Thru the Bible-10

Thru the Bible-10 2022. 5. 8.

 

Going on to Salvation (1)

 

In the “Foreword” of the book, “Going on to Salvation,” William R. Cannon introduced on this book: “It was written to instruct the reader in fundamental Wesleyan doctrine.” and “the book lays bare Wesley’s concept of salvation.”

 

The author of this book, Maxie D. Dunnam said that “rather, I want to deal with the way of salvation as understood and experienced in the Wesleyan movement... it simply means that I’m going to put together in these chapters that which, as I understand it, is the heartbeat, the distinct content, and to some degree the style of who we are as Methodists.”

 

Chapter Ⅰ. The Keystone: Salvation by Faith

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God - not the result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we may walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:8-10, NRSV)

 

If we were asked, “What is the goal of your life?” How would you respond? Listen to the founder of Methodism, John Wesley.

 

“I want to know one thing – the way to heaven; how to land safe on that happy shore. God himself has condescended to teach the way; for this very end He came from heaven. He hath written it down in a book. O give me that book! At any price, give me the Book of God!” (The preface to the Sermons of John Wesley)

 

This desire of Wesley was like that passionate expression of Paul to the Philippians:

 

“Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:12-14)