Weaknesses of Wesleyanism

About Wesley and Wesleyanism.
It must be admitted before anything else that John Wesley was a hero of the Faith. Along with George Whitefield and his brother hymn writer Charles Wesley set North America and the British Isles on fire for Christ. Through great personal trial and tribulation he can be credited for saving his Anglican Church from the false religion of Deism (at least temporarily). The product of Wesley’s ministry is the Methodist church as well as other Wesleyan denominations. (Wesleyan, Nazarene, Salvation Army etc.)

Weak church
Bishops
The Bible never tells Bishops to rule other churches. In fact it provides the opposite attitude.
1Pe 5:1 The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:
1Pe 5:2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
1Pe 5:3 Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.
Here we see that the even Peter was equivalent to other elder’s. The Bishop is to minister to the congregation that he is among. This implies that that he is not to have authority over churches away from himself. Peter argues to never use force to rule the congregation. The congregation is the property of God therefore it is not the minister’s property. The minister might manage the flock but he does not own the flock. Instead we are to be examples that encourage the flock. This system can disconnect the flow between God and the local minister.
Sacraments
Many Wesleyans, especially Methodist, practice Catholic style sacraments. Now, thank fully there is no specific approach to the sacraments. Some may have a Presbyterian view of the sacraments while others take a nearly Roman Catholic view.
There are two major problems with this doctrine. First the Bible teaches receive grace by the gospel through faith not works.
Rom 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Rom 10:14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
Rom 10:15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
Rom 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Rom 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
Rom 5:2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Rom 11:6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.
Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
If grace is not of works then we would not have to perform rituals to receive it. Even if you called it grace it would be connected with works. If it is by the hearing of the gospel it would not be of works because hearing is natural and not voluntary.

Bad Baptism
Wesley groups typically go to either extreme on the subject of Baptism. I have heard some preach baptismal regeneration. Other groups will teach the weakest view of baptism in mainstream Christianity. I have addressed baptismal regeneration in other articles, needless to say the Bible shows salvation outside of baptism. (Acts 10:44-48). But baptism is a command that every Christian must do. Many of my fellow Baptist get caught up in this type of thinking. The act of baptism is not essential to the gospel but it is essential to the great commission and it introduces us in the church.
Mar 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
Mat 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Mat 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Act 2:41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
Sadly most Wesleyan churches do not have a baptismal pool. I have witnessed the anguish of new converts requesting for baptism at a Nazarene church and the church telling them that it was unnecessary and almost tried to convince them not to do it.

Weak doctrine

Confusing quadrilateral) Wesleyanists argue that there are several factors, which rule their theology. They argue that the scriptures, tradition, reason and experience all have a role in theology and doctrine. Now in the study of theology it is obvious that we use all of these methods. Yet this gives room for all types of contradiction and error. There has to be foundation to our faith. In Christ’s opinion the scripture are supreme.
Mat 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
Mat 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
Mat 5:19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 15:3 But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?
Mat 15:9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

Open Apostasy) Like many mainline denominations the Methodist church went into apostasy rather quickly and became over run by liberals. The product of the Holy club now includes gay and lesbian members. I remember years ago encountering a loose women who claimed to be a Methodist in good standing. She argued that she only believe in the ten commandments. But she must have meant 9 commandments because she said she was in an open relationship and flirted with me sexually. I promptly escaped.
Not all Methodist have come to this point, but many have and are being openly excepted in this.
Loose love
Many liberals especially in Methodism tend to discount Gods holiness through speaking of Gods love. Many Wesleyans are plagued with this ideology which attacks evangelism and personal holiness. Love is not the same as cooperating with evil.

1Co 13:4-7 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
How could an inclusive God love his creatures when He excuses and encourages their sin? Jesus not a lord who wants his children to break laws.
Rom 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
Rom 6:2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

Weak salvation

Free Will/Conditional election
Historically, Wesleyans claimed that God has chosen Christians as his people and set about the mission to save their souls. Specifically because He knew that people would place their faith in Christ and as a result of their actions, he has decided to set about the process of the salvation for mankind.
The key flaw in this doctrine originally formulated by Arminius is that the act of salvation is initiated almost by man instead of God. John 3:16 becomes reworded “For God knew that some would believe Therefore God so Loved the World That He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish but may have everlasting life.”
God’s Love is no longer unconditional, it is in exchange. God wanted to save us only because we wanted to be saved. Therefore the fact that God sent His only begotten Son to Die upon a cross is not the most righteous act. The act of faith is greater and more important. Therefore the act of man deserves more glory than God & His Christ since they are dependent on Man.
They claim the following verse to support this doctrine
1Pe 1:2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.
Now there is a point to be made about this verse. I have no problem with the fact that election is according to foreknowledge.
ac·cord (…-kôrd“) v. ac·cord·ed, ac·cord·ing, ac·cords. --tr. 1. To cause to conform or agree; bring into harmony
God’s election is in Harmony with His foreknowledge of the saint’s faith. It is true that there are many (though not all) Calvinists who have a deterministic philosophy that faith has no connection toward our election since in their view God’s foreknowledge exists only because God has already determined the outcome. The problem with such a worldview is that they have down played the Sovereignty of God, which they ironically were attempting to expose. Because in their worldview God has to be a tyrant in order to preserve the universe, He is limited because He can not create freethinking creatures, in order to make the illusion that he is limitless. Yet God is limitless in his foreknowledge because he is. He is limitless in power because He is limitless.
It is true that God chose those who would believe in Him to be His elect. However the faith of the elect merits nothing. God could have chosen whomever He wanted to redeem regardless of their acts or faith. God did not even need to choose or save anyone.

Rom 9:16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
As we can see from this verse it is obvious that it was due to God’s own goodness as to why He would choose us. Therefore our election is unconditional there was nothing that we have ever done to merit God’s favor. We are totally in debt to His grace.

Empty Atonement
Why did Jesus die upon the cross?
Both followers of Arminius and Wesley (though not they themselves) have challenged the traditional protestant view. The traditional protestant understanding is that man in His sin has built up the wrath of God. The Atonement paid the penalty of Man’s sin.
Many Arminians like Hugo Grotius did not like the idea of penal Substitution because it had a set price that was paid regardless of the will of man. If the price was paid the sin was for-known and faith is not a condition of forgiveness.
Therefore they came up with the “governmental” view of the Atonement. They argue that God in His sovereignty may forgive regardless of sacrifice. Yet God in His justice must show a penalty for Sin. God, based on the condition of man’s faith, then forgives man. When man does not have faith, he does not have forgiveness.
This view takes the power out of the blood and salvation out of the savior.
Jesus himself taught and performed substitutionary atonement.
Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
Luk 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
Joh 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
Joh 15:14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
Joh 15:15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
Mat 20:28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
Joh 6:51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.
Luk 22:20 Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the New Testament in my blood, which is shed for you.
Mat 26:28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
Joh 17:1 These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:
Joh 17:2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.
Joh 17:4 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.
Luk 23:34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.
Mat 27:46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
This is what he taught the disciples to preach
Luk 24:46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:
Luk 24:47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
It is at this point that modern Wesleyanism departs from the gospel.
Gal 1:3 Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ,
Gal 1:4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:
Gal 1:5 To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Gal 1:6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
Gal 1:7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
Gal 1:8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
Thankfully many Wesleyans do not agree to this version of the gospel and agree to penal substitution. Unfortunately, Wesleyan/Arminians do not have blessed assurance since they do not believe in a Definite Atonement.
You see the Wesleyan believes that we are only saved for the moment, because we are hanging upon the foundation of our own faith to secure our salvation. They believe that the grace of the New Birth helps us accomplish our perseverance in the faith. Yet the power of our own free will can thwart the Holy will of God and Christ. So at any point man is in the drivers seat and he has the authority to rearrange his eternal destination.
This is not the biblical understanding of salvation.
Joh 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
Heb 9:13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:
Heb 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
Heb 10:17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.
Heb 10:18 Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.
Heb 10:19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,
I have had conversations with holiness Christians and many of them almost lean towards the idea of an ongoing sacrifice. Yet they do not because the bible is extremely clear on this issue.


“Magic” sanctification/perfection
Another issue unique to the theology of the Wesleyan tradition is the belief in a second work of grace. Most reformation protestants with a few exceptions believe that sanctification is an on going process. However most Wesleyans would argue sanctification as a second work of God’s grace separate from salvation. They tend to believe it as an independent experience.
When they have achieved a crisis experience, this work of grace activates and they are empowered to be capable of living without sin. This view is called “Holiness/perfectionism”. It does not mean that those who are sanctified are without sin. They are simply capable of living sinless. They might still fall in sin and maybe even loose their salvation!

Is sanctification an independent experience?
1Pe 1:2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.
Sanctification is an active part of our salvation as soon as one is saved they are obviously in the process of sanctification.
1Th 4:3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:
1Th 4:4 That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour;
Abstaining fornication is not an experience but an ongoing practice. Therefore sanctification is on-going through life.
Is perfection attainable? If so then why would we need justification by faith alone?
The Bible does have perfectionist passages.
Mat 5:48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
However the commandment of perfection does not guarantee the ability of perfection.
2Co 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
The phrase “old things are passed away” means we have moved passed the old nature, but does not say we have moved all the way to the stage of perfection.
1Jo 3:6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.
This refers to when we are abiding with Christ.
Yet the bible teaches that the saved are not perfect, plus it may not be possible to attain this
Mat 19:17 And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
1Co 3:1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
Phi 3:12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
1Jo 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
Unsecured promises
Wesleyans teach that one may indeed be saved from the penalty from sin, be a saint, be born again and then lose their salvation. But much of the bible contradicts this teaching.

Joh 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
Joh 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
Joh 10:29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.
Rom 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Rom 8:30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
Rom 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
Rom 8:36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
Rom 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
Rom 8:38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Rom 8:39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Eph 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
Phi 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
2Th 2:13 But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
1Pe 1:4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
1Pe 1:5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
These are a few of the passage which indicate that one is a believer will not lose their salvation. Now Arminians have a few passages which they claim are proof that one could perhaps lose their salvation. I will give a basic explanation.

Joh 15:1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
Joh 15:2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
Here Jesus is referring metaphorically to his body the local church. These people may have joined the church in New Covenant rituals yet if they are not saved; Jesus will remove them, since they never were saved.

Heb 3:8 Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness:
Heb 3:9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.
Heb 3:10 Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.
Heb 3:11 So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest
It is true that Believers must persevere in Faith in order to be saved. Yet if they are believers the Holy Spirit will move them to have such virtues. Gal 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Heb 6:4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
Heb 6:5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
Heb 6:6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
Here again we have those who have joined the local church. Tasting of the heavenly gift alludes to communion. Yet the use of “taste” stops short of actually digesting. In verse 4 the word “partakers” can also be translated “partners possibly participating in ministry. The falling away in verse 6 is permanent which contradicts God’s loving nature. Most Wesleyans therefore fall short of their interpretations. Yet the interpretation of local church apostasy has some further evidence. Heb 6:9 But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.
The author shows that he believes this not of the believers he was speaking to. If one can lose their salvation he should not have said this. He implies that this group di not show evidence of salvation. You can not lose your salvation if you do not have it to begin with.

Heb 10:26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
Heb 10:27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
Heb 10:28 He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
Heb 10:29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
Here the issue is dissected to a greater degree. The reference is to those who have received “knowledge of the truth”. Salvation is a greater experience than simply receiving knowledge. The issue is that those who here the gospel and leave it no longer have an opportunity at salvation because there is only one way to heaven.

2Pe 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

How could these false teachers have been bought in the Atonement and deny the Lord? If Jesus provided atonement for all mankind then there does not seem to be a problem. “1Jo 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for our's only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” Who’d guess? He did!

Rev 2:5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
In this passage, Christ is warning the church of Epheses over its survival. This not an issue over individuals. It is simply a warning that the spiritual life of church could die out. This could happen with out loss of salvation but simply replacement of membership with the unsaved or lack of membership all together.

In the early history of the reformation, many of the reformers were concerned over Arminus theology of salvation (soteriology). They believe that this theology was a step backwards into the Roman Catholic theology of salvation, which is progressive and uncertain. I disagree with the Reformers’ TULIP solution and their persecution as well. Yet ther critique especially in the Wesleyan tradition really needs to be examined. Is the gospel of salvation compromised?
Much like my critiques of Calvinism and Cambellite theology. It is not my goal to outlaw these movements as cults. But I bring up these errors and false teachings in order to draw Wesleyans and non-Wesleyans closer to Christ and to point a spotlight on the Biblical Gospel that we do not miss it with our own theological biases. I write about several movements, some with error, false teachings and some cults. But as far as this movement is concerned, I asked that they consider the scriptures. I have met many Wesleyans on fire for God greatly filled with the spirit and I ask them to consider this only so that they will keep the fire burning.