Weslyan Theological Quadrilateral

• The Wesleyan tradition's defense has normally exercised four sources of authority rooted in the tradition of the Church of England: scripture, reason, tradition, and experience.
• "Wesley believed that the living core of the Christian faith was revealed in Scripture, illumined by tradition, vivified in personal experience, and confirmed by reason. Scripture [however] is primary, revealing the Word of God 'so far as it is necessary for our salvation.'"
   
• Scripture

Wesley insisted that scripture is the first authority and contains the only measure whereby all other truth is tested. It was delivered by authors who were divinely inspired. It is a rule sufficient of itself. It neither needs, nor is capable of, any further addition. The scripture references to justification by faith as the gateway to scriptural holiness are well known to true Wesleyans: Deut. 30:6; Ps. 130:8; Ezek. 36:25, 29; Matt. 5:48; 22:37; Luke 1:69; John 17:20-23; Rom. 8:3-4; II Cor. 7:1; Eph. 3:14; 5:25-27; I Thess. 5:23; Titus 2:11-14; I John 3:8; 4:17.

• Tradition

Wesley wrote that it is generally supposed that traditional evidence is weakened by length of time, as it must necessarily pass through so many hands in a continued succession of ages. Although other evidence is perhaps stronger, he insisted: "Do not undervalue traditional evidence. Let it have its place and its due honour. It is highly serviceable in its kind, and in its degree".^[6] Wesley states that those of strong and clear understanding should be aware of its full force. For him it supplies a link through 1,700 years of history with Jesus and the apostles. The witness to justification and sanctification is an unbroken chain drawing us into fellowship with those who have finished the race, fought the fight, and who now reign with God in his glory and might.

• Reason

Although scripture is sufficient unto itself and is the foundation of true religion. Wesley wrote: "Now, of what excellent use is reason, if we would either understand ourselves, or explain to others, those living oracles".^[7] He states quite clearly that without reason we cannot understand the essential truths of Scripture. Reason, however, is not a mere human invention. It must be assisted by the Holy Spirit if we are to understand the mysteries of God. With regard to justification by faith and sanctification Wesley said that although reason cannot produce faith, when impartial reason speaks we can understand the new birth, inward holiness, and outward holiness. Although reason cannot produce faith, it can shorten the leap.
 

• Experience

Apart from scripture, experience is the strongest proof of Christianity. "What the scriptures promise, I enjoy".^[8] Again, Wesley insisted that we cannot have reasonable assurance of something unless we have experienced it personally. John Wesley was assured of both justification and sanctification because he had experienced them in his own life. What Christianity promised (considered as a doctrine) was accomplished in his soul. Furthermore, Christianity (considered as an inward principle) is the completion of all those promises. Although traditional proof is complex, experience is simple: "One thing I know; I was blind, but now I see." Although tradition establishes the evidence a long way off, experience makes it present to all persons. As for the proof of justification and sanctification Wesley states that Christianity is an experience of holiness and happiness, the image of God impressed on a created spirit, a fountain of peace and love springing up into everlasting life.

Classical Arminianism - James(Jakob) Arminius

I. The first absolute decree of God concerning the salvation of sinful man, is that by which he decreed to appoint his Son, Jesus Christ, for a Mediator, Redeemer, saviour, Priest and King, who might destroy sin by his own death, might by his obedience obtain the salvation which had been lost, and might communicate it by his own virtue.

II. The second precise and absolute decree of God, is that in which he decreed to receive into favour those who repent and believe, and, in Christ, for his sake and through Him, to effect the salvation of such penitents and believers as persevered to the end; but to leave in sin, and under wrath, all impenitent persons and unbelievers, and to damn them as aliens from Christ.

III. The third Divine decree is that by which God decreed to administer in a sufficient and efficacious manner the means which were necessary for repentance and faith; and to have such administration instituted (1.) according to the Divine Wisdom, by which God knows what is proper and becoming both to his mercy and his severity, and (2.) according to Divine Justice, by which He is prepared to adopt whatever his wisdom may prescribe and put it in execution.

IV. To these succeeds the fourth decree, by which God decreed to save and damn certain particular persons. This decree has its foundation in the foreknowledge of God, by which he knew from all eternity those individuals who would, through his preventing grace, believe, and, through his subsequent grace would persevere, according to the before described administration of those means which are suitable and proper for conversion and faith; and, by which foreknowledge, he likewise knew those who would not believe and persevere

The God of the Calvinist doesn't love everybody

"God loves whom He chooses. He does not love everybody."  A.W.Pink 

[1] He further argued that the word world in John 3:16 ("For God so loved the world…") "refers to the world of believers (God's elect), in contradistinction from 'the world of the ungodly.'"[2]

                                                                           ---John. F .Macarthur

Calvinists in their attempt to prove their theology go the extent of changing the meaning of many words. One such word is the word , "Cosmos" , which in the greek means world. 
Here A.W.Pink , the noted classical calvinistic theologian , states very clearly that God does not love everybody but only a few he chose to love and then tries to explain away the word "cosmos" by saying it means only the world of believers. 

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes on him should not perish but have eternal life."

Let us paraphrase it the way A.W.Pink says it means and see even if the verse will make any sense.

For God so loved the world of believers, that he gave his only begotten Son, that the elect /chosen to believe and will have eternal life.

If this is what God wanted to communicate then he would have done so clearly . If this is what it means , then the structuring of the sentence will not have "whosoever".

But this is not what the verse is about. Even the structuring of the sentence and the words used, betrays the calvinist.

If you are not convinced with that ,then this verse should convince you read 1 John 2:2
"He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world."

He is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world and not just for the sins of the believers and the believers to come . God is giving propitiation for the sins of the whole world. Why? Because God loves everybody . That is why he sent his only begotten son , that whosoever believes in him should not perish but thave everlasting life.

Making John 3:16 to mean God loved only the world of believers goes against John 2:2 where Jesus is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world . 

This is one reason why I left calvinism . They were just explaining away verses and altering important truths.

Outline of the Book of Nehemiah - David Pawson

Outline of  the Book of Nehemiah

 

1. RETURN

  a. Sad Information (Chapter 1)

  b. Secret Inspection (Chapter 2)

2. REBUILD 

  a. Erecting defenses (Chapter 3)

  b. Encountering difficulties(Chapter 4-6)

  c. Enlisting Descendents (Chapter 7)

3. RENEW

   a.  Scripture Communicated (Chapter 8)

   b. Sin Confessed (Chapter 9)

   c.  Submission Covenented (Chapter 10)

4. REFORM

    a.Sufficient Quantity (Chapter 11)

    b.Suitable Quality (Chapter 12-13)

What is the Election of grace?

    Election of grace is God electing to  save people by grace through faith . God issuing salvation to those who trust Jesus as their Saviour and Lord is called election of grace.
   It is not God arbitrarily choosing some to be saved and leaving the rest of the mankind to go to hell. That is not 'Good News' to the world.

Don’t you know what Scripture says in the passage about Elijah—how he appealed to God against Israel: ³ “Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me”^[a]? ⁴ And what was God’s answer to him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”^{[b] 5} So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. ⁶ And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.
                                                                                      ------- Romans 11

Here Elijah thinks he is the only one left who is the true worshipper of God , whereas there is a remnant saved by grace of God. This remnant is chosen by grace , is the remnant which believes in God ,remains in God merely by faith and not worshipping Baal  . This is unlike the traditional approach where the requirements of the law , both moral and ceremonial have to be fulfilled inorder to be accepted by God. 
  These Jews fulfilled only one criteria . When all of Israel became apostate and worshipped Baal , they remained steadfast in the Lord. That is how God chose to preserve national Israel at the time of crisis in it's purpose of  bringing the Messiah to the world.
        They were secret believers , whom God accepted because of their faith. Election of grace is where God accepts people on the basis of faith , not on the basis of works nor on the basis of arbitrary unconditional election Even when Paul wrote this , there was a remnant of Israel which remained faithful to God not because they kept the law of Moses , but because they approached God by way God has chosen i.e grace through faith. 
   All through the book of romans it is  righteousness by grace through faith vs righteousness by the works of the law. 
 ²¹ But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. ²² This righteousness is given through faith in^[h] Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, ²³ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴ and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. ²⁵ God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement,^[i] through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. - Romans 3

Here again , Paul talks about the righteousness which is apart from the law which is the righteousness given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. This is the redemption by grace , which came through Jesus Christ and which justifies freely anyone who believes in Christ as his atoning sacrifice. This salvation is not by works. 
 So the remnant chosen by grace are the people of Israel whom God foreknew who believe in Christ and be saved by grace. 

But how can God who gave the law , leave it and accept people by faith ?

²⁹ Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, ³⁰ since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. ³¹ Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.

The only way the law of God is upheld is when someone believes in Christ as his atoning sacrifice for his sins. The law is not nullified by faith , but it only by faith the law gets upheld in a sinner's life. This is the same for the Jew and the non-jew alike. 

So the remnant of Israel at the time of Paul were the people who approached God through Christ , through faith alone , by grace alone and not on the basis of the mosaic law . 

Therefore this salvation by faith through grace is called the election of grace and everyone who believes in Christ is an elect of grace. It is not because of election that some beleive. It means God chose to dispense salvation only by grace through faith and whoever , all who believe Christ form the elect of God.

Election of Grace is God choosing to save people by grace through faith and not on the basis of the law of moses. 

we^[a] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ² through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. Romans 5:2
 Access to grace is through faith . Election of grace is election to salvation of all those who receive Christ by  faith .
 Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring--not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. Romans 4:16