The most common New Testament reference to election deals with God’s eternal decrees of certain humans to salvation in Christ Jesus. This is seen most vividly in the writings of Paul in his letters to the churches at Ephesus and Rome. While no Christian can deny the Bible teaches the doctrine of election, many remain divided over the basis of divine election, the cause of God choosing certain individuals unto salvation over against others. Faithful Christians have remain divided over this issue with some insisting God elects, or chooses, certain people on the basis of a foreseen faith in him, while others maintain God’s election has nothing to do with foreknowledge of faith but rather resides in his own good pleasure for reasons known only to him.
This small book on election presents John Wesley’s sermon entitled “Free Grace” that he preached in 1740 in which he argued God’s election is based on his own knowledge of those who would exercise faith in Jesus. Part 2 presents a response to Wesley’s sermon by long-time friend and co-founder of Methodism, George Whitefield, who penned a letter in fierce opposition to Wesley’s view that election is rooted in anything other than God’s own sovereign and unknowable decrees.
Read for yourself two views on divine election from two of Christianity’s greatest leaders of the eighteenth century.
John Wesley (1703 - 1791)
Was an Anglican cleric and Christian theologian. Wesley is largely credited, along with his brother Charles Wesley, as founding the Methodist movement which began when he took to open-air preaching in a similar manner to George Whitefield. In contrast to Whitefield's Calvinism, Wesley embraced the Arminian doctrines that were dominant in the 18th-century Church of England. Methodism in both forms became a highly successful evangelical movement in Britain, which encouraged people to experience Jesus Christ personally.Wesley helped to organise and form societies of Christians throughout Great Britain, North America and Ireland as small groups that developed intensive, personal accountability, discipleship and religious instruction among members. His great contribution was to appoint itinerant, unordained preachers who travelled widely to evangelise and care for people in the societies. Under Wesley's direction, Methodists became leaders in many social issues of the day, including the prison reform and abolitionism movements.
John Wesley was an Anglican cleric and Christian theologian. Wesley is largely credited, along with his brother Charles Wesley, with founding the Methodist movement which began when he took to open-air preaching in a similar manner to George Whitefield. In contrast to George Whitefield's Calvinism (which later led to the forming of the Calvinistic Methodists), Wesley embraced Arminianism. Methodism in both forms was a highly successful evangelical movement in the United Kingdom, which encouraged people to experience Christ personally.
Wesley believed that this doctrine should be constantly preached, especially among the people called Methodists. In fact, he contended that the purpose of the Methodist movement was to "spread scriptural holiness across England."
Throughout his life, Wesley remained within the Church of England and insisted that his movement was well within the bounds of the Anglican tradition. His maverick use of church policy put him at odds with many within the Church of England, though toward the end of his life he was widely respected.
John Wesley was the founder of the Methodist movement which grew from the 'Holy Club' of his Oxford friends into a great religious revival. An indefatigable traveller, preacher and writer, Wesley averaged 8,000 miles a year on horseback and gave 15 sermons a week. The reluctance of the Anglican clergy to lend him their pulpits led him to give some of his sermons in the open air, a decision which enabled him to reach those among the poorer sections of society who were not accustomed to going to church.
... Show more