John Wesley on The Means of Grace (and Sacraments)
Summary
TLDRIn this insightful discussion, the speaker delves into John Wesley's theology of grace, highlighting its alignment with ancient Christian beliefs. They explore the concept of grace as both a gift of God and the empowering work of the Holy Spirit, essential for justification and sanctification. The Means of Grace, particularly prayer, Bible study, and sacraments, are emphasized as channels through which God conveys His grace. The talk underscores the importance of personal faith in receiving this grace, especially during Holy Communion, reflecting Wesley's blend of evangelical and sacramental practices.
Takeaways
- 🌟 Grace is a central theme in Christianity, often described as a gift or unmerited favor from God, essential for salvation and a relationship with God.
- 📜 The Greek word for grace is 'charis', which can be translated as 'gift', and in Christian theology, it refers to the undeserved gift from God to sinners.
- 🙏 John Wesley, a key figure in Methodism, defined grace as both the unmerited mercy that forgives sins (justification) and the power of the Holy Spirit that enables sanctification.
- ✝️ Wesleyan theology views grace as the power that not only forgives past sins but also enables individuals to overcome present temptations and grow in holiness.
- 🕊️ The concept of 'means of grace' refers to the ordinary channels through which God conveys His grace, such as prayer, scripture, and sacraments.
- 📖 John Wesley emphasized the importance of the sacraments, particularly Holy Communion, as a means of grace where Christians receive the body and blood of Christ spiritually.
- 🔄 The 'Duty of Constant Communion' sermon by Wesley encourages frequent participation in Holy Communion for the forgiveness of sins and the strengthening of the soul.
- 🤲 Receiving grace is not just about participating in religious rituals; it requires faith, which Wesley described as having an 'empty hand' to receive God's gifts.
- 🕊️ Wesley's views on grace and the means of grace are in line with the broader Christian tradition, including Anglicanism, emphasizing both personal faith and participation in sacraments.
- 📚 The script encourages Christians to engage with the means of grace actively, not just as part of a service but also through daily practices like prayer and Bible study at home.
Q & A
What is the central theme of the video script?
-The central theme of the video script is the concept of grace in Christian theology, particularly as understood by John Wesley and its connection to the ancient church's teachings. It discusses how grace is received and the role of 'means of grace' in Christian spiritual practices.
What does the Greek word 'charis' signify in the context of the script?
-In the context of the script, 'charis' signifies 'grace' and is often used in Christian theology to denote the gift of God given to unworthy sinners, which is undeserved.
How does John Wesley define grace in his sermon 'The Witness of Our Own Spirit'?
-John Wesley defines grace as the free love or unmerited mercy by which a sinner is reconciled to God through the merits of Christ, and also as the power of the Holy Ghost working in us to will and to do God's good pleasure.
What are the two aspects of grace mentioned by John Wesley?
-John Wesley mentions two aspects of grace: the unmerited favor or free gift of love that forgives sins and brings about justification, and the power of the Holy Spirit that enables sanctification, helping individuals to overcome temptation and grow more like Jesus.
What does the term 'means of grace' refer to in the script?
-The term 'means of grace' refers to the outward signs, words, or actions ordained by God to be the ordinary channels through which He conveys preventing, justifying, or sanctifying grace to individuals.
According to John Wesley, what are the chief means of grace?
-According to John Wesley, the chief means of grace are prayer, searching the scriptures, and the Lord's Supper (holy communion).
What is the significance of the sacraments in conveying grace, as per the script?
-Sacraments, particularly the Lord's Supper, are significant means of grace because they are outward signs that convey inward and spiritual grace, which is the body and blood of Christ, providing forgiveness of sins and strength to the soul.
How does the script connect the Wesleyan revival to both evangelical and sacramental aspects?
-The script connects the Wesleyan revival to both evangelical and sacramental aspects by emphasizing personal conversion experiences and commitment to Jesus Christ, alongside the importance of sacraments and spiritual disciplines as means of grace.
What does John Wesley say about the frequency of receiving holy communion?
-John Wesley encourages Christians to receive holy communion as often as possible, highlighting the great benefits of forgiveness of past sins and the present strengthening or refreshment of souls.
How does the script describe the role of faith in receiving grace?
-The script describes faith as having an 'empty hand' that receives the gift of grace. It is through faith that individuals can access and appropriate the grace that God offers, making it real and transformative in their lives.
What does the script suggest about the continuity of Wesley's theology with the ancient church?
-The script suggests that Wesley's theology is in continuity with the ancient church by affirming the real presence of Christ in the sacraments, the importance of means of grace, and the role of faith in receiving God's grace, all of which are consistent with the historic Christian orthodoxy.
Outlines
🌟 Understanding Grace in Christian Theology
The speaker begins by introducing the concept of grace in Christian theology, emphasizing its significance as the unmerited favor of God. They discuss the term's origin from the Greek word 'charis' and its translation as 'gift.' The focus is on how grace is central to salvation, forgiveness, and the Christian life. The speaker highlights John Wesley's views on grace, which align with the broader Christian tradition, and explains how grace operates in justification and sanctification. Wesley's definition of grace is explored, emphasizing the free love and mercy of God that reconciles sinners to God through Christ's merits.
📚 The Means of Grace: Channels of Divine Connection
This section delves into the concept of 'means of grace,' which are the ordinary channels through which God conveys grace. The speaker clarifies that these are not works to earn grace but are places where God promises to meet us with His grace. John Wesley's sermon on the means of grace is referenced, highlighting that these means are outward signs, words, or actions ordained by God. The speaker also discusses the historical use of the term within the Christian church, particularly in the Anglican tradition, and how sacraments function as means of grace, conveying inward grace through outward signs.
🍞🍷 The Lord's Supper: A Primary Means of Grace
The paragraph focuses on the Lord's Supper as a primary means of grace, where the speaker discusses its significance in Wesleyan theology. It is presented as a way to receive the body and blood of Christ, which represents the forgiveness of sins and the strengthening of the soul. The speaker emphasizes the real presence of Christ in the sacrament, aligning with historic Christian beliefs. The benefits of participating in the Lord's Supper are outlined, including the pardon of sins and spiritual refreshment, with a call to frequent participation as a response to Christ's command and the promise of grace.
🙏 The Role of Faith in Receiving Grace
This section underscores the necessity of faith in receiving grace. The speaker explains that while God offers grace through the means of grace, it is received by the individual through faith. They reference biblical passages to support the idea that faith is the channel through which grace is accessed and internalized. The speaker also touches on the idea of an 'empty hand' as a metaphor for the posture of faith in receiving God's gifts, and how this aligns with both Catholic and Evangelical understandings of grace.
📖 The Bible, Prayer, and Sacraments: Essential Means of Grace
The speaker concludes by emphasizing the importance of the Bible, prayer, and sacraments as essential means of grace. They discuss how these practices are not merely rituals but are active engagements with God's grace. The speaker encourages regular participation in these means of grace, suggesting that they are pathways for God's saving grace to enter one's life. The paragraph ends with an invitation to reflect on these teachings and to engage more deeply with the means of grace through personal study and participation in church services.
✝️ Embracing the Means of Grace for Spiritual Growth
In the final paragraph, the speaker summarizes the Wesleyan theology of the means of grace and how they are essential for spiritual growth. They reiterate the importance of engaging with prayer, studying the Bible, and participating in the sacraments as ways to receive and appropriate God's grace. The speaker concludes with an encouragement to commit to these practices with open and faithful hearts, and a prayer for the viewer's blessing and spiritual well-being.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Grace
💡John Wesley
💡Means of Grace
💡Justification
💡Sanctification
💡Holy Spirit
💡Sacraments
💡Lord's Supper
💡Faith
💡Evangelical
Highlights
Grace is a critical concept in Christianity, often described as a gift or unmerited favor from God.
John Wesley's theology of grace is rooted in the ancient church and early church fathers' teachings.
Grace is necessary for salvation, eternal life, forgiveness of sins, and a relationship with God.
The Greek word for grace, 'charis,' signifies an undeserved gift from God to sinners.
Wesleyan theology emphasizes that grace encompasses both forgiveness (justification) and the power to live righteously (sanctification).
John Wesley defined grace as both unmerited mercy and the power of the Holy Spirit working within us.
Grace is given to us through what are known as the 'means of grace,' which are ordinary channels through which God conveys His grace.
The means of grace include prayer, scripture study, and sacraments, with a particular emphasis on the Lord's Supper.
John Wesley's view of the sacraments aligns with the Anglican tradition, seeing them as outward signs of inward grace.
The Lord's Supper is considered the chief means of grace, where Christians receive the body and blood of Christ spiritually.
Wesleyan theology maintains that Christians should participate in the Lord's Supper frequently for spiritual strength and growth.
The benefits of participating in the Lord's Supper include the forgiveness of sins and the strengthening of the soul.
John Wesley's understanding of grace and the means of grace reflects a balance between sacramental and evangelical emphases.
Faith is essential to receive the grace offered through the means of grace; it is the hand that receives the gift from God.
Wesleyan theology invites Christians to a personal faith experience while also valuing the communal and sacramental aspects of the faith.
The Methodist Church's Articles of Religion affirm the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, similar to Anglican beliefs.
John Wesley's teachings on grace and the means of grace are a call to Christians to engage actively in spiritual practices for personal and communal growth.
Transcripts
hey everybody
i want to talk today about grace about
the
spiritual practices that we call the
memes of grace
and uh john wesley's theology and how it
is in fact a reflection of
the much older theology of the ancient
church the the
uh the faith of the catholic or
universal church all the way back
to the early church fathers so uh grace
is important obviously we talk about
we're saved by grace by grace alone
are we saved and we sing amazing grace
how sweet the sound that saved a wretch
like me
obviously grace is critical for the
christian life
excuse me i'm having a little tea here
it's a nice afternoon for tea
so we're saved by god's grace we have to
have god's grace if we're going to have
eternal life if we're going to have
heaven if we're going to have
relationship with god if we're going to
have forgiveness of sins all these
things that
our faith the christian faith promises
to us that comes to us by grace
so what do we mean by grace uh grace
the greek word is charis and it can
simply be translated as
gift but it's often in christian
theology used in a slightly more
technical sense
um it's the gift of god given to
unworthy sinners so it's
it's a gift that is undeserved and so
this is uh what wesley says as you'll
hear in just a moment
and it's a gift that is given in order
to save us to save us from our sins by
forgiving us in the past
and also we call it justification
and also grace enables us to overcome
temptation
in the present and be more holy and be
more righteous and we call that
sanctification these justification and
sanctification those moves are very
important in wesleyan theology as i
talked about in
one of my recent videos so that is all a
gift of grace
everything begins with god's grace so
here's how wesley defines grace and this
is from sermon 11 the witness of our own
spirit
he says by the grace of god is sometimes
to be understood
that free love that unmerited mercy
by which i a sinner through the merits
of christ
right not because i deserve it but
because christ has merited it
uh i a center through the merits of
christ am now reconciled
to god brought back in a relationship
with god that's justification i'm
forgiven
i'm brought back to god through the
merits of jesus christ so
wesley says that's sometimes what we
mean when we talk about grace that
unmerited
favor that free gift of love but then he
goes on to say
um but in this place and he's preaching
from second corinthians 1 12.
so he says in that verse when you read
the word grace
rather he says it means that power of
the holy ghost
which and he's quoting again
worketh in us both to will and to do his
good pleasure philippians 2 13.
so the holy spirit working in us to
will to desire what god wants and also
to do it to put it into action to live
the way god wants us to live
the holy spirit doing that work in us is
also sometimes called grace
in the bible and then wesley says
as soon as ever the grace of god and the
former sins the forgiveness
by his free gift as soon as the grace
and the former sense
his pardoning love is manifested to our
souls
then the grace of god in the latter
sense the power of the holy spirit
also takes place therein so we need the
grace of god to be forgiven of our sins
and we need the grace of god to
to overcome sin and to grow more like
jesus and to live a faithful
life as christians now so far what
wesley has said and as i'm
kind of laying it out here is i would
say pretty uncontroversial i mean roman
catholics
protestants eastern orthodox would
basically agree on these things
and certainly this is what's been
understood in the whole
church throughout the ages i mean you
can always find some
crazy sect or teacher uh on any teaching
that goes off on their own but but
wesley is right here in the mainstream
of classic christian orthodoxy
all right so how then
does god ordinarily give grace
to us and this is i think where you
begin to see
different christian denominations or
traditions emphasizing different things
but again what wesley is trying to show
is that he's standing right in the
mainstream of his own
anglican tradition which does stretch
back all the way to the early church
and and this is the historic this is the
universal this is the catholic
uh christian faith this is the classic
christian understanding so how does god
give grace through what we call
the means of grace well what is that the
first time i read john wesley's sermon
the means of grace i read the title and
i thought oh man he's talking about some
some works you do to earn god's grace
that's not what we mean by means of
grace we're not forcing god to do
anything
we are going to those places where god
has already promised
to meet us with his grace and god always
keeps his promises
that's really the foundation of our
understanding of the means of grace
so here's what john wesley says this is
from his sermon sermon 12
the means of grace uh roman numeral 2
section 1.
so here's what he says by means of grace
i understand
outward signs words or actions ordained
of god
and appointed for this end for this
purpose
to be the ordinary channels whereby he
might convey to men
preventing justifying or sanctifying
grace
so these are the ordinary channels the
usual ways not necessarily the only ways
god
can work however he wants but these are
the ordinary usual ways that god brings
pre pre-says preventing we say
prevenient nowadays
uh prevenient grace the grace that draws
us to faith
before we even believe justifying grace
that pardons us from our sins
and sanctifying grace it helps us grow
more like jesus
normally these movements of grace
are conveyed into our life through
the means of grace which we participate
in
so john wesley goes on to explain why he
uses that term means of grace and
wesley's not the only one
as i mentioned who uses it you will find
reformed and lutheran
uh and probably roman catholic teachers
as well using this phrase the means of
grace
to talk about these spiritual practices
so john wesley says i use this
expression means of grace
because i know none better and because
it has been generally used in the
christian church for many ages so all
the way back to the early church
uh this is our consistent theology and
because it has been generally
uh and he says it's been generally used
in the christian church for many ages
and in particular by our own church the
church of england the anglican church
which directs us to and now he's going
to quote from the prayer book
directs us to bless god both quote for
the means of grace
and for the hope of glory
so in the uh book of common prayer
the church of england the anglican
tradition which john wesley loved and
prayed with every day
in the morning and evening prayer
service in most modern prayer books
there is a prayer called
the general thanksgiving it's a
beautiful prayer it's also in the united
methodist book of worship
i think it's around 5 50 and um
it's without looking it up um and and it
it's this beautiful prayer i heard
somewhere that queen elizabeth wrote it
i'm not sure if that's true
uh but it's this beautiful prayer of
thanksgiving for all god's mercies and
one of the things that this prayer
teaches us to thank god for
is the means of grace and the hope of
glory
so the means of grace wesley is
basically saying this is
a phrase that's used in the anglican
tradition which he's a part of
and so it's a legit it's a legit
theological move to make
and um and then he says that uh his
church the anglican church
also teaches us that a sacrament is
an outward sign of an inward grace and a
means whereby
we receive the same so again he's
quoting from the prayer book of 1662
book of common prayer
and there's a catechism in there which
is question and answer
uh outline of the faith and it says
you know what is a sacrament a sacrament
is an outward sign of an inward grace
and a means whereby we receive the same
so this is important for our sacramental
theology and
wesley is in this sermon talk about
wesley in theology
uh wesley is endorsing the anglican view
which is
what he says he did on every topic um
a sacrament is an outward sign so you
think like water with baptism you think
bread and wine with holy communion the
outward
tangible physical sign of an inward
grace
and the means whereby we receive the
same that that inward
grace and so in a moment we're going to
talk about what is the inward grace
that god gives through the sacrament of
holy communion
but wesley is affirming the the anglican
position here this is the wesleyan
position as well that this is a means of
grace
the chief of these means so so he's
already explained then
we need god's grace to save us uh to
justify us forgive us
to sanctify us make us more like jesus
and god
normally gives that grace to us
through things called the means of grace
and he's already identified
that the sacraments are means of grace
he goes on and we're still looking at uh
sermon 12 the means of grace by john
wesley
he goes on in the next section to say
the chief or the the most important or
uh
the main ones the chief of these means
these means of grace
are prayer whether in secret or with the
great congregation so you pray at home
by yourself you go to church and pray
these inherited prayers you know or the
communion prayer
you pray with other believers so prayer
and then searching the scriptures which
implies
reading hearing and meditating thereon
so you're reading the bible at home by
yourself or you're going to church to
read the bible with the congregation and
hear a sermon based on the bible
that's a means of grace searching the
scriptures and finally
he says the other chief means of grace
is the lord's supper
eating bread and drinking wine in
remembrance of him of christ
and these we believe to be ordained of
god
as the ordinary channels of congress of
conveying his grace
to the souls of men okay
so the means of grace are the way that
god conveys grace into our souls
and the most significant or important of
them are prayer
studying learning from the bible and
receiving
the sacrament
and it is through these and the other
means of grace that
god works his his saving work within us
he conveys
justifying and sanctifying grace to save
us
uh through these means
um so i'm going to talk a little bit
more about what john wesley says about
holy communion in just a moment
uh but this is uh really important for
understanding the character of the
wesleyan revival
because the wesleyan revival certainly
an event
an evangelical revival evangelistic
revival
drawing people to have personal
conversion experiences to commit their
lives and their hearts to jesus christ
and
you know to say i confess i'm a sinner i
need jesus to save me and i've decided
to follow jesus and receive his grace
and
um all that good stuff that we think
about when we think about
an evangelistic revival or an
evangelical revival
but it was also for wesley
and uh people who stayed close to his
his line of thinking
it was also a sacramental revival
and uh it was a liturgical revival in
some ways as well
and so uh there's an emphasis within
methodist theology
on both the evangelical the the
evangelistic the personal conversion
uh the the i you know give your heart to
jesus and and
um and begin walking a new life be born
again
the kind of evangelical emphasis that we
had out on the the
frontiers of the big tent revivals
combined with
an emphasis on the sacraments and the
spiritual disciplines
as means of grace and you see this in
wesley and often in methodist circles
people tend to
pick one or the other but wesley holds
them both
together and i think everything i just
said is kind of true of anglicanism as
well they're anglicans that kind of lean
this way or lean this way
but the genius is to hold both together
and wesley always insisted
he was nothing other than a prayer book
anglican who was like
really doing the stuff that that
everybody had been talking about
so god says wesley gives grace
through holy communion now um
i think it's very easy to make that case
from the scripture
if you look at um passages like first
corinthians 10
excuse me
and first corinthians 11 and other
passages that talk about the lord's
supper
if you think about covenant and what
especially luke's gospel when the
institution narrative says you look at
john chapter 6 and
meditate on what does what does
communion with christ
mean in light of this means of grace
that he's given
and others um so uh
god definitely promises to give grace
through holy communion and the the
phrase that
is often used because this is the phrase
jesus uses
is the body and blood of christ are
given to us in holy communion
and different christians understand that
in different ways but the historic
catholic teaching of the universal
church all the way back to the early
church fathers is yes
in some mysterious sense when we receive
this bread and wine
we receive the body and blood of christ
and wesley as you're about to hear
affirms that this may come as a surprise
to some methodists but
the articles of religion the official
doctrinal statement
of the methodists affirms the same thing
that when we receive the bread and the
wine
we receive the body and blood of christ
and all the benefits of his passion
in a heavenly or a spiritual manner
and exactly what that means is you know
there are different schools of thought
but it is an affirmation
that we receive the real presence of
christ
so in his sermon
and this is uh did i mention the article
of religion
of the methodist church it's basically
cut and paste
straight out of the articles of religion
of the anglican church the 39 articles
so wesley just took the teaching on the
sacraments
and imported it to the methodist and i
hope to do a video series on the
articles of religion
when i have some time to do some more
research on that so we'll see
um but here's what he says okay so we
need god's grace to save us
the means of grace are the usual ways
that god
conveys that grace to us and what are
the means of grace well
prayer bible teaching
studying meditating on the bible and the
sacraments especially the lord's supper
which is something we wesley wants us to
do it
uh continually right constantly we have
a duty of constant communion
that's the title of one of his sermons
and that's the sermon that i'm quoting
from next
so he says a second reason this is uh
the duty of constant communion
section 1 roman numeral 1.2
and following a second reason why every
christian
should do this receive holy communion as
often as he can
is because the benefits of doing it are
so great
to all that do it in obedience to him
and what are those benefits well he says
the forgiveness of our past
sins and the present strengthening
or refreshment of our souls
so the grace of god given herein in holy
communion
confirms to us the pardon of our sins
and enables us to leave them
so again god is promising us forgiving
grace
and the power to overcome temptation so
justification
and sanctification are yours that's what
god is promising us
when we receive the bread and wine and
then wesley says
and but also giving strength and
refreshment to our souls so he goes on
to say
as our bodies are strengthened by bread
and wine
so are our souls by these tokens of the
body and blood of christ
this is the food of our souls this gives
strength to perform our duty and leads
us on to perfection
if therefore we have any regard for the
plain command of christ that's where he
started the first reason we should do
this often is because he says to
uh and then second reason because these
are the great benefits the grace that is
given here
so we if we if therefore we have any
regard for the plain command of christ
if we desire the pardon of our sins if
we wish
for strength to believe to love and obey
god
then we should neglect no opportunity of
receiving the lord's supper
so what is god giving you what are the
benefits of christ's passion to use the
the language of our old liturgy
that he's sharing with us well the
pardon according to wesley the pardon of
our sins
strength to believe and to love and obey
god
justification sanctification the grace
to forgive and to strengthen
that's what god shares with us when we
receive holy communion that's how
he gives us normally that grace
and finally in the duty of constant
communion
roman numeral 1 section 5
wesley says in order to understand the
nature of the lord's supper
it would be useful to carefully read
over those passages in the gospel
and in the first epistle to the
corinthians which speak of the
institution of it
hence we learned that the design of the
sacrament is
hold on
we learned that the design of this
sacrament is
the continual remembrance of the death
of christ
do this in remembrance of me by eating
bread and drinking wine
which are the outward signs of the
inward grace
the body and blood of christ so again
wesley affirms
the classic anglican definition and
understanding
bread and wine are the outward invisible
signs
that convey to us that inward and
spiritual grace and what is that inward
and spiritual grace
the body and blood of christ so that's
what wesley says
in the duty of constant communion this
is why
wesleyans if they're following wesley
believe in the real presence in exactly
the same terms that anglicanism
and anglicans believe in the real
presence of christ
so god works usually doesn't have to but
usually
through the means of grace in order to
share
saving grace with us that's how god
offers this stuff conveys it to us but
there's still
a piece on our end we have to receive it
uh we have to receive it how do we do
that
well we do it by participating in the
means of grace of course
but by doing that not merely as you know
a religious ritual that we have to do
but with real faith faith is what
enables
us to receive that grace and this is
again
exactly the classic anglican
understanding and wesley affirms in very
clear terms
and biblically you can look at a passage
like romans chapter 5 verse 2
it says through him jesus we have
obtained access
by faith into this grace
in which we stand and we rejoice in hope
of the glory of god so how do we
have access to this faith i mean to this
grace in which we now stand we have
access to grace
by faith here's what uh wesley's
says in his comment on ephesians chapter
2 verse 8
which is really fundamental for wesley's
theology
ephesians 2 8 by grace you have been
saved
through faith and here's what wesley
says
grace without any respect to human
worthiness
confers the glorious gift
faith with an empty hand and without any
pretense at personal desert or deserving
receives the heavenly blessing so god
gives us salvation by grace
and he normally conveys that grace
through the means of grace
through prayer through the bible the
study the receiving of the bible the
word
and through the sacraments
that's how god gives grace into our
lives but we on our
end must receive it how do you receive
it
by faith faith has like an empty open
hand
to receive it i mean you think about how
we actually receive holy communion
um the the usually pastor the minister
priest representing the body of christ
jesus active in the world through his
body
gives the gift and we open our hands and
we receive it
that's a great actual sign right there
and this is why wesley in sacramento
theology
is is both uh classic or catholic
representing the ancient faith all the
way back to the early church fathers
and evangelical because we're saying god
works to give grace
through the sacraments the grace that we
need to be saved but
you must have a personal faith if that's
going to be real for you if you're going
to receive it if it's going to change
your life
you have to receive it with faith
and so there's that evangelistic call
to turn and believe in jesus alongside
uh the sacramental offer uh here's the
gift of god
and it's offered to you and those
actually go together because if god
makes a promise and says i'm giving you
a gift
that creates an opportunity for you
either to believe the promise
have faith an opportunity for personal
faith has been created
by the giving of promise or or you can
you know reject the promise and say i
don't believe that in which case it
doesn't
change your life it doesn't it doesn't
do anything for you
um so that's a little bit uh almost 25
minutes so
what john wesley has to say about grace
the gift of god
the unmerited favor of god the power of
the holy spirit in our lives to love god
and obey god that's grace
and that's what god gives us and he
gives it to us
in any number of ways but usually
through the means of grace
and the most important means of grace
are prayer
the bible and the sacraments which are
outward invisible signs
that convey an inward and spiritual
grace
there are other spiritual practices
spiritual disciplines that we
also call means of grace those are not
the only three those are just the big
three
other means of grace are things like
fasting uh
giving generously giving alms you think
about what jesus the ones jesus talks
about in
matthew chapter six um you think about
things like solitude retreat
um there are many uh actual
means of grace or spiritual practices
that open us to the grace of god
even things like pilgrimage so um
yeah lots of means of grace but the big
ones prayer
bible sacrament all of which are
contained within the sunday service
every sunday and that's why it's
important to participate
but you can also pray and study
scripture uh on a daily basis at home as
well
and you should because these things are
means of grace
god works through them to convey saving
grace into our souls
into our lives and we grab hold of
and receive and appropriate
that gift we unwrap the gift as it were
by faith by trusting in christ
so that's the wesleyan theology uh
behind the sacraments behind
the means of grace in general and how it
is that we receive
god's grace so i hope if you're
interested in methodist theology or
anglican theology that that
is helpful for you maybe that will stir
some more questions you can put them in
the comments if you want
or go do some further research on your
own
and i hope if you found this video
helpful you will hit that thumbs up
button you will share it with people
and i hope if if nothing else i hope
this sends you back to the bible
uh to ponder these things and
to dedicate yourself anew to actually
participating in the means of grace and
receiving
the gifts with open and faithful hearts
that god
loves and delights to give until we
connect again i pray that the lord will
bless you
and keep you always amen
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