| CALVARY
WESLEYAN
CHURCH
CHURCH DOCTRINE |
| The Wesleyan Church is an evangelical,
Protestant, holiness denomination organized to proclaim the good news of
Jesus Christ. The technical name for our church's theological heritage
is Arminian-Wesleyan. This refers to the teachings of James Arminius and
John Wesley. Arminius (1560-1609), a Dutch theologian, stressed that God
has predestined all who believe in Jesus Christ for eternal life and those
who reject Him for eternal separation from God; that He has given us as
human beings true freedom to accept or reject this salvation; that He offers
grace to enable all persons to repent and believe; and that believers are
secure spiritually in Christ based on continued faith and obedience to
God.
Wesley was a priest in the Church of England in the 1700's and the founder of the Methodist movement. He added to Arminius' insights an emphasis on the assurance of salvation believers can enjoy through the inner "witness of the Spirit". He also taught about the entire sanctification of believers by which their hearts are made perfect in love for God and other persons. Wesleyans are convinced that the Bible is God's written Word and the final authority for all Christian beliefs and practices. |
|
|