I have started reading my devotions using The Wesley Bible: A Personal Study Bible for Holy Living. It is out of print, now, and it was only made available in the New King James Version, but the notes are very good for those who stand in the Wesleyan tradition.
In Morning Prayer, the second reading was from Acts 15:1-21. That page included the following "Focus Note":
Wesley emphasized that God's sanctifying power, which purifies the human heart, is received by faith. In an extended description of this faith, he writes: "But what is that faith whereby we are sanctified, - saved from sin, and perfected in love? It is a divine evidence and conviction, first, that God has promised it in the holy Scripture . . .
"It is a divine evidence and conviction, secondly, that what God has promised He is able to perform . . .
"It is, thirdly, a divine evidence and conviction that He is able and willing to do it now. And why not? Is not a moment to Him the same as a thousand years? He cannot want more time to accomplish whatever is His will. And He cannot want or stay for any more worthiness or fitness in the person He is pleased to honor . . .
"To this confidence, that God is both able and willing to sanctify us now, there needs to be added one thing more, - a divine evidence and conviction that He does it . . .
"It is, thirdly, a divine evidence and conviction that He is able and willing to do it now. And why not? Is not a moment to Him the same as a thousand years? He cannot want more time to accomplish whatever is His will. And He cannot want or stay for any more worthiness or fitness in the person He is pleased to honor . . .
"To this confidence, that God is both able and willing to sanctify us now, there needs to be added one thing more, - a divine evidence and conviction that He does it . . .
"If you seek it by faith, you may expect it as you are; and if as you are, then expect it now. It is of importance to observe, that there is an inseparable connection between these three points, - expect it by faith; expect it as you are; and expect it now. To deny one of them is to deny them all; to allow one, is to allow them all."
3 comments:
Excellent!
Can the. Wesley Bible Still be purchased?
I had one.. but in all the moves, I've not seen it...unless still in storage.
Erma,
The Wesley Bible (featured in this article, and not to be confused with The Wesley Study Bible) is, unfortunately, out of print. It is still possible to run across a copy, but they usually are not cheap. - I really wish that they still had access to the notes and were able to include them in a different translation!
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