Motivator #8

“What makes Wesley’s theology distinctive is his ability to hold together in a working union two fundamentally important factors in the Christian life that have often been disconnected, the renewal of this relation (justification) and the living out of this relation (sanctification), neither of which is possible apart from the other.” (Runyon, The New Creation, 222.)

I think this is an important concept to understand because it is essential to understand the difference between justification and sanctification. These two concepts are not the same thing, and they are very closely related, and I believe a basic understanding of the two is essential if we are to communicate the Gospel to a lost world. We must explain the two part work of pardoning of sin and purifying the heart for works of service. Without a clear understanding of both of these, we preach a message that pardons for sin, but does not change the lifestyle. If all we get is the pardon, and not the purification, we sell the power of the Gospel short.