Wesleyan Life Application Topic - Strength in Christ

Strength in Christ

True strength begins with knowledge that all we are comes as a result of our relationship with Jesus Christ. Our relationship with Christ yields spiritual fruit: kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, humility, and authenticity. These gifts strengthen our hearts and the hearts of our communities. They enable us to do God’s work, and they empower us to endure hardship and sorrow. The strength that Jesus gives in these gifts makes us supple and unbreakable, not brittle or unyielding. -Wesley Study Bible pg 1390

I apologize for the typos the past 3 days – the scripture nugget quotes on Nov 21, 22 & 23 were all from the Book of Romans not Acts as indicated by the scripture references at the end of each quote. Please forgive me for leading you astray with mis-information, I assure you it was not on purpose but caused by my human frailty. God bless you all this Thanksgiving Week. In His grip, Ed

Scripture Nuggets 11.23.2015

“May the God of Steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus, so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Acts 15:6-6

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Acts 15:13

“I urge you, brothers and sisters, to keep an eye on those who cause dissensions and offenses, in opposition to the teaching that you have learned; avoid them. For such people do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the simple-minded. For while your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, I want you to be wise in what is good and guileless in what is evil. The God of peace will shortly crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.” Acts 16:17-20

Wesleyan Life Application Topic

Righteous Living

In his notes on Romans, Wesley writes of righteous living as a call to “avoid all unnecessary [involvement] with” those who cause divisions (Notes, 16:17). We avoid evil because it injures us and brings dissension, which is harmful to the unity of the church. Where there is gossip, willful distortion of facts, or false accusations, the whole body suffers. Evil waters the seed of destruction. Righteous living raises spiritual discernment questions: Whom do I follow in leadership? Whose leadership should I avoid? If we are not wise, the danger is that we will become no different than those we should avoid.

                                                                                                                       -Wesley

Study Bible pg 1382

Wesleyan Life Application Topic

Love One Another

According to John Wesley’s Notes on the NT, loving one another is a never-ending Christian obligation. It is also the essence of Christian ethics and behavior. When we avoid violating a particular law, the letter of the law is observed. But when we love another, the underlying spirit of the law is fulfilled. In John 14:15 and 21, Jesus links loving him to obeying what he commands, so that love is the only law in our relationships – with oneself, with neighbors, with enemies, with creation, and with God. In practice, it means promoting the highest good of others and not causing harm.

                            -Wesley Study Bible pg 1383

Scripture Nugget 11.22.2015

“Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. The commandments, ‘You shall not commit adultery; You shall not murder; You shall not steal; You shall not covet’; and any other commandment, are summed up in this word, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law.” Acts 13:8-10

Scripture Nugget 11.21.2015

“What then are we to say? Gentiles, who did not strive for righteousness, have attained it, that is, righteousness through faith; but Israel, who did strive for the righteousness that is based on the law, did not succeed in fulfilling the law. Why not? Because they did not strive for it on the basis of faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone, as it is written, ‘See, I am laying in Zion a stone that will make people stumble, a rock that will make them fall, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.’ Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. I can testify that they have a zeal for God, but it is not enlightened. For, being ignorant of the righteousness that comes from God, and seeking to establish their own, they have not submitted to God’s righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.” Acts 9:30-10:4

Scripture Nugget 11.20.2015

“…‘No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, being fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. Therefore his faith was reckoned to him as righteousness.’ Now the words, ‘it was reckoned to him,’ were written not for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be reckoned to us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was handed over to death for our trespasses and was raised for our justification.” Romans 4:20-25

Wesleyan Core Term - Justification

Justification

Wesley agreed with the Protestant Reformers that justification is making our relationship with God right through Jesus Christ. But Wesley understood justification in a particular way: God’s mercy and grace, shown in the suffering and death of Jesus on our behalf, pardons our sins and restores our capacity for love of God and neighbor. This occurs in the exercise of faith that is a gift from God to actively trust in Jesus and receive God’s pardon and acceptance. It results in a renewal of the image of God in us that had been damaged by sin, so that we might begin lifelong growth in Christ-likeness as the Holy Spirit enables us to love God and neighbor. What God has done for us (justification) and what God does in us (sanctification) are together a part of God’s work of restoring the whole of creation back into right relationship to God. -Wesley Study Bible pg 1373

Scripture Nugget 11.19.2015

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith; as it is written, ‘The one who is righteous will live by faith.’ For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and wickedness of those who by their wickedness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.” Romans 1:16-19