John Wesley's Take on Election and Human Obedience (in Light of the Canons of Dort’s Declaration that Basing Election on Obedience Is an Error)

The following comes from John Wesley's famous sermon "On Free Grace," (1740).

This then, is a plain proof that the doctrine of predestination is not a doctrine of God, because it makes void the ordinance of God; and God is not divided against himself.

[The doctrine of Predestination] directly tends to destroy that holiness which is the end of all the ordinances of God.  I do not say, none who hold it are holy; (for God is of tender mercy to those who are unavoidably entangled in errors of any kind;) but that the doctrine itself, -- that every man is either elected or not elected from eternity, and that the one must inevitably be saved, and the other inevitably damned, -- has a manifest tendency to destroy holiness in general; for it wholly takes away those first motives to follow after it, so frequently proposed in Scripture, the hope of future reward and fear of punishment, the hope of heaven and fear of hell.

Says Wesley, the Christian life is to be lived in light of the hope of a future reward and the fear of punishment. But are hope and fear the proper basis for good works? Should not good works arise from a thankful heart and done out of gratitude? No, says Wesley.

The following comes from Wesley as recorded in the Methodist Minutes (Wesley's Works, Vol. VIII, 336).

Q. 74: What is the direct antidote to . . . the doctrine of heart-holiness?

A.  Calvinism:  All the devices of Satan . . . have done far less toward stopping this work of God, than that single doctrine.  It strikes at the root of salvation from sin, previous to glory (death), putting the matter on quite another issue.

Q.  But wherein lie the charms of this doctrine?  What makes men swallow it so greedily?

A.  (1)  It seems to magnify Christ; although in reality it supposes him to have died in vain.  For the absolutely elect must have been saved without him; and the non-elect cannot be saved by him.

(2)  It is highly pleasing to the flesh and blood, final perseverance in particular.

After asking what can be done to guard against Calvinism creeping into Methodist circles, Wesley takes up the subject of justification in Q 77.

In point 3, he states that “we [Methodists] have received it as a maxim, that a man is to do nothing in order to justification.” Based upon his answer in what follows, it is clear that Wesley is addressing the place of good works in the doctrine of justification. “Nothing can be more false. Whoever desires to find favour with God, should `cease from evil, and learn to do well’” (Wesley's Works, Vol. VIII, 337). When he “reviews the whole affair” he then asks a series of questions and answers them.

(1) Who of us is now accepted of God?

He that now believes with a loving, obedient heart.

(2) But who among those that never heard of Christ?

He that, according to the light he has ”feareth God and worketh righteousness.”

(3) Is this the same with “he that is sincere?”

Nearly, if not quite.

(4) Is this not salvation by works?

Not by the merit of works, but works as a condition.

This sounds like any number of schemes concocted to affirm justification by faith while nevertheless making the ground of justification something we do (good works, ceasing from evil, learning to do well, sincerity, etc.).

A religion grounded in hope and fear ends up being a religion of fear and terror—”hamster wheel theology,” as one friend calls it. No thanks, Wesley. The Reformed confessions get this right. We do not become the elect if . . . Rather, because we are elect, we will come to faith in Jesus through the preaching of the gospel, and once justified all manner of good works will spring forth. Guilt, grace, and gratitude, not hope and fear.