Surprised by Wesley

A pastor friend of mine called me the other day with a theological question. I suppose no real theologians were available. The question had to do with the Holy Spirit’s ministry in calling a sinner to repentance. I answered the question to the best of my ability, and thinking about it later I looked again at Jesus’ words in John 6:44: “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him…” In studying this verse, I came across an interesting commentary. One famous, old writer said this about verse 44:

“No man can believe in Christ, unless God give him power: he draws us first, by good desires.”

Faith in Christ is impossible apart from some imparted power from God. Now who do you suppose said that? Is it Augustine? Sound like Luther or Calvin? No, believe it or not, those are the words of John Wesley. I point this out to touch on something that I believe is very important. In recent years there has been a revival of interest in some or all aspects of Reformed or Calvinistic theology. In some ways, this is a good thing for the church. The reformers and their Puritan offspring were serious about the Word, and passionate about expositional preaching that was deep and doctrinal. This is a healthy contrast to much of the shallow, topical, felt-needs preaching of our day.
With that being said, some brethren have become what I would call “Cocky Calvinist”. What I mean by this is that they begin to act as if their adopted system is something of a special club they have joined, and that their membership in this club elevates them above all the weaker-minded brethren who have not tattooed the “five points” on their heart. The truth is that a “Cocky Calvinist” should be a contradiction in terms. If someone truly understands Calvinism, it should make them humble, not haughty.
Anyway, returning to my point about Wesley. Wesley was what most would consider an Arminian theologian. Nevertheless, when you read his notes on John 6:44, you don’t find him trying to force his system upon the text. He does not try to eisegete away the initial work of God. He does not try to make the text say something other than it does in order to make it fit into his theological presuppositions. Unfortunately, too few people are willing to let the text speak for itself when it seems to run counter to their doctrinal bent.
Charles Simeon (1758-1836), was a great preacher and pastor in England. Speaking to this issue, Simeon (who usually steered clear of the theological camps) said:

“…there is not a decided Calvinist or Arminian in the world who equally approves of the whole of Scripture . . . who, if he had been in the company of St. Paul whilst he was writing his Epistles, would not have recommended him to alter one or other of his expressions.”[i]

Knowing most preachers the way I do, whether they would admit it or not, they know that Simeon was right. The point I am trying to make is that regardless of our doctrinal or theological persuasion, when we come to interpret and preach the Bible, as much as we are able, we should conform our systems to the Scripture, and not the other way around. Whether we side with Wesley or not, we can all learn something from his honest approach to a text that disagreed with some of what he claimed to believe.

[i] Piper, John, Brothers, We Must Not Mind A Little Suffering, 4/15/89, desiring God, accessed 4/10/10, http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Biographies/1460_Brothers_We_Must_Not_Mind_a_Little_Suffering/