The Way to Heaven: The Gospel According to John WesleyIs There a Way to Heaven? The great evangelist John Wesley believed there is, and he developed his theology to help people make the journey from sin to salvation. In Wesley’s “order of salvation,” God’s grace is the keynote from start to finish.The Way to Heaven is a twentieth-anniversary revision of John Wesley’s Message for Today. Dr. Steve Harper presents Wesley’s writings and the ideas of Wesley scholars in language that is clear and accessible but never simplistic. Written in the spirit of Wesley, here are “plain words for plain people.”The heart of this book is a thoughtful and inspiring look at Wesley’s theology of grace and its power to transform. Included are two new chapters. “Vision and Means” explores Wesley’s mission and methods, and “To Serve the Present Age” considers the impact and relevance of his message today. In addition, an updated reading list facilitates further study, and questions at the end of each chapter stimulate personal reflection and small group discussion.Ideal as a textbook or for personal study and reflection, this book will advance your knowledge and piety as you travel “the way to heaven.” |
Contents
| 5 | |
| 8 | |
| 9 | |
| 23 | |
The Power to Begin Prevenient Grace | 35 |
The Turning Point Converting Grace | 45 |
Transformation Effects of Salvation | 57 |
Dont Stop Now Growth in Grace | 69 |
The Heart of It All Christian Perfection | 79 |
The End of the Journey Glorification | 97 |
All Together Now The Church | 107 |
Vision and Means | 115 |
Regeneration Renewal and Reform | 129 |
To Serve the Present Age | 141 |
A Basic Bibliography for Wesley Studies | 153 |
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Common terms and phrases
Abingdon Albert Outler Anglican assurance authentic Bible biblical birth chapter Christian experience Christian perfection Church of England church renewal contemporary conversion conviction dimension discipline doctrine of Christian dynamic early Methodist movement Eastern Orthodoxy emphasis Epworth eternal Explanatory Notes expressed fact Further Reading Sermon God’s grace God’s love gospel heart heaven Holy Spirit human important instituted means Jackson’s Jesus John Wesley Justification by Faith kingdom know Wesley light live Lord’s Sermon Lord’s Supper man’s means of grace ministry Nashville nurture one’s order of salvation original sin ourselves Outler person prayer preaching prevenient grace Questions forReflection andDiscussion religion repentance response Richard Heitzenrater righteousness sacraments sanctifying scriptural Christianity sense serve the present sins soul term Testament theologian thing tion truth understanding united societies Wesley believed Wesley called Wesley knew Wesley saw Wesley spoke Wesley taught Wesley’s doctrine Wesley’s theology Wesley’s view Wesley’s vision Wesleyan tradition word
Popular passages
Page 50 - About a quarter before nine, while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone, for salvation; and an assurance was given me, that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.
Page 7 - I am a creature of a day, passing through life as an arrow through the air. I am a spirit come from God, and returning to God: Just hovering over the great gulf; till, a few moments hence, I am no more seen; I drop into an unchangeable eternity ! I want to know one thing, — the way to heaven; how to land safe on that happy shore.
Page 113 - The visible Church of Christ is a congregation of faithful men, in which the pure Word of God is preached, and the Sacraments be duly ministered according to Christ's ordinance, in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the same.
Page 29 - Long my imprisoned spirit lay, Fast bound in sin and nature's night ; Thine eye diffused a quickening ray, I woke, the dungeon flamed with light : My chains fell off, my heart was free, I rose, went forth, and followed thee.
Page 119 - I am crucified with Christ ; nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me ; and the life that I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.
Page 136 - Society and of the bands, for conscience' sake. Never omit meeting your class or band ; never absent yourself from any public meeting. These are the very sinews of our Society ; and whatever weakens; or tends to weaken, our regard for these, or our exactness in attending them, strikes at the very root of our community. As one saith, " That part of our economy, the private weekly meetings for prayer, examination, and particular exhortation, has been the greatest means of deepening and...
Page 58 - Christ." 5. From hence it manifestly appears, what is the nature of the new birth. It is that great change which God works in the soul, when he brings it into life ; when he raises it from the death of sin to the life of righteousness. It is the change wrought in the whole soul by the almighty Spirit of God, when it is " created anew in Christ Jesus...
Page 111 - This unsettledness of thought, this being "driven to and fro, and tossed about with every wind of doctrine," is a great curse, not a blessing ; an irreconcilable enemy, not a friend, to true Catholicism. A man of a truly catholic spirit, has not now his religion to seek. He is fixed as the sun, in his judgment concerning the main branches of Christian Doctrine.
Page 37 - The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance.
Page 68 - For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.