John Wesley - Theology of Soteriology

WAYLAND BAPTIST UNIVERSITY

John Wesley Theology of Soteriology

PAPER PRESENTED TO

DR. Brent Schlittenhart

IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF

THE REQUIREMENTS FOR

RLGN 4302

SCHOOL OF RELIGION

BY

Jim Turley

Wayland Baptist University, HI

July 2015

CONTENTS

        I.         INTRODUCTION                1

        II.        The Motivations for Salvation                     2

        III.        The Three Stages of Salvation                     4

        IV.        The Nature of Salvation As the Work of God                     5

        V.         AS A FINISHED WORK                 6

        VI.         John Wesley: Salvation and Faith                 8

VII.        CONCLUSION                 15

                BIBLIOGRAPHY                 16

John Wesley Theology of Soteriology

Introduction

        Indeed, even an easygoing take a gander at the world rapidly uncovers man's condition in sin and the terrible predicament in which this fallen condition has abandoned him. Besides, it is a condition against which humankind is totally vulnerable when left to his own Human Resources. Regardless of every one of man's desires of another society in which he finds himself able to achieve peace and success, the world stays smashed and torn by the assaults of sin generally, broadly, and universally. The Bible talks, be that as it may, of God's charitable arrangement to give an answer for man's issue. Christians call it salvation or soteriology. Soteriology, the principle of salvation, must be the most amazing subject in the Scriptures. It holds onto all of time and in addition time everlasting past and future. It relates in somehow to all of humanity, no matter what. It even has consequences in the circle of the holy messengers. It is the subject of both the Old and New Testaments. It is close to home, national, and astronomical. What's more, it fixates on the best Person, our Lord Jesus Christ. ^[1]

        As indicated by the broadest importance as utilized as a part of Scripture, the term salvation includes the aggregate work of God by which He tries to save man from the ruin, fate, and influence of sin and offers to him the abundance of His elegance incorporating endless life, procurement for rich life now, and unceasing superbness (Eph. 1:3-8; 2:4-10; 1 Pet. 1:3-5; John 3:16, 36; 10:10).

        "Salvation" is the interpretation of the Greek word soteria, which is gotten from the word soter signifying "friend in need." "salvation" conveys the considered deliverance, security, protection, soundness, rebuilding, and recuperating. In philosophy, on the other hand, its significant utilization is to signify a work of God in the interest of men, and as being what is indicated it is a noteworthy convention of the Bible, which incorporates reclamation, compromise, appeasement, conviction, atonement, confidence, recovery, absolution, legitimization, purification, conservation, and glorification. From one perspective, salvation is depicted as the work of God safeguarding man from his lost bequest. Then again salvation depicts the domain of a man who has been spared and who is imperatively recharged and made a partaker of the legacy of the holy people.^[2] 

The Motivations for Salvation

        When Christians take a gander at the tenacity and resistance of man, Christians pose the question, why ought to God need to spare delinquents? Also, particularly, why would it be advisable for him to need to give His exceptional and adored Son to bite the dust the distress of God's blessed judgment in bearing our wrongdoing on the weight?

        Sacred text's answer is that salvation redounds to the superbness of His beauty. Salvation conveys heavenliness to God and it does as such in light of the fact that it shows the nature and character of His individual (Eph. 1:6; Phil. 2:11). Salvation uncovers various things about God that convey eminence to the individual of God and demonstrate to us something of the purposes behind salvation: (1) It uncovers His affection. That God would connect with evil man by sending His just generated Son is the best sign of His adoration. It proclaims God gave salvation in light of the fact that He is a cherishing God (John 3:16; 1 John 4:7-10, 16). (2) Salvation through the individual and work of Christ is likewise an appearance of God's beauty, the non-commendable support of God (Eph. 2:7-9). Just Christianity offers a salvation taking into account elegance instead of works. The various religions of the world have man attempting to obtain salvation. (3) The salvation of the Bible likewise shows the blessedness of God. God gave salvation through the individual and work of His Son in light of the fact that He is a heavenly God. In His adoration and effortlessness God fancied association with man, however man's insubordination and sin made a hindrance in the middle of God and man that obstructed any cooperation with man at all due to God's boundless blessedness. Both God's sacredness and His adoration are fulfilled, then again, by the individual and work of God's Son with the goal that man can be accommodated to God and partnership restored. (4) Adam and Eve were made in the picture of God that they may give an unmistakable presentation of God's character as they strolled in association with the undetectable God. In any case, when mankind fell through Adam's wrongdoing, the picture was damaged, as well as man lost the limit for cooperation with God. Through salvation, the limit for partnership is restored furthermore is man's capacity to show, however incompletely, the integrity of God.