John
Wesley and the early Methodists of England never desired to form a new
church. He and his cohorts were priests and laymen of the Church of
England (Anglican Episcopal Church). They preached the tenets of
Anglicanism as found in the Articles of Religion and The Book of Common
Prayer and believed in Apostolic Succession. The separation of
the Methodists from the Anglicans came primarily on account of the American
Revolution.
The American Methodist Episcopals were, by and large,
committed to the cause of the Revolution, thus could no longer envision King
George II, their enemy, as the spiritual head of the church. The
American Methodists begged the elderly Wesley to ordain a Bishop to the
Americas. (In Episcopal thinking, only a bishop may ordain
clergy.) Wesley resisted doing this because
the severity of the
war, Wesley grudgingly caved in and ordained two Bishop to the Americas, Coke
and Asbury, thus
unwittingly starting the Methodist Episcopal Church of America.
Methodists were
committed to the tenets of the Anglican faith and, for the most part, still
are. Methodists, however, emphasize scriptural holiness, righteous
living, mission and service, nurture in the parish and "attending on the
ordinances of God."
These ordinances
include the following:
-
Old Testament:
Except for the
ceremonies and rites, the moral commandments of the Old Testament are
binding upon Christians;
-
Corrupt Humanity:
Humans are not
inherently good but corrupt and inclined to evil continually.
-
Free Will: The grace of Christ
encourages us to turn to him, but we have free will to accept him or
reject him. We are not pre-ordained either way.
-
Fall from Grace:
One may fall from
grace and be restored through repentance and amending one's life.
-
Popery: Purgatory, worship
of saints, relics, sacrament, and prayer to saints are unfounded in Scripture.
Neither the Pope nor the King has the last word in matter of faith.
-
Sacraments: Sacraments of
Baptism and Lord's Supper are means of greater grace, not just memorials
or rituals. The Church of England supports seven sacraments;
Methodists only two.
-
Baptism distinguishes
believers from nonbelievers, and is a sign of the new birth. As
such, baptism of children is retained.
-
The Eucharist
is not just a sign of mutual love, but, when received in faith, is the
partaking of the body and blood of Christ in a spiritual and heavenly
manner. The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper is not to be
worshiped. The Methodists differ from the Church of England
(Episcopal) Church in that they deny the doctrine of transubstantiation.
(That the wine and bread turn into actual blood and flesh.)
Methodists usually don't use the Common Cup anymore. Since the Temperance
Movement of the 19th and 20th century, the Methodist have replace the
communion wine with unfermented juice.
-
Private Property:
Methodists believe
in holding private property and giving generous alms.
-
War: Methodists may
swear in court and serve in the Armed Forces.
|
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The most noted feature
of Methodism is it's emphasis on holiness and salvation in several
stages, or
acts, of grace. The natural man is spiritually dead (Eph 2:1).
There is no good in him. But the Grace of the Heavenly Father is poured
out on the earth, wooing the sinner to repentance. Such is called prevenient
grace because it goes before us. Upon honest,
heartfelt repentance, and through a miraculous act of grace, the right spirit of man
may born from above.
|
Justification |
Sanctification |
Glorification |
|
(Gal
2:16) A man is not
justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus. |
(Rom
6:22) But now having
been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit,
resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life. |
(Phil
3:21) Who will
transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body
of His glory. |
|
legal
righteousness imputed; deliverance from sin's Penalty |
personal
righteousness imparted; deliverance from sin's Power |
moral
perfection & resurrected bodies; deliverance from sin's Presence |
|
new
birth / water baptism |
baptism
in the Holy Spirit / fire |
resurrection |
|
"right
spirit of Adam" born |
Holy
Spirit empowers |
Holy
Spirit and man become one |
|
one
act of faith |
many
acts of faith / perfection in love (Entire Sanctification) |
no
act of faith |
|
once-for-all-time |
progressive,
dynamic, never-ending in this life ("spiritual growth") |
once-for-all-time |
|
establishes
Position |
transforms
Condition |
matches
Condition with Position |
some of the table above
courtesy xeno.com
Baptism
in the Holy Spirit: What is the evidence? Baptism in the Holy Spirit
is a second work of grace apart from justification and the New Birth. What
is the evidence of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit? Wesley might say that the
evidence of Spirit Baptism is boldness to witness of your faith (as were the
Apostles after Pentecost, Acts 2) coupled with the development and demonstration
of the Fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23).
The
Pan-Methodist (Wesleyan) Churches include: United Methodists, Congregational
Methodists, Primitive Methodists, African Methodist Episcopal, Christian
Methodist Episcopal, African Methodist Episcopal Zion, Wesleyan
Methodists, Free Methodists, Nazarenes, Church of God (Cleveland), Church
of God of Prophecy, Most Holiness, Free-will Methodists, Salvation Army, many
Pentecostal and charismatic groups.
According
to the Episcopal Ruling of 1976, a Methodist member may be a charismatic but not
a Pentecostal. Why, do you
think? You may read that ruling
here:
http://www.jacksonsnyder.com/arc//Indices/Guidelines%20Archive.htm
Jackson Snyder
November 13, 2001 |
|
