The following quote comes from Sermon 9: The Spirit of Bondage and of Adoption. This is a great sermon that demonstrates a Wesleyan understanding of chapters 7 and 8 of St. Paul's letter to the Romans. This is vital in as much as some Christian traditions look at chapter 7 as expressing the norm for the Christian life. Wesleyan Christians do not agree. Rather, we see chapter 8 as God's answer to chapter 7. - The following quote comes toward the end of Wesley's sermon:
An unawakened child of the devil sins willingly; one that is awakened sins unwillingly; a child of God 'sinneth not, but keepeth himself, and the wicked one toucheth him not'. To conclude: the natural man neither conquers nor fights; the man under the law fights with sin, but cannot conquer; the man under grace fights and conquers, yea is 'more than conqueror, through him that loveth him'.
. . . Whosoever thou art, dost thou commit sin, or dost thou not? If thou dost, is it willingly, or unwillingly? In either case God hath told thee whose thou art - 'He that committeth sin is of the devil.' If thou committest it willingly thou art his faithful servant. He will not fail to reward they labour. If unwillingly, still thou art his servant. God deliver thee out of his hands!
Art thou daily fighting against all sin; and daily more than conqueror? I acknowledge thee for a child of God. O stand fast in thy glorious liberty. Art thou fighting, but not conquering; striving for the mastery, but not able to attain? Then thou art not yet a believer in Christ. But follow on; and thou shalt know the Lord. Art thou not fighting at all, but leading an easy, indolent, fashionable life? O how hast thou dared to name the name of Christ! Only to make it a reproach among the heathen? Awake, thou sleeper! Call upon thy God, before the deep swallow thee up.
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