In Collins’s textbook, The Theology of John Wesley: Holy Love and the Shape of Grace, Collins explain John Wesley theology of image of God based on grace, and it is his main thesis of his work in this book. Collins try to make sense of John Wesley’s understanding of grace through image of God in three shapes “natural, political, and moral images” (Collins 51). When theologians reckon with these two senses of grace that are such an integral part of Wesley’s practical theology they often map them along a juridical / therapeutic axis. In the scheme, grace as divine favor principally corresponds to the juridical theme of justification and grace as divine, enabling power corresponds to the participatory themes of regeneration and entire sanctification.
…show more content…
As we understand from the Genesis accounts “God is Spirit,” so the image of God is Spirit and this Spirit need clear understanding (reason) will (volition), and freedom (liberty)” (Runyon 14). Furthermore, these two go together because Wesley recognizes that the human will has been corrupted by the fall. Human disobedience has disrupted the relationship between the image and God so that natural tendency of the human will is to be self-seeking and self- promoting. In other words, the fallen will is in bondage to the force of sin” (Runyon 15). Wesley clearly “writes in a letter to Thomas Rutherforth that to renounce reason is to renounce religion that religion and reason go hand in hand, and that all irrational religion is false religion that for Wesley there are limits to the role of reasons in religion goes without saying but he is concern to preserve the functional (rather than mythological) contribution of reason” (Runyon 15). By prevenient grace God initiates this renewal and regeneration of the image of God. Sanctified were on perfects the new creatures (Runyon 56). Godly love is unconditional and includes mutual accountability. Human cannot love as God or Christ love. The Spirit is the only source that can communicate such love, empowering us to fulfill it. For Wesley love is the supreme goal of sanctification process however, we can only receive and reflect God’s love by participating in it (Runyon 224 –
As we understand from the Genesis accounts “God is Spirit,” so the image of God is Spirit and this Spirit need clear understanding (reason) will (volition), and freedom (liberty)” (Runyon 14). Furthermore, these two go together because Wesley recognizes that the human will has been corrupted by the fall. Human disobedience has disrupted the relationship between the image and God so that natural tendency of the human will is to be self-seeking and self- promoting. In other words, the fallen will is in bondage to the force of sin” (Runyon 15). Wesley clearly “writes in a letter to Thomas Rutherforth that to renounce reason is to renounce religion that religion and reason go hand in hand, and that all irrational religion is false religion that for Wesley there are limits to the role of reasons in religion goes without saying but he is concern to preserve the functional (rather than mythological) contribution of reason” (Runyon 15). By prevenient grace God initiates this renewal and regeneration of the image of God. Sanctified were on perfects the new creatures (Runyon 56). Godly love is unconditional and includes mutual accountability. Human cannot love as God or Christ love. The Spirit is the only source that can communicate such love, empowering us to fulfill it. For Wesley love is the supreme goal of sanctification process however, we can only receive and reflect God’s love by participating in it (Runyon 224 –