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« March 7, 2006 | Main | Acts 11:1-18: Rehashing the Cornelius Adventure »
I'd like to spend two days from Wesley's sermon "Justification by Faith." While Wesley is accused often collapsing the faith given to the saints into human subjectivity, I am finding this a profound misreading of Wesley. Even when discussing justification, Wesley knows that justification is first and foremost about the Triune God, not us. The "general ground of this whole doctrine of justification" is God's creation of humanity in the image of God and God's redemption of humanity through Christ.
Wesley begins the sermon with the beginning of the biblical narrative -- the creation of humanity before the fall. What one sees here in his description of pre-fall humanity (pre-lapsarian in fancy theological language) is what God also restores through the Spirit's sanctification following. Humanity begins from God, and is to return to God. In Augustinian language, before sin, humans 'enjoyed God, which is in substance, life everlasting" -- participating in the Love that is God. The following quotation comes from the beginning of the sermon:
1. In the image of God was humanity made; holy as God that created him is holy; merciful as the Author of all is merciful; perfect as his Father in heaven is perfect. As God is love, so humanity, dwelling in love, dwelt in God and God in him. God made humanity to be an "image of His own eternity,' an incorruptible picture of the God of glory. He was accordingly pure, as God is pure, from every spot of sin. He knew not evil in any kind or degree, but was inwardly and outwardly sinless and undefiled. He 'loved the Lord his God with all his heart, and with all his mind, and soul and strength.'
. . .
4. Such then was the state of humanity in Paradise. By the free, unmerited love of God, he was holy and happy: he knew, loved, enjoyed God, which is, in substance, life everlasting. And in this life of love he was to continue for ever, if he continued to obey God in all things; but if he disobeyed Him in any, he was to forfeit all. 'In that day,' said God, 'you will surely die.'
Posted by johnwright at March 8, 2006 4:00 AM
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