Sections 22-24 are superfluous and non-essential, thus, there will be no discussion on these sections.
The questions and answers in Section 25 are very worth reading. Wesley is quite deep in some of the questions, so they may need to be read several times. Wesley does, however, explain himself well so as to lead the average reader into an understanding of his point.
Questions 5 and 6 are very worth reviewing.
“Q. 5. How is ‘love the end of the commandment?’ (1 Tim. 1:5.)
A. It is the end of every commandment of God. It is the point aimed at by the whole and every part of the Christian institution. The foundation is faith, purifying the heart; the end love, preserving a good conscience.
Q. 6. What love is this?
A. The loving the Lord our God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength; and the loving our neighbour, every man, as ourselves, as our own souls.”
1 Timothy 1:5 reads, “But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.” Remember also that loving God and loving neighbor Christ said were the two greatest commandments of the Law of Moses. Matthew 22:36-40
Recall that this love is what the Pharisees resisted. They had no problem holding double standards, taking advantage of people, and enforcing the Law of Moses even if it made people suffer longer. If there was any tension among laws, the Pharisees held to rigid enforcement of the strictest standard. At the same time, they had no problem short-changing God especially if it meant enriching themselves.
None of this represents love, and it is why Christ taught so heavily against their practices.
The whole work of Christ is summarized in question 1 and the answer there, which I will admit is a difficult read. Wesley does not cite Scripture references, but we should have in mind at least two key passages when we read the answer to question 1:
Genesis 15:6 “Then he believed in the LORD; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.” This verse is referring to Abraham.
Romans 4:1-3 “What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? ‘ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.’”
One of the most consequential statements in the answer to question 1 is that the Adamic law “required that he should always think, always speak, and always act precisely right, in every point whatever.” This law we are completely unable to obey on this side of Adam. Explained in this way, Wesley is highlighting that Christian perfection was required of the human race before the fall. Genesis 2:16-17
After the fall, Christ fulfilled the law (Matthew 5:17) and, in giving us the Holy Spirit, enabled us to live unto Christian perfection. Romans 6:1-14
One distinction I would make which Wesley does not assert in Section 25 is that the law of faith was present even in the Old Testament. Consider that Genesis 15:6 came before (1) circumcision and (2) the Law of Moses. The requirement for faith was operative before, for example, the manna in the wilderness. In prescribing specific obedience, God expected faith in both His promise and the person’s obedience. This faith is what the people did not exercise, thus, they tended to grumble. Even where God gave the Law of Moses, He demanded faith that obedience of the law would lead to holiness. Belief was credited as righteousness, and obedience is required for holiness. This has not changed for us today.
The difference for us is that we have Christ and the Holy Spirit, while in the Old Testament they did not in the same way that we do.
In the answer to question 8, Wesley writes, “From mistaking his character, we may love a person less than he really deserves. And by the same mistake we are unavoidably led to speak or act, with regard to that person, in such a manner as is contrary to this law, in some or other of the preceding instances.” This is a difficult statement for me, and it is somewhat nebulous. How would we love someone less than what they deserve?
Consider Christ’s words in Matthew 5:43-45, “You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”
What is the minimum requirement? Christ explained this in the parable of the Good Samaritan, for the first two individuals considered the injured man their enemy or at least beneath them and passed by without intervening. Even if we perceive that someone is an enemy to us or less than, there is a minimum standard of behavior and practice. If we are not meeting this minimum standard, can we say that we are abiding in Christian perfection? Are we not abiding in some degree of bitterness or hatred instead?
Now, we could say that our acts of love are less than what the person deserves. Consider Proverbs 25:21-11, “If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; For you will heap burning coals on his head, And the LORD will reward you.” Consider also Christ’s words in Matthew 25:34-46, which you can read in your Bible. Recall that the Pharisees, seeing Christ and His disciples hungry on the Sabbath, refused to feed them, preferring instead to accuse them of violating the Law of Moses when they found their own food to eat.
There is a minimum requirement of us to have it said of us that we exercise love toward others. The problem we face, and perhaps this is what Wesley felt there was not time enough to flesh out, is that putting love into practice will look differently for every person we encounter. Consider another driver on the road. Will we ever see that person again? We would not know it if we did, yet what is our duty toward the other driver in the brief moment of interaction? Rage, brake-checking, cutting off, hand signals? No, love does not consist in such actions. Love consists in showing deference, basic courtesy, and perhaps a degree of yielding our own will momentarily if it is apparent that the other driver is aggressive. In that moment, we cannot know if the person is hungry, homeless, or has some other need that we may be suited to touch even if just for a few seconds.
The point is that there is a minimum standard of conduct required for us to show love even to those who intend evil upon us. This standard becomes much more difficult to meet when the abrasive person is in our lives on a frequent basis, such as a relative, a business competitor, or nearby neighbor. We must ensure to live out the fruit of the Spirit and abide by Christ’s most basic instruction to properly exercise love in each instance.
Like this post? Subscribe to stay up to date on new posts.