Note
that, since Roberts was a Methodist, it is not surprising that “Wesley and
Fletcher” held to a related doctrinal error of an improper “immediate enjoyment
of personal assurance” (pg. 180, The Doctrine of Justification,
James Buchanan). Noll explains Wesley’s error:
that, since Roberts was a Methodist, it is not surprising that “Wesley and
Fletcher” held to a related doctrinal error of an improper “immediate enjoyment
of personal assurance” (pg. 180, The Doctrine of Justification,
James Buchanan). Noll explains Wesley’s error:
[Early
in his ministry,] John Wesley summed up his thoughts on this subject in a
letter written in January, 1740: “I never yet knew one soul thus
saved without what you call the faith of assurance; I mean a sure confidence
that by the merits of Christ he was reconciled to the favour of God” [pg.
200, Wesley’s Standard Sermons]. Thus the cognition that
saving grace had worked in a life was seen as the final means to ascertain if
saving grace had indeed been present. The implications of this teaching, taken
by itself, seem to lead to a condition in which superficial self-analysis
(“yes, I’ve got the witness”) results in spirituality while the kind of doubt
which assailed such people as Luther and even at times John Wesley himself
results in a loss of the hope of salvation. (pg. 171, “John Wesley and the
Doctrine of Assurance,” Mark A. Noll. Bibliotheca Sacra 132:526
[April 1975])
in his ministry,] John Wesley summed up his thoughts on this subject in a
letter written in January, 1740: “I never yet knew one soul thus
saved without what you call the faith of assurance; I mean a sure confidence
that by the merits of Christ he was reconciled to the favour of God” [pg.
200, Wesley’s Standard Sermons]. Thus the cognition that
saving grace had worked in a life was seen as the final means to ascertain if
saving grace had indeed been present. The implications of this teaching, taken
by itself, seem to lead to a condition in which superficial self-analysis
(“yes, I’ve got the witness”) results in spirituality while the kind of doubt
which assailed such people as Luther and even at times John Wesley himself
results in a loss of the hope of salvation. (pg. 171, “John Wesley and the
Doctrine of Assurance,” Mark A. Noll. Bibliotheca Sacra 132:526
[April 1975])
However,
by 1755 Wesley had moderated his position slightly, so that one could be shaken
in his assurance without losing his salvation, although a total lack of
assurance was still only compatible with a lost estate:
by 1755 Wesley had moderated his position slightly, so that one could be shaken
in his assurance without losing his salvation, although a total lack of
assurance was still only compatible with a lost estate:
I
know that I am accepted: And yet that knowledge is sometimes shaken, though not
destroyed, by doubt or fear. If that knowledge were destroyed, or wholly
withdrawn, I could not then say I had Christian faith. To me it appears the
same thing, to say, “I know God has accepted me”; or, “I have a sure trust that
God has accepted me.” . . . [Nonetheless,] justifying faith cannot be a
conviction that I am justified. . . . But still I believe the proper Christian
faith, which purifies the heart, implies such a conviction. (pgs. 452-453,
Letter DXXXII, July 25, 1755, in The Works of the Rev. John Wesley,
Vol. 12, 3rd ed., with the last corrections of the
author.London
Mason, 1830)
know that I am accepted: And yet that knowledge is sometimes shaken, though not
destroyed, by doubt or fear. If that knowledge were destroyed, or wholly
withdrawn, I could not then say I had Christian faith. To me it appears the
same thing, to say, “I know God has accepted me”; or, “I have a sure trust that
God has accepted me.” . . . [Nonetheless,] justifying faith cannot be a
conviction that I am justified. . . . But still I believe the proper Christian
faith, which purifies the heart, implies such a conviction. (pgs. 452-453,
Letter DXXXII, July 25, 1755, in The Works of the Rev. John Wesley,
Vol. 12, 3rd ed., with the last corrections of the
author.
Mason, 1830)
Furthermore,
Wesley affirmed that objective marks cannot be elaborated to distinguish
between the witness of the Spirit to one’s regenerated state and
self-delusion. “[T]his kind of defense based on intuition . . .
raised the specter of enthusiasm for some of Wesley’s critics” (pg. 174, Ibid.). In
this doctrine of assurance Wesley’s view was similar to that of Jacob
Arminius: “Arminius thought that no one would be a true Christian
who did not have a present assurance of present salvation. He
wrote: ‘Since God promises eternal life to all who believe in
Christ, it is impossible for him who believes, and who knows that he believes,
to doubt of his own salvation, unless he doubts of this willingness of God.’”
(pgs. 164-165, “John Wesley and the Doctrine of Assurance,” Noll, citing pg.
348, Arminius: A Study in the Dutch Reformation, Carl Bangs.Nashville
Press, 1971. Compare The Doctrine of Assurance, with Special
Reference to John Wesley, Arthur S. Yates.London
Wesley affirmed that objective marks cannot be elaborated to distinguish
between the witness of the Spirit to one’s regenerated state and
self-delusion. “[T]his kind of defense based on intuition . . .
raised the specter of enthusiasm for some of Wesley’s critics” (pg. 174, Ibid.). In
this doctrine of assurance Wesley’s view was similar to that of Jacob
Arminius: “Arminius thought that no one would be a true Christian
who did not have a present assurance of present salvation. He
wrote: ‘Since God promises eternal life to all who believe in
Christ, it is impossible for him who believes, and who knows that he believes,
to doubt of his own salvation, unless he doubts of this willingness of God.’”
(pgs. 164-165, “John Wesley and the Doctrine of Assurance,” Noll, citing pg.
348, Arminius: A Study in the Dutch Reformation, Carl Bangs.
Press, 1971. Compare The Doctrine of Assurance, with Special
Reference to John Wesley, Arthur S. Yates.
Wesleyan
confusion about conversion and assurance appeared in various preachers
influenced by his theology, not Evan Roberts alone; thus, for example, Seth Joshua
wrote: “[People] are entering into full assurance of faith coupled
with a baptism of the Holy Ghost. . . . I also think that those seeking
assurance may be fairly counted as converts” (pg. 122, The Welsh
Religious Revival, Morgan, citing Mr. Joshua’s diary. Of course,
some people who think that they are in need of assurance truly are unconverted,
but such clarity appears to be lacking in Mr. Joshua’s
comments. Spirit baptism has nothing to do with obtaining assurance
in the Bible.). Methodist confusion on assurance passed over into
the Pentecostal movement, which taught that assurance was of the essence of
saving faith: “If God for Christ’s sake has forgiven you your sins,
you know it. And if you do not know it better than you know anything
in this world, you are still in your sins. When you go down in the
atonement, in the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ, you are
accepted. And if you are accepted, and He has given you a clean
heart and sanctified your soul, you know it. And if you do not know
it, the work is not done” (pg. 2, The Apostolic Faith I:2 [Los Angeles
1906], reprinted on pg. 6, Like As of Fire: Newspapers from
theAzusa Street
Wide Revival: A Reprint of “The Apostolic Faith” [1906-1908],
coll. Fred T. Corum & Rachel A. Sizelove).
confusion about conversion and assurance appeared in various preachers
influenced by his theology, not Evan Roberts alone; thus, for example, Seth Joshua
wrote: “[People] are entering into full assurance of faith coupled
with a baptism of the Holy Ghost. . . . I also think that those seeking
assurance may be fairly counted as converts” (pg. 122, The Welsh
Religious Revival, Morgan, citing Mr. Joshua’s diary. Of course,
some people who think that they are in need of assurance truly are unconverted,
but such clarity appears to be lacking in Mr. Joshua’s
comments. Spirit baptism has nothing to do with obtaining assurance
in the Bible.). Methodist confusion on assurance passed over into
the Pentecostal movement, which taught that assurance was of the essence of
saving faith: “If God for Christ’s sake has forgiven you your sins,
you know it. And if you do not know it better than you know anything
in this world, you are still in your sins. When you go down in the
atonement, in the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ, you are
accepted. And if you are accepted, and He has given you a clean
heart and sanctified your soul, you know it. And if you do not know
it, the work is not done” (pg. 2, The Apostolic Faith I:2 [
1906], reprinted on pg. 6, Like As of Fire: Newspapers from
the
Wide Revival: A Reprint of “The Apostolic Faith” [1906-1908],
coll. Fred T. Corum & Rachel A. Sizelove).
Scripture
teaches that all believers can have assurance of salvation, but that assurance
that one has personally passed from death to life is not of the essence of
saving faith (cf. London Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689, 18:1-4). However,
Wesley’s acceptance of baptismal regeneration was an even more dangerous error
than his confusion on assurance (see “John Wesley’s View on Baptism,” John
Chongnahm Cho. Wesleyan Theological Journal 7 [Spring 1972]
60-73).
teaches that all believers can have assurance of salvation, but that assurance
that one has personally passed from death to life is not of the essence of
saving faith (cf. London Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689, 18:1-4). However,
Wesley’s acceptance of baptismal regeneration was an even more dangerous error
than his confusion on assurance (see “John Wesley’s View on Baptism,” John
Chongnahm Cho. Wesleyan Theological Journal 7 [Spring 1972]
60-73).
I appreciate the depth of your work on this Brother!
Thank you–may it help Bible believing Baptists, many of whom are improperly influenced by these people and thus end up also being off on assurance and other Biblical truths.