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Moving On: What about the relationships?

It took me quite a while to get back on this one. Eventually I knew I had to post something on here to keep this blog going. About a month ago, I took off from my beloved small town of LaMoure, after a two year stint as a youth pastor. If you've ever lived in a small town then you would probably know the effects it had on me. I have rightfully claimed it was by far the best experience I have ever had in my entire life. The main reason supporting this claim is the relationships I established with almost the entire community of over 900 people. To some, that is a pretty small town but there was always more to the town than just a small town label. Apart from that it brought back to the good old memories of growing up in rural Kenya.

Growing up, there was a clear sense of community wherever you went. Whether it was at the village market or the old prairie church or on the corridors of the mud-walled elementary schools, you always never failed to sense somebody was looking out for you. I remember being punished for wrongdoing by people I didn't even know. I remember being aided by people I had never even met. All these happened the moment I arrived in the small town of LaMoure. During my time at the seminary in Kansas City, my fellow students have always wondered what in the world led me to LaMoure and how I survived two winters there. To them it is probably the most fascinating thing that they have ever heard of. To me, it was just another wonderful life experience.

Here is my point. When I first arrived in LaMoure, there was a little curiosity by a lot of people to know who I was and where I came from and some of my stories, both good and bad. After a while, everybody seemed to have known me inside out. There is always a small town mentality where people tend to share stories and spread news very quickly. Suddenly people I had not met or even remembered anything about began to say hello to me and tell how good it was to have me in the town. I was kind of fascinated by that having lived for a while in Nairobi. Life was totally different when I moved to Nairobi in 2003 after high school. It was even hard to know who lived next door no matter how many times you met. So when I came to LaMoure, my values were reinforced and once again I began to develop relationships. I was always taught to value relationships with people no matter where they came from, their background and everything that defined them. Nairobi seemed to have taken that away from me. The teens especially made my life what it is and for the first time I knew that people whom you didn't even know still cared.

Eventually, it was time for me to move on. I had arrived without any friends yet I left having developed many relationships. I don't know how long those relationships will last but I know for sure that they existed at one point in life. Nevertheless, there is only one relationship that can never be broken. The relationship with our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. We have to remember that we are capable of walking away from it but he will never leave us nor forsake us. So you know that I am a true Wesleyan.

A Doctrinal Comparative Evaluation of Wesleyan and Pentecostal Perspectives on Sanctification

This paper was presented in the Doctrine of Christian Holiness class (Spring 2008)

Introduction to Sanctification
In all the varied views of what sanctification is and is not, each seem to agree to the fact that it is all directed towards a holistic relationship with God through Jesus Christ which each individual ought to yearn for. The Bible is foundational in defining this relationship as agreed by all of them. Gundry states that the authors of these varied views agree “that the Bible teaches a sanctification that is past, present, and future.” The past is embedded in Christ’s already completed work. The present is found in a life that progressively seeks to live like Christ and the future is entrusted in Christ’s return when sin is totally removed. With a strong desire to do the will of God and the acknowledgement of Jesus Christ as Lord of all our lives, we can truly be sanctified in Jesus Christ. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, it is possible to live a sanctified life.

Wesleyan Perspective
The Wesleyan tradition has been known for its strong concern for an “ethical faith.” John Wesley’s strong definitive theological viewpoints ensured that the aim for a practical and an ethical experience of the Christian life and that of the church remained a high priority of and in the Christian life. For Wesley, biblical Christianity is not an end in itself. It must be complimented by a practical ““faith that works by divine love” in the crucible of everyday life.” Every person has the freedom to choose to enjoy the gifts of God or reject them. God’s sovereign grace and the freedom of humankind to choose, put together, provides the ultimate spiritual experience for every Christian.

Pentecostal Perspective
The Pentecostal perspective is founded strongly in Acts 2:4 where speaking in tongues is considered the “initial outward evidence that a person has been baptized in the Holy Spirit.” Such a person is then considered ready for the Christian service. Traditionally, this experience was witnessed by a large number of people who gathered together for worship in a former Methodist church in Azusa Street in Los Angeles. The initial belief was that sanctification was a second definite work of grace while baptism was the third. This was evident outwardly through speaking in tongues. Other definitions especially by the Assemblies of God said that the believer was required to cooperate with the Holy Spirit in order to be sanctified. It was not necessarily a goal to be pursued by the Christian.

Comparative Analysis of Wesleyan and Pentecostal Perspectives on Sanctification
For Wesleyans, “the supreme and overruling purpose of God’s plan of salvation is to renew men’s and women’s hearts in His own image.” This view strongly suggests that the current life of an individual is full of a divine purpose. It also suggests a fundamental relationship which must be built from the point of salvation as one seeks to grow in grace. The holiness lost in the fall of man can be restored fully by the grace of God which is available to all. Some of the early teachings from the Pentecostal movements however suggest that sanctification is attained the moment one believes in Jesus Christ. Their sins are forgiven and they become totally cleansed from all unrighteousness. According the Pentecostal movement, water baptism plays a very important role in sanctification. One is immersed in water and dies with Christ and one arises from that water one also arises with Christ as Christ arose from the dead. This signifies a unique newly established relationship between one and God that can never be broken. This relationship in itself is established by the work of Christ and our union with him.

According to the Wesleyans, God purposefully loved all human kind. This is virtually evident in the provision of the prevenient grace. Adam and Eve had been corrupted yet the Lord overlooked this and called them back to Himself accepting them the way they were. In a similar way, God has continued to call every single descendant of Adam and Eve and it is upon them to accept or reject this call. This persistent call for restoration of a broken relationship truly reflects on the magnitude of God’s love above everything else. For the Pentecostals, the moment we are set free by the blood of Christ, we are made full participants in God’s kingdom. We then become rightful inheritors of the blessings of God through Jesus Christ. All this happened because of the sacrifice by Jesus Christ on the cross for all humankind. The cross therefore becomes very critical to our sanctification.

For the Pentecostals, there is need for progress in sanctification. We are dead to sin when we accept Jesus Christ as our savior, but we still have a part to play in the ensuing process. We may be saved but we still have work to do. This work includes turning away from our former ways and acquiring new ways that are in line with the will of God. Our continued walk with Christ also means continual cleansing from all unrighteousness so that when we play our part well, God plays His equally. For the Wesleyans, we have to depend upon God. This is what it means to love God with all our hearts, soul and mind. The spirit is in constant work in us. This enables us to come to the point of repentance and faith and our lives are constantly renewed in the image of God. God wants to restore us back to that perfect relationship before the fall. This can only happen if we totally submit and depend on Him.

According to the Wesleyans, regeneration marks the beginning of sanctification. We are granted a compelling motive to love God and to be conformed in His image. We then become victorious over sin through the power of the Holy Spirit. At this moment we begin to become like Christ. This grows and develops into a perfect love for God and for others which is meant for every child born of God. For the Pentecostals the Spirit’s work does not only give us life but also baptizes us into the body of Christ. When we are plunged into the water of baptism we become filled and saturated with the Spirit. The Word of God is also empowered and made effective in us through the Holy Spirit. The Word of the Spirit is the word of God. It is only through this Word that God accomplishes His work in our hearts and in our lives. When we do our part, God sees our potential and “makes provision for it through the Spirit and the Word.”

According to the Pentecostals, “God’s purpose in sanctification is to bring us to maturity, not (at least in this life) to absolute or perfection.” This maturity is brought about by the Word and the Spirit. The Christians therefore has the duty to respond the Word and the Spirit in faith and obedience. We have to fully cooperate with the Word and the Spirit in order to become sanctified. Nevertheless, not matter how much we progress and or even try to, we can not be made perfect in this life. As long as we are doing our best with the help of the Holy Spirit, we are essentially healthy Christians participating in entire sanctification. For the Wesleyans, sanctification is a process through which we are perfected in Christ. To be sanctified is to be set apart and totally consecrated to God. There is still more work going on beyond this life but Christians can be made perfect in love in this love. “Wesley understood entire sanctification, or perfection in love, then, as a continuum of grace and response that leads persons from the guilt and despair of their sin to the knowledge of God and, by faith in His grace in Jesus Christ, to the crisis moment of the justification and the new birth.” We are able to respond to God’s Holiness and love for us through obedience. This obedience to the will of God leads to conformity to the mind of Christ for the believer. At this point one is free and able to enjoy the “pure love of God in all their relationships.” Gundry concludes that Wesley’s “emphasis upon the importance of what God does “in us” through Christ, as well as upon what God does “for us” through Christ, constitutes Wesley’s greatest contribution to the Christian church.” Perfection of love in us by God through the Holy Spirit is the ultimate goal of the Christian life. It is a gift that can be enjoyed by every Christian today.

Conclusion
These two perspectives are obviously distinct from each other. Both draw a lot of biblical support for their views but what remains important is the issue itself which is sanctification. Sanctification is scriptural and is necessary for every Christian. We must die to sin and live as Christ in our daily lives. Of course we are bound to make mistakes but that should not be an excuse for submitting our lives fully to God and allowing Him to be Lord over our lives. When we sing the song of surrendering all to Jesus we should mean every single word in there. It is the only way through which we can be transformed by Christ through the Holy Spirit and live a sanctified life.

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.