'Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all they soul, and with all they mind, and with all they strength.' Such a love [of God] is this, as engrosses the whole heart, as takes up the affections, as fills the entire capacity of thse soul, and employs the utmost extent of all its faculties. He that thus loves the Lord his God, his spirit continually 'rejoices in God his Saviour.' His delight is in the Lord, his Lord and his All, to whom 'in everything he gives thanks. All his desire is unto God, and to the remembrance of His name.' His heart is ever crying out, "Whom have I in heaven but Thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside Thee.' Indeed, what can he desire beside God? Not the wold, or the things of the world: for he is 'crucified to the world, and the world crucified to him.' He is crucified to 'the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eye, and the pride of life.' Yea, he is dead to pride of every kind: for 'love is not puffed up'; but 'he that dwelling in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him,' is less than nothing in his own eyes.

(ii)2. The second thing implied in the being altogether a Christian is the love of neighbour. For thus said our Lord, in the following words, 'Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.' If any man ask, 'Who is my neighbour?' we reply, Every man in the world; every child of His who is the Father of the spirits of all flesh. Nor may we in any wise except our enemies or the enemies of God and their own souls. But every Christian loveth these also as himself, yea, 'as Christ loved us.' He that would more fully understand what manner of love this is, may consider St. Paul's description of it. It is 'long-suffering and kind.' It 'envieth not.' It is not rash or hasty in judging. It 'is not puffed up'; but maketh him that loves, the least, the servant of all. Love 'doth not behave itself unseemly'; but becometh 'all things to all men.' She 'seeketh not her own'; but only the good of others, that they may be saved. 'Love is not provoked.' It casteth out wrath, which he who hath is [not made perfect] in love. 'it rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth. It covers all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."