Pastor John Wright

The first sermon in Wesley's Standard Sermons is "Salvation by Faith", preached at Oxford University in 1738. After preaching it, he was not invited back. I'm going to quote from the introduction -- a lengthy quote. One here discovers a vigorous understanding of God as the basis for his sermon -- it is so vigorous and classically Christian (and Augustinian) that the later Methodst editor became uneasy with it, and wrote a note to modify Wesley's point. All that is, all that we are, all that we have, comes, according to Wesley here, as the gift of God. As a result, the quote ends with a statement about salvation that mirrors very closely the Catholic-Lutheran statement on justification: "grace is the source, faith the condition, of salvation." Yet for Wesley, faith is not merely some inward positive disposition, "it is faith in Chirst: Christ, and God through Christ, are the proper objects of it . . . it is not barely a speculative, rational thing, a cold lifeless assent, a train of ideas in the head; but also a disposition of the heart." Yet at the following quote makes clear, faith itself is not a human accomplishment, but a gift of God.

1. All the blessings which God has bestowed upon humanity are of God's mere grace, bounty, of favour; God's free, undeserved favour; favour altogether undeserved; man having no claim to the least of God's mercies. It was free grace that 'formed humanity from the dust of the bround, and breathed into him a living soul,' and stamped on the soul the image of God, and 'put all things under his feet.' The same free grace continues to us, at this day, life, and breath, and all things. For there is nothing we are, or have, or do, which can deserve the least thing at God's hand. 'All our works, Thou, O God, has wrought in us.' There, therefore, are so many more instances of free mercy: and whatever righteousness may be found in humanity, this is also the gift of God.

2. Wherwithal then shall a sinful human atone for any the least of his sins? With our own works? No. Were they ever so many or holy, there are not his own, but God's. But indeed they are all unholy and sinful in themselves, so that every one of them needs a fresh atonement. Only corrupt fruit grows on a corrupt tree. And our heart is altogether corrupt and abominable; being 'come short of the glory of God,' the glorious righteousness at first impressed on our soul, after the image of our great Creator. Therefore, having nothing, neither righteousness nor works, to plead, our mouth is utterly stopped before God.

3. If then sinful humans find favour with God, it is 'grace upon grace!' If God vouchsafe still to pour fresh blessings upon us, yea, the greatest of all blessings, salvation; what can we say to these things but "Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift!' And thus it is. Herein 'God commendeth God's love toward us, in that , while we were yet sinners, Christ died' to save us. "By grace' then 'you are saved through faith.' Grace is the source, faith the condition of salvation."