Wesleyan Theology of Grace

Jeremiah 1:4-10; Romans 5:1-11,21

“Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you.” Jeremiah 1:5

“But God proves his love for us in that Christ died for us while we were still sinners.” Rom 5:8

Over the next few weeks, we will explore a key aspect of our Christian faith—GRACE. While many of us are familiar with the term, it is often misunderstood. Some people have misused grace to justify their actions without facing any consequences. John Wesley, however, provides insight into the different stages of God's grace and how we can embrace it in our lives.

John Wesley's theology of grace was revolutionary and included several unique features. Like much of the Christian tradition, Wesley viewed grace as the actions that God freely takes in His redemptive work. However, he did not describe grace as a "once and done" event. Instead, grace can be understood as a continuous process that unfolds in stages throughout a person's life.

John Wesley classified God's redemptive grace into three types: prevenient grace, justifying grace, and sanctifying grace.

The first phase of grace is called Prevenient Grace—the grace that “comes before.” This is the grace that operates before we are even aware of it. From an early age, many Christians memorize John 3:16 in Sunday School: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him will have eternal life.” Additionally, Romans 5:8 reminds us that God demonstrates His love for us in that Christ died for us while we were still sinners. Before we were even a twinkle in our mothers’ eyes — God loved us. Christ died for us. That is Prevenient Grace.

Wesley understood grace as God’s active presence in our lives—God going before us to prepare us for a life of love of God and neighbor. This presence is not dependent on human actions or responses. It is a gift that is always available, but that can be refused.

God’s grace stirs up within us a desire to know God and empowers us to respond to God’s invitation to be in a relationship with God. God’s grace enables us to discern differences between good and evil and makes it possible for us to choose good.  In this dimension of God’s grace, we see God's initiative in relating to humanity. We do not have to beg and plead for God’s love and grace. God actively seeks us!

Justifying grace is the second aspect of grace found in scripture and Wesley’s theology, focusing on reconciliation, pardon, and restoration. It restores our relationship with God once we become aware of His love for us. Through the work of God in Christ, our sins are forgiven, and our relationship with God is restored. According to Wesley, the image of God—which is distorted by sin—is renewed within us through Christ’s death.

In justifying grace, Christians acknowledge their human situation, make a conscious decision to turn toward God, and take responsibility for shaping a life of discipleship. The term “righteousness” is commonly used in the Bible to refer to those who truly repent. As a friend once said, God’s grace is freely given for our repentance and salvation; however, to grow, we must cooperate! This dimension is God’s grace. God’s grace is a gift that enables us to enter a relationship with Him. We don’t need to jump through any hoops to please or be loved by God. Through Jesus Christ, God has acted on our behalf. All we need to do is respond in faith.

The third dimension of grace is called Sanctifying Grace, which emphasizes our cooperation. Reflecting on how to discuss grace, I realize that some of us might confuse grace with simply receiving what we want. Grace is about working within and through us to draw us closer to God. It is not about getting closer to God so that we can receive more blessings or have fewer worries in life.

Salvation is defined as the ongoing experience of God’s gracious presence, transforming us into who God intends us to be. It is important to focus on who God intends us to be. This is why I strive to seize every opportunity to remind myself and everyone else to become more like Christ.

Sanctification is a lifelong journey of becoming more like Christ. It involves aligning our thoughts, hearts, words, and actions with God's will, rather than trying to align God's will with our own desires. Sanctifying grace supports us throughout our faith journey, assuring us that even if we unintentionally fall into sin, God's love remains available to accept us when we recognize our sins and repent. Like Paul and Wesley, we may not yet be perfect, but we are striving toward perfection (Philippians 3:12)

Where are you on your journey? Have you felt the incredible grace of knowing that Jesus came and sacrificed His life to free you from sin? How are you embracing the principle of staying in love with God? This is the path of growing in grace—of sanctifying grace...