The Divine Dance of Freedom and Providence
In the grand theater of existence, two seemingly opposing forces have long captivated the minds of theologians and philosophers alike: human free will and divine sovereignty. Like two dancers on a cosmic stage, these concepts whirl and twirl around each other, sometimes in harmony, sometimes in apparent contradiction. It is within this intricate choreography that we find ourselves, both as observers and participants, wrestling with questions that have echoed through the corridors of time.
Imagine, if you will, a majestic ballroom. The floor gleams with the polish of centuries, and the air is thick with anticipation. In walks the Creator of the universe, extending His hand in invitation. We, His creation, stand at the threshold, faced with a choice. Do we step forward and take His hand, or do we remain rooted in place, refusing the dance? This, dear reader, is the essence of the free will and sovereignty debate.
John Wesley, the 18th-century Anglican cleric and founder of Methodism, approached this theological conundrum with a unique perspective that continues to resonate with many believers today. Wesley envisioned a grand cosmic dance where God, in His infinite wisdom and love, leads with grace, while humanity responds with the freedom to accept or decline His invitation.
As we embark on this exploration of the Wesleyan perspective, let us approach with both the curiosity of a child and the reverence of a sage. For in this dance of freedom and providence, we may find not only theological insight but also a deeper understanding of our own relationship with the Divine.
The Foundations of Wesleyan Thought
To understand Wesley’s approach to free will and God’s sovereignty, we must first explore the fertile soil from which his ideas sprouted. Wesley’s theological garden was nourished by two primary streams: Arminianism and the rich traditions of the Church of England.
Arminianism, named after the Dutch theologian Jacobus Arminius, emphasized human free will in salvation and rejected the Calvinist notion of unconditional election. This perspective resonated deeply with Wesley, who found in it a reflection of God’s character as revealed in Scripture. As Wesley himself wrote, “The grace or love of God, whence cometh our salvation, is FREE IN ALL, and FREE FOR ALL.”
Yet, Wesley was not content with mere intellectual assent to theological propositions. His views were profoundly shaped by personal experience, particularly his famous “Aldersgate experience” where he felt his heart “strangely warmed.” This emphasis on experiential faith would become a hallmark of Wesleyan theology, reminding us that our understanding of God’s sovereignty and human freedom must be grounded not just in abstract concepts, but in lived reality.
Central to Wesley’s thought was the concept of prevenient grace – God’s initiative in human salvation. Like a master choreographer, God makes the first move, extending His hand to all of humanity. As Wesley put it, “Prevenient grace is the first slight transient conviction of ‘sin,’ as well as the first slight transient desire of ‘life.'” This divine initiative sets the stage for the interplay between God’s sovereignty and human free will that we will explore further.
Free Will: The Divine Gift of Choice
As we delve deeper into the Wesleyan perspective, we encounter a profound truth: our ability to choose is itself a gift from God. In the creation narrative, we read that humanity was made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). This imago dei, Wesley believed, included the capacities of rationality and volition – the ability to think and to choose.
Yet, this gift was marred by the fall. Like a beautiful painting smeared by careless hands, human will became distorted, inclined towards sin rather than righteousness. But here’s where Wesley’s understanding takes a remarkable turn. He posited that through prevenient grace, God restores to all people the capacity to choose – to accept or reject His offer of salvation.
Consider the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32). The father (representing God) allows the son (humanity) to choose his own path, even when that path leads to ruin. Yet the father’s love never wavers, and when the son chooses to return, he is welcomed with open arms. This, Wesley would argue, is a powerful metaphor for human freedom within the context of God’s sovereign love.
God’s Sovereignty: The Conductor of the Cosmic Symphony
While emphasizing human free will, Wesley never diminished God’s sovereignty. Instead, he understood God’s omniscience and omnipotence in a way that allowed for genuine human choice. To Wesley, God was like a master chess player, able to anticipate and work with every possible move without determining those moves.
Wesley distinguished between God’s permissive will and His perfect will. God’s perfect will is His ideal desire for creation, while His permissive will allows for human freedom and the consequences that come with it. As Wesley wrote, “God does not will sin to be done. Nevertheless he permits it. Therefore sin being permitted, but not approved by God, is not God’s will.”
This understanding allows for divine foreknowledge without determinism. God, in His infinite wisdom, knows all possible futures but does not dictate which one will come to pass. Our choices are real and consequential, yet they occur within the grand symphony of God’s overarching plan.
The Interplay of Free Will and Sovereignty in Salvation
In Wesleyan thought, salvation is not a single event but a process – a dance, if you will, between divine grace and human response. This dance follows a pattern that Wesley called the order of salvation: prevenient grace, justifying grace, and sanctifying grace.
Prevenient grace is God’s universal call, His hand extended to all of humanity. Justifying grace is the moment of salvation, when we choose to accept God’s offer and step onto the dance floor. Sanctifying grace is the ongoing work of transformation, where we learn to follow God’s lead more closely.
Picture a dance studio. God is the instructor, patiently demonstrating the steps. We, the students, have the freedom to join in or sit out. But even as we stumble and misstep, God continues to guide, encourage, and perfect our movements. This is the beautiful cooperation between divine sovereignty and human free will in the Wesleyan understanding of salvation.
Predestination and Election: A Wesleyan Perspective
Wesley firmly rejected the doctrine of double predestination – the idea that God predetermines some for salvation and others for damnation. Instead, he advocated for a view of corporate election. In this understanding, God elects to save all who believe in Christ, but the choice to believe remains with the individual.
Imagine a grand banquet hall, with a feast spread out for all to enjoy. The invitation has been extended to everyone, but each person must choose whether to attend. This is the Wesleyan view of election – God’s universal call to salvation, coupled with human freedom to respond.
The Perseverance of the Saints: Can Salvation Be Lost?
Unlike some traditions that teach “once saved, always saved,” Wesley believed in the possibility of backsliding and even apostasy. He saw salvation not as a one-time event, but as a journey – a pilgrimage of faith.
Think of it as a long-distance race. The starting gun has fired (justification), but the race is not over until we cross the finish line (glorification). Along the way, we may stumble, we may even wander off course, but God’s grace continually calls us back to the path.
Practical Implications of the Wesleyan View
The Wesleyan perspective on free will and God’s sovereignty has profound implications for how we live our faith. It emphasizes human responsibility in spiritual growth, underscoring the importance of “working out your salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12).
This view also fuels a sense of urgency in evangelism and missions. If salvation is not predetermined, but a genuine choice, then sharing the Gospel becomes of utmost importance.
Yet, it also maintains a delicate balance between dependence on God and personal effort. Like tending a garden, we recognize that while God provides the soil, sun, and rain, we have a role to play in nurturing the plants of our faith.
Wrestling with Difficult Questions
The Wesleyan perspective doesn’t shy away from the hard questions. How do we reconcile human freedom with the existence of evil and suffering? If God is sovereign, why pray? How do we balance our freedom with God’s guidance?
These questions are like knots in the grand tapestry of existence. From our limited perspective, we see only the underside – a mess of tangled threads. But from God’s viewpoint, these apparent contradictions form part of a beautiful, coherent design.
Embracing the Mystery
As we conclude our exploration of the Wesleyan perspective on free will and God’s sovereignty, we find ourselves not at the end of a journey, but at the beginning of one. We stand, like Moses before the burning bush, on holy ground – ground where the infinite touches the finite, where the divine dances with the human.
We must acknowledge the limitations of our understanding. As the prophet Isaiah reminds us, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord” (Isaiah 55:8). Yet, this acknowledgment need not lead to despair or apathy. Instead, it should inspire us to step more fully into the dance of grace.
The Wesleyan perspective calls us to a faith that is both deeply personal and cosmically aware. It challenges us to take responsibility for our choices while leaning fully on God’s grace. It invites us to see our lives not as predetermined scripts, but as improvised dances with a patient, loving Partner.
So, dear reader, as we close this chapter, I leave you with a question and a challenge. Will you step into this dance of grace? Will you embrace the mystery of free will and sovereignty, not as a problem to be solved, but as a relationship to be lived?
The music is playing. God’s hand is extended. The choice, as always, is yours.
Dive into the transformative wisdom of “Kindling the Flame: Rekindling Wesleyan Passion in a Lukewarm World” by Timothy Downing. This compelling book, born from lessons lovingly crafted for students at the Church of God seminary in Quito, Ecuador, offers a fresh perspective on Wesleyan theology and its relevance in today’s world. Simply click on the photo below!
