45. Are there other means of grace?
Yes. Among them are prayer and searching the Scriptures.
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In the “General Rules” that he set out for the Methodist movement, Wesley refers to several “means of grace,” which he refers to as “the ordinances of God.” These were practices that Wesley believed God to have established for human beings as means by which they could position themselves to encounter God and open themselves up to the work of the Holy Spirit within them. These included: the public worship of God; the ministry of the Word; the Lord’s Supper; family and private prayer; study of the Scriptures; and fasting or abstinence.
These activities are neither ends in themselves nor means by which to accumulate merit with God. Rather, they are means by which we regularly open ourselves up to the Holy Spirit’s work of transforming us ever more completely into people whose hearts and whose practice are righteous and holy in God’s sight, who love God with all our heart and love our neighbors as ourselves. Their value lies in making space in our minds, hearts, and schedules for God’s sanctifying work in us and providing direction and empowerment for the same.
“Searching the Scriptures” can be done in very different spirits with very different outcomes. Jesus chastens those who search the Scriptures with the goal of justifying themselves ( John 5:39). It is far more productive to engage the Scriptures as a diagnostic tool, looking in them for portraits of what God wants to see in each of us and then using them as mirrors to see to what extent we are reflected in those portraits and what distance we need to cross to better reflect them. And, of course, it is important to do all such work in conversation with God—in prayer that doesn’t merely present our wish lists to God but listens attentively for God’s wish list for us.
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“If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke 11:13 NIV)
If any of you is lacking in wisdom, ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given you. (James 1:5)
These Jews were more receptive than those in Thessalonica, for they welcomed the message very eagerly and examined the scriptures every day to see whether these things were so. Many of them therefore believed, including not a few Greek women and men of high standing. (Acts 17:11–12)
See also Matt. 7:7–8; Luke 18:1–5; John 5:39; 2 Tim. 3:15–17; James 5:13–18
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This is an excerpt from Christian Faith and Doctrine: An Annotated Catechism for the Global Methodist Church. Seedbed is pleased to partner with The Global Methodist Church to offer this companion resource to A Catechism of Christian Faith and Doctrine for the Global Methodist Church.
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