The interpretation of issues such as righteousness, holiness, sanctification, and perfection are non-negotiable in maintaining our theological integrity. They are at the very heart of the “analogy of faith,” the primary lens by which Wesleyans interpret Scripture. I like this quote, because I think it points to the fidelity that Wesley had towards the scriptures. Above all else, Wesley maintained his integrity to the word of God: Love God, Love Others, Be Perfect as your father is Perfect. Through this lens, it is easy to see why Wesley thought the idea of Christian Perfection was attainable. If I love God with all that I am, and if my love for him also extends to the people I encounter, then I have no reason to believe that would flow. The issue arises when I allow myself to get in the way, when I start to consider my own interests above God's or other people I am supposed to be showing love to.

The Bible finds its authority in its faithful witness of Christ and in the fact that its truth of salvation and sanctification through Christ has been experienced and verified by believers through the centuries. I think verification is a very important word in this phrase. The Bible by itself is a powerful story, telling the tale of a loving God revealing himself to all the world through a chosen people, culminating in Jesus reconciling the world through a sacrificial death on a cross. Its narrative, drama, and poetry are the things that Hollywood movies are made of; further, many of the Biblical stories have even found themselves on the big screen. The thing that makes the Biblical story greater is the fact that its theme, the message of God reconciling himself to humanity, has been shown and proven in the lives of countless individuals over the last 2000-plus years. The story is living! It lives in the hearts and lives of all of those who have received the loving power of Jesus Christ. Verification is crucial to the credibility of the story, and it has proven to be verified by the experience of individuals across time.

"We do not seek holiness for our own sakes, but for the sake of loving God with our whole being and loving our neighbor as ourselves. When we do this, we are being who God created us to be." I think this is a great way to sum up what it means to seek holiness. The tenets of holiness run counter to the views of this world. The world trumpets personal accomplishments and extravagance, while the viewpoint of holiness is simple: to love God, and loves others, so much that we place our own interests and personal accomplishments on the side as we seek to serve others.

Its a new Class, so its time to restart the old Blog. This term's class is called "Becoming a Holy People". I will freely admit that I am excited for this course. I think it is easy to throw terms around like "Holiness" and "Christian Perfection" and "Entire Sanctification" without knowing how to clearly communicate those in ways that people can understand and hold as their own. My hope is that this course will help me to be able to better explain not only what it means to live a lifestyle of holiness, but what I it is especially beneficial to do so.