John Wesley was a life...
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John Wesley was a life-long advocate of a doctrine known as Christian Perfection, for which he was often scathingly attacked, for it is seen as a dangerous doctrine to believe that we can be made perfect in this life time. Still, Wesley pointed out that if we are to become like Christ, it must be that "Christians indeed are freed from evil thoughts, [as well as] ... evil tempers." As to how this can be, Wesley says, "Every one of [us] can say with St. Paul, 'I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me,' -- words that manifestly describe a deliverance from inward as well as from outward sin ... I live not (my evil nature, the body of sin is destroyed); and ... Christ liveth in me; and, therefore, all that is holy, and just, and good." Therefore, "... every one that hath Christ in him, the hope of glory, ... is purified from pride ... from self-will or desire ... and pure from anger ... Thus doth Jesus 'save his people from their sins'; and not only from outward sins, but also from the sins of their hearts ..." (Sermon 35, Christian Perfection, first published in 1741.)
-- Herrmann
-- Herrmann
