Examining Wynkoop’s A Theology of Love: The Dynamic of Wesleyanism

This paper was presented in the Doctrine of Christian Holiness class in Spring 2008. After a review, the professor thought I was a disciple of Wynkoop to which I said I don't know.

Introduction
There is no better way of describing Wesleyanism without examining the central theme embedded in love. Love is broad and almost incomprehensible in human limited terms, at least in the English language. In the preface to A Theology of Love, Wynkoop suggests, “love may mean anything – or nothing.” Every single context may vary in bringing out the complexity of understanding what love is. Songs, poems, drama and many other literary dimensions have been composed to try and grasp the idea of love. Wynkoop also describes Wesley as an “Apostle of Love.” She adds, Wesley “Proclaimed holiness, the highest possible spiritual value, in terms of love, in the ace of love’s lowest possible connotation.” The Christian’s attempt to emulate Jesus Christ must begin and end in love.

Preliminary Observations
The thesis of Wynkoop’s book is that “love is the dynamic of Wesleyanism.” It propels the ideas which define Wesleyanism. Wynkoop adds, “After any substantial research into John Wesley’s writing one becomes aware of the high importance of love to his theology and preaching concerns.” All the theological concepts making up Wesleyanism are heavily embedded in love. It is like a segmented circle whose center piece is love. According to Wynkoop, it is much better to understand Wesley’s theology as of love rather than holiness. Wesley rediscovered the central issue of Christianity in love. “Holiness is dynamic and that the character of holiness is love.” It is important to understand holiness dynamically as love. The idea of a personal relationship only affirms the equal concepts of love and holiness.
Love is profound. It is much deeper than it sounds. It has great implications that include ethics, personal relationship, outreach, creativity, psychology and many others. A theology of love gives a strong emphasis on the origins which obviously drives everything else back to God and then humanity as a faithful participant in God’s creation. The etymologies of the concepts, agape and eros help to give insightful meanings to the conception of love. Wynkoop then begins a journey of exploring love in Wesleyanism. She examines the origins of Wesleyanism with John Wesley at the center of it all. Wesley’s theology becomes very critical here, especially his critical approach and understanding of the circumstances that surrounded his time. Wynkoop also explores a hermeneutical approach to Wesley. In this attempt, she discusses Wesley’s methodology and his understanding of humanity and the social aspects of religion and their biblical founding.

Examining the Core Principles
It is always a daunting task to try to define Christianity to the very basics making it what it is versus what it should be. Relationships are very important. As a matter of fact, it is rightfully correct to define Christianity in terms of a relationship between Christians and Jesus Christ. It signifies a faithful initiative to follow into the steps of Jesus Christ. Relationship has a tendency to grow or deteriorate, especially in human terms where forgiveness may not even exist. In Godly terms the relationship is nurtured and immersed in the concept of love where the love of God defines everything else. This love is meant to grow. As one grows in the relationship, one begins to grasp the idea of God’s love towards people. To know God is to love God. One is still bound to make mistakes or even attempt to run away from this relationship, but God is gracious and merciful and is able to restore such persons back to him. It brings to mind the stories about the prodigal son or even the parable of the lost sheep. Several steps have to be taken in order to stay in this relationship.

A life of holiness entails a thorough self examination not for pride but for discipline purposes. It is important to dedicate one’s self fully to the Lord. We have to entrust the Lord to cleanse thoroughly and prepare us for His works. A clean heart is particularly important in doing the will of the Lord. Wynkoop writes, “The clean heart was a part of the spiritual quest which characterized” Wesley’s “life.” As a matter of fact, the doctrine of holiness emphasizes strongly on a clean heart. There is also a huge biblical emphasis of a clean heart. Purity of the heart or a cleansed heart ought to be sought by all Christians. It is a significant step towards building the relationship in love. The love for God and man entails maintaining those relationships not only in physical terms but also in spiritual terms. Wynkoop adds, “Cleansing or purity of heart is as difficult to lift out of its context as is faith or perfection or love or obedience because it partakes, like they, so intimately of them all that to abstract it robs it of the very thing it is.” The purpose of cleansing is to become pure. Purity is essential in a trustworthy relationship. Wynkoop cites the extreme moralistic tones of purity which include “cultic purity” and “moralism.” She says that Wesley avoided these tones instead averting to more practical and biblical understanding of purity. His followers followed the same path. Wynkoop also cites several biblical connotations of the words purity and cleansing. A very good biblical example was used by Jesus Christ when he said, “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God” (Matt. 5:8). This becomes a very personal act by the fact that it is intended to come from the heart of a particular individual. The result of seeing God becomes even more personal and significant to the faithful. “The emphasis on a heart being pure is significant. Purity is a quality of “hearts.”” It is important to conclude that when purity begins from the heart, it spreads out into the whole person and is reflected on the outward behavior. Wynkoop also adds, “Purity or cleansing is a moral relationship to God and man, not a quality in the substance of the soul.” This means that all the glory is God’s and not based on personal efforts and works.

Wynkoop then takes us to the next level by addressing the idea of perfection. Perfection has commonly been used and certainly misunderstood. Wesley’s doctrine of perfection can be simply summarized in the love of God and man. Wynkoop includes statements such as, “Love is the dynamic of theology and experience. Love, structured by holiness, links all that we know of man. Love is the end of the law. It is the goal of every step in grace and the norm of the Christian life in this world.” Wynkoop obviously seems to be addressing “real” Christians as Collins described Wesley in his book, A Real Christian. I would just like to add that all Christians should endeavor, not by their own means but by the acknowledgement of the power of God through the Holy Spirit, to live a life of perfect love. Christian perfection is not and should not be understood as perfectionism. That kind of approach automatically puts it out of context. We are commanded to be perfect just as the father is. Of course we don’t expect the Lord to grant us what we cannot bear. We first have to acknowledged that we are totally dependent upon Him and all else goes from there. There should be constant maturity in experience. Wynkoop adds, “Christian perfection is the entering into a covenant with God, that is, the attainment of majority or spiritual adulthood.” The Christian character must ripen. It must endeavor to continue on as it gets closer and closer to the will of God.
In addressing the issue of sanctification, Wynkoop picks up on the two dynamics which are distinguishable in Wesleyanism: Substance and circumstance. According to her, “Substance referred to the content of truth; circumstance, the means to that end.” There is a response which is evident in a life being totally submitted to God. We basically respond to God’s call. The substance goes deep down inside the heart of the individual. The fact that it relates to the experience does not accredit it fully to the individual. Sanctification is obviously related to God. We also have to remember that we have a part to play in the process. The moral response of man to God’s salvation is absolutely critical. This does not mean we have to work for it at all. Our love for God directs us to totally depend on Him. Wynkoop adds, “If sanctification is basically purity of heart, and purity of heart a single-hearted love for God, or an undivided heart, we speak of a dynamic relationship – not a static, impersonal state.” Circumstance denotes an occurrence and the acknowledgement of it. The spiritual progress is obviously important and every Christian should examine themselves personally yet be careful about boasting of the steps they have taken above everybody else. Instead, it should bring an opportunity to celebrate God’s gift of grace to all of humanity.

Interpreting Wesley's "A Plain Account of Christian Perfection"

The doctrine of Christian perfection is unequivocal in the Wesleyan tradition. As a matter of fact, it stands out clearly in any Wesleyan theological interpretation. Wesley himself described in his A Plain Account of Christian Perfection of his intention “to give a plain and distinct account of the steps by which I was led, during a course of many years, to embrace the doctrine of Christian perfection.” He outlines a lifetime of careful examination of what Christian perfection is and what it ought to be. With this, Wesley presents what he describes as his “thought” and why he “thought so.”

Wesley begins his discourse by describing his amazing experience after he read Bishop Taylor’s Rule and Exercises of Holy Living and Dying. He describes how he was “exceedingly affected” after reading several parts of the book. He was particularly attracted to the part of the book that spoke explicitly about “purity of intention.” This convinced him that he had to do nothing but surrender all his life to God. This included his words, actions and all his thoughts to which “there was no medium.” One either was totally dedicated to God or nothing else. His discourse continues with the readings from Kempis and Law, which expounds to his exploratory experience. Nevertheless, it all led him to begin to study the bible seriously. He describes the Bible as “the only standard of truth, and the only model of pure religion.” From this basis he also builds the idea that the Christian walk must embrace Jesus Christ in the entirety and total conformity to “our Master.”

Wesley then embarks on a sermon he preached before the university in St. Mary’s Church: The Circumcision of the Heart. In this sermon, Wesley embraces love as encompassing all the commandments. According to him, love for God out of God’s love for us should supercede everything else that we might think about. He goes ahead to outline the true character of a Methodist in regards to the instructions he is giving to the followers of his teachings. Wesley then focuses on the importance of Christians allowing Christ to live in them. This is the only way that they can live a victorious life free from evil yet bound in the love of Christ. In order to reach this point where one truly loves God with their heart, one has to go through obstacles and even failures. The out-pouring of the Grace of God is available to every Christian so that in the process, “they are freed from self-will, as desiring nothing but the holy and perfect will of God: not supplies in want, not ease of pain, nor life, or death, or any creature; but continually crying in their inmost soul, ‘Father, Thy will be done.’” Wesley also cites a number of hymns that he feels are relevant to the message of Christian perfection.

The inevitable discourse on sanctification then comes up. In a conference, they agreed that to be sanctified is “to be renewed in the image of God, “in righteousness and true holiness.”” It implied “the loving God with all our heart, and mind, and soul” as mentioned in Deuteronomy 6:5. At this point, according to Wesley, one begins to love with all their heart and dedicate everything in their lives to Him. It becomes a step-by-step process that must truly reflect the desire to participate in communion with God. He gives a brief insertion about the command to be holy just as the Father is.

Christian perfection comes with a responsibility. Christians must guard their hearts against falsehood and continue to seek the Lord earnestly. In the process, Christians are able to witness and bear fruit to the message that they preach through love. They however have to be constantly reminded that they need Christ and without Him they would be of no use at all. The Scripture must also remain the basis of authority in the Christian life. It is only through Scripture that the Christian is made aware of God’s love. It is through the Scriptures that one can see the examples of Jesus Christ, whether he was tempted, or whether he lived a life worthy of following; so that one is able to see that Christian perfection is attainable. Sanctification also depends totally upon God. God gives freely and the fruit of the Spirit is available to all. Through those gifts, Christians are able to exemplify Christ in their lives as they live a holy life.

Wesley completes his papers by saying that perfection is there because it is mentioned over and over in the Scripture. He cites, “It is not so early as justification; It is not so late as death; It is not absolute; It does not make any man infallible; It is perfect love: it is improvable; It is amissible and also that it is constantly both preceded and followed by a gradual work.” Every single Christian is called to perfection. Wesley clarifies the fact that Christian perfection does not just come overnight. It springs forth in Christians who have dedicated their lives totally to God and are willing to live for Him. True love of God comes from a pure heart. A pure heart is filled with pure intentions. Pure intensions are driven by humility and total dependence upon God. It is a cycle that begins with God and ends with God. The moment Christians lose their focus of God, they forget the commands that have been given them, to be holy, and begin to embrace the worldly pleasures of which the Christian must remain vigilant and rely upon the freedom in Christ in order to overcome. Wesley also points out that we must be witnesses in Christian perfection. True experience of the love of God will outwardly show in the eyes of everybody. It begins on the inside and translates into the outside. A victorious life is one that totally depends on God. Jesus Christ paid the price for our freedom. Our source of strength and hope is solely contingent upon the cross of Jesus Christ.

Response to Vatican

The Vatican has put up a new list of sins that are considered as deadly as those mentioned traditionally. We can all go back and talk about pride, gluttony, sloth, envy, anger, greed and lust but the new list includes polluting, genetic engineering, being obscenely rich, drug dealing, abortion, pedophilia and causing social injustice. Without a doubt sin is a very broad issue and never limited by mere words and definitions. As a matter of fact, a Wesleyan like me would obviously embrace quite a number of definitions but with one simply standing out. Sin is simply a willful transgression against a known law of God. When I take Jesus' summary of the law of Moses when He said, you gotta love your God with all your heart, soul and mind and then love your neighbor as yourself, it obviously suggests a relational aspect of the nature and attribute of God.

Relationship
There is no question about the importance of a strong relationship with God and the need to constantly nurture that relationship. Firstly I acknowledge the fact that I am a sinner who is totally dependent on God and that I can not do anything else but to trust and rely upon Christ's faithfulness. I also acknowledged God's sacrifice through His son Jesus Christ who died to save me from my sins. As a result of his resurrection, I can now live a life free of sin. I don't totally condemn the necessity of works in trying to address holy living. But I think God excepts me to grow from childhood to adulthood. That comes with responsibility and each one of us is called to be responsible and not careless. It also means that I should not take the sacrifice made by Jesus Christ for granted. I must constantly work at it with fear and trembling. Of course I will not necessarily trust in my merits but Christ's merits on the cross. So how do I nurture this relationship without placing all the attention on what I am doing instead of what Christ is doing in me? Well, it is through submission and fully submitting myself to God, in His service and to His people. This means I must love unconditionally just like He did for me. If I haven't done any sin then there would be no need to be saved. But as Jesus pointed out, if any of us was called upon to cast the first stone in case we are sinless, then all of us would walk away with our heads low. A relationship must be responsible. Christ watches over us every day, but we have to allow him to work in us. We can choose to resist or give him way. A relationship can be broken especially in this sinfully stained world. But with God, it can be restored and the most beautiful thing is, it can be restored completely as if it was anew.

So what is all these to do with these sins. I totally agree that these are unacceptable acts before God. With a society where individualism and pride is taking over by the minute, it is becoming harder and harder by the day to address some of these acts. I therefore applaud the Vatican for taking the step to acknowledge these. More to follow.

CONFESSION; A Means of Grace?

James 5:16, "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."

Romans 10:9, "That if you confess your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."

I went to college with a couple Catholic friends of mine. We used to rant about the whole issue of Penitence and the necessity of it as a means of Grace within the Catholic tradition. My friends and I used to argue that we didn't need nobody to know that we had done anything wrong, let alone the priest or pastor, since we had the full access of Jesus Christ and as Christians we were entitled to forgiveness. As a young Wesleyan, I believed that God was loving so much that I was not going to get in trouble for doing simple wrongdoings. Of course, I was not necessarily ignorant about sin and what sin is and what it isn't. I was very much aware of its roots and causes and often cited the fact that sin was sin before God. I also did understand that sometimes the degree of the consequences can be a little bit higher in once case of a sinful act compared to another. But that is another topic altogether and I will try to talk more about it later on.

Was/Is there a necessity of Penitence? Does it amount to Confession? In this case I use Confession to mean acknowledgment or disclosure of sin or sinfulness, esp. to a priest to obtain absolution (dictionary.com). When one stands before a priest and confesses one's sins and the priest says "your sins are forgiven," does that stand? And it does, then for how long? Or does it wait somewhere before finally being acknowledged by Jesus? If one's sins are forgiven, then what is the need for penance? If it is true that God forgives our sins and forgets them as East is from the West (Psalm 103:12), then why do we have to make up for them with some kind of punishment? I do understand the fact that there are consequences to sin, some heavier than others. I don't know the answers to these questions at the moment. Nevertheless, I would like to look generally into the true meaning of Confession and by confession I mean εξομολόγηση. Does it amount to a means of Grace? Is it an act that we should constantly participate in or do we hold the general protestant idea that once one's sins are forgiven, then that is it? Lets see!

Matthew 18:15-20, and John 20:19-23 are very critical here. A prayerful life must embrace confession. Firstly, we have to remember Jesus' regular confessional prayers to the Father. He was not necessarily repenting of anything but he was acknowledging the fact that his Father was in charge of everything. He was also submitting Himself to Him. Jesus didn't take advantage of his closeness to the Father but he reduced himself to servant hood in order to serve Him just as He sent Him here on earth.

Back to Confession. Matthew 18:15, "If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault..." Now that is quite a step forward. I have to admit that sometimes I carry the resentment within instead of just being open and telling someone they wronged. We tend to be careful not to hurt people. One thing I have observed in my current seminary experience is that people are too nice to each other. My fellow students are too nice that they are literally afraid to say anything they feel can hurt somebody. If we are honest enough we should point out the wrongs in order to correct them. I think we should everybody else around as if they were our own children and at the same time they are our parents.

Jesus command to his disciples when he appeared to them after his resurrection was that if they forgave anyone their sins, those sins would be forgiven and vice versa. Now am not going to go deeper into the etymological issues involved here. I am going to take Jesus for his word. In order for them to have done this, the person who was to be forgiven had to have confessed of and repented of their sins before any action was taken. Jesus was even accused of forgiving sins. He cared deeply enough to see how guilt as a result of sin could hamper someone's relationship with God.

Why is confession of sin between brothers and sisters in Christ critical? It opens up a channel of accountability. It also encourages others who might have felt that their sins are too big to talk about. It gives the weaker brothers and sisters courage to openly share their struggles and seek help from those who have overcome such. A strong sense of security must however be built before this is able to happen. In the Holy Club, the members were free with each other. They knew each other well and understood the circumstantial backgrounds from which each of them had come from. They were aware of each other's failings and were willing to address them. They knew the importance of building a strong relationship in order to bridge any possible gaps that could emerge between them. It reminds of the disciples of Jesus who were often amazed at how much trust Jesus gave them. Sometimes they could not believe that Jesus was so free with them to tell them his secrets. For three years, they struggled to even understand who Jesus was. If they were open enough they could have been able to learn much about him and cast away their doubts forever.

I conclude that confession is a means of grace. It should be a lifestyle. In a fallen world sinfully stained by sin, we are bound to say things we ought not to say or do things we ought not to do. We have also seen people do things which we think they could not have done had they been free with us to tell us what they were going through. Many of such cases have always ended up being fatal. Sometimes the guilt of not sharing our lives with others can overwhelm us. We just have to build those relationships and ensure that we continue to confess our sins one to another and acknowledge that Jesus is Lord over our lives. As a Wesleyan, I think confession is part and parcel of the means of grace.

Extract from A' Kempis Book 1 ch, 5

Reading the Holy Scripture

TRUTH, not eloquence, is to be sought in reading the Holy Scriptures; and every part must be read in the spirit in which it was written. For in the Scriptures we ought to seek profit rather than polished diction.

Likewise we ought to read simple and devout books as willingly as learned and profound ones. We ought not to be swayed by the authority of the writer, whether he be a great literary light or an insignificant person, but by the love of simple truth. We ought not to ask who is speaking, but mark what is said. Men pass away, but the truth of the Lord remains forever. God speaks to us in many ways without regard for persons.

Our curiosity often impedes our reading of the Scriptures, when we wish to understand and mull over what we ought simply to read and pass by. If you would profit from it, therefore, read with humility, simplicity, and faith, and never seek a reputation for being learned. Seek willingly and listen attentively to the words of the saints; do not be displeased with the sayings of the ancients, for they were not made without purpose.

New Year, New Hope, More Trust in God.......

Isaiah 43:18-19 "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.

Restoration

It is a new year, a new beginning, a new time to remind ourselves of the goodness of the Lord. It is a time to reminisce the wonderful things God has done in our lives and to continue glorifying Him above all else in our lives. It is that time that we forget the former things and begin to dwell on the new chapter that is being written by the Lord. The Lord reminds us to forget about the former things and to avoid dwelling on the past, but instead, focus on the future, the new things that He is doing in us. The Lord is doing things in our lives that even us will not understand. But what are we called to do? How are we to respond to God's call to do new things in our lives? How are we to react to the amazing things that God is doing?

These questions bring to mind David's prayer of restoration in Psalm 51. In verse 12, King David, acknowledges that he has sinned before the Lord and prays that the Lord restores the joy of his salvation. It is amazing how the past can dictate our future and lead us to self-condemnation, something that Christ has taken away already. It is also amazing how the decisions we make based on past events can eventually lead to a miserable life. I have always advised myself to avoid making decisions based on past events. The good thing about this is that we can be restored and get the joy back so that we can live a wholesome life. In Psalms 23:3, the Lord restores our souls. He knows exactly what we want and leads us there. The more we seek for ourselves the more we become less dependent upon the Lord and hopefully, the more we should realize that we need to get back to the Lord. Last week I defined Holiness, as the total dependence upon God. It is the realization that I cannot do it on my own, and so I can turn it over to Christ. It is like a battle with sin in our lives. Without total surrender to God and the acknowledgment that we are sinners before, we will continue living miserably. Only God can lead us to restoration. And when we are finally restored, the path to a new beginning becomes inevitable. There is so much joy whenever you have a new beginning and feel that you have been restored. I am reminded of the many people that Jesus forgave of their sins and they walked away relieved and feeling restored. That is how I feel whenever the Lord grants me that peace of mind that enables me to confront life head on without fear.

Renewal and Refreshing

There is so much joy whenever one is renewed and refreshed in the Lord. The Lord assures us in Isaiah 40:31, that if we wait upon Him, our strength will be renewed. This renewal is wholesome and embraces, our body, soul and spirit. This inward renewal not only occur once we are restored, but on a daily basis (2 Corinthians 4:16). This renewal also leads to inward transformation (Romans 12:2). In other words, we become more like Christ and less like ourselves. We become new creations (Ephesians 4:24) and continue with the journey of obedience and total dependence upon God. In this renewal, the Lord grants us a new heart and a new spirit (Ezekiel 36:26). These developments enable us to confront new challenges with much confidence knowing that God is on our side. Our trust in the Lord continues to build up and our hope in the Lord acquire new levels of strength. All these happen because the Lord is good. What a joy it is to go into a new year with confidence and victory. What a joy to go into the new year, having been renewed and restored. What a joy to enter into the new year with hope and assurance. I hope that your soul, body and mind is renewed and refreshed and that the joy of your salvation is restored as you enter into this new year. You may have faced all kinds of things in the past year, but it is time forget the past and dwell on the future. You have may faced tragedies, unforgettable events, and uncertainties, but its time to take a new dimension in life. New year, New Hope, More trust in God.

Extract from Book 1 Ch. 4: Prudence in Action

DO NOT yield to every impulse and suggestion but consider things carefully and patiently in the light of God's will. For very often, sad to say, we are so weak that we believe and speak evil of others rather than good. Perfect men, however, do not readily believe every talebearer, because they know that human frailty is prone to evil and is likely to appear in speech.

Not to act rashly or to cling obstinately to one's opinion, not to believe everything people say or to spread abroad the gossip one has heard, is great wisdom.
Take counsel with a wise and conscientious man. Seek the advice of your betters in preference to following your own inclinations.

A good life makes a man wise according to God and gives him experience in many things, for the more humble he is and the more subject to God, the wiser and the more at peace he will be in all things.