Almost Christian

 “May we all thus experience what it is to be, not almost only; but altogether Christians.” – The Almost Christian ~ John Wesley, 1703-1791

John Wesley preached the sermon “The Almost Christian” at St. Mary’s, Oxford University as one of the University sermons on July 25, 1741. In this sermon, Wesley contrasted nominal (or almost) and real (or altogether) Christianity. (Kevin M. Watson, https://kevinmwatson.com/)

‘The right and true Christian faith is’ (to go on in the words of our own Church) ‘not only to believe that Holy Scripture and the articles of our faith are true, but also to have a sure trust and confidence to be saved from everlasting damnation by Christ’ – it is a ‘sure trust and confidence’ which a man hath in God ‘that by the merits of Christ his sins are forgiven, and he reconciled to the favour of God’ – ‘whereof doth follow a loving heart to obey his commandments.’ 

Sojourners along the Way of Christ have always struggled through history to balance the things of the flesh against the aspirations of the spirit. Every time a fresh expression of unity around the fundamental aspects of the gospel sparks a Spirit-filled movement, it also starts the inevitable descent from the heights of spiritual ecstasy to stone cold, ivy covered institutions. Wesley foresaw this and said, “I am not afraid that the people called Methodists should ever cease to exist either in Europe or America,” “But I am afraid, lest they should only exist as a dead sect, having the form of religion without the power. And this undoubtedly will be the case, unless they hold fast both the doctrine, spirit, and discipline with which they first set out.”

Our arrival at the present point of divergence mirrors the beginning of our current denomination and, therefore, should not surprise us, nor should we think it a fearful, awful thing. John Wesley’s beloved Church of England became humanistic, secular, and monolithic. Its leaders were corrupt classists who worshiped their institutions more than the LORD whose Name they claimed to uphold. John and his brother Charles, along with some like-minded friends, sought to initiate reform, but received derision from the establishment who facilitated violence against them. Establishment authorities viewed the Methodist movement as an insurgence bent upon undermining the institution. Their alignment with popular culture gave Anglican officials an antithetical sense of righteousness built from worldliness rather than scriptural holiness. 

Wesley and his fellows quickly realized that people were hungry for authentic spiritual food and structured means of grace and sanctification. It seemed natural for humans to desire an orderly religion that offered clear boundaries, expectations, and perceptible sanctification for the sake of one’s relationship with the Holy Creator, rather than for the sake of rank and possessions. The “Methodists” made personal holiness of heart and mind, “circumcision of the heart,” superior to social righteousness, believing that good works for the sake of holiness stemmed from the work of the Holy Spirit in born-again Christians. (See Romans 2:25-29) The Spirit’s outpouring was irresistible as Methodists broke with convention and generated revival.

Christian Believers who worship under the banner of the United Methodist Church stand at another moment in Christian religious history that inspires anxiety and fear of retribution. The establishment, emboldened by the support of popular culture, roars like an elderly lion standing with its hind legs on the brink of a precipice. Contemporary society will shake its head in consternation and disdain as it observes what they will perceive as bickering and violence among a lot of hypocrites. The outside view of our affairs must not distract us. For now, we are engaged in clarification of our true nature as the Body of Christ and the precepts to which we subscribe. Until each Christian Believer and each fellowship to which he or she belongs resolves this question of circumcision of the heart, we have nothing of value to offer the unbelieving world. We must “be disciples” before we can effectively “seek disciples” and “change the world.”