Thursday, April 10, 2014

WESLEY SERMONS #5

In this series, 60 of Wesley's sermons will be summarized into about 250 words. I'm using the work of Collins/Vickers as my source (for transcripts and order), but the summaries are mine (so any misrepresentations of Wesley may be attributed to me).  


THE SPIRIT OF BONDAGE AND OF ADOPTION
To put it simply, there are 3 kinds of people in this world.

Most people are in the natural state. They are spiritually asleep. They do not realize the precariousness of their position. They may be pleased with their lives. They neither fear nor love God. They have no light. They have a false sense of peace. They are heathens. They sin, but they likely don’t realize it or think much of it.

Many people are in the legal state. They are spiritually awake. They realize their present danger. They are miserable. They live in fear. They experience the pain of a new bright light. They have no peace. They are as Jews, under the law. They sin unwillingly. They fight with sin, but cannot conquer it.

Few people are in the evangelical state. They are even more awake- awake to the great love of God. They are joyful. No more guilt, anguish, bondage, etc. The strive against and conquer sin. They love God. They experience glorious light and true peace. They are Christians. Now under grace, they cease from sinning.

Examine yourself! What is your primary attitude toward God? Love? Fear? Neither? What is your primary relation to sin? Victory? Defeat? Indifference? Only those who love God and are experiencing victory over sin are truly in Christ. Of course, this sermon is over-simplified. Each individual may experience various states at once, but by all means strive to wholly live in the evangelical state!

No comments: