Understanding Wesley’s Threefold Grace: A Comprehensive Analysis
John Wesley's doctrine of grace stands as one of his most significant theological contributions, representing what Theodore Runyon describes as "the new creation by grace." In his seminal work "The New Creation: John Wesley's Theology Today," Runyon argues that Wesley's understanding of grace is fundamentally about transformation – not just of individuals, but of all creation. This transformative vision sets Wesley's theology apart from both his Protestant and Catholic contemporaries.
Wesley developed a sophisticated understanding of how divine grace operates in human life, seeing it not as a single moment but as a dynamic process of transformation. This process, which Runyon terms "the order of salvation," reflects Wesley's conviction that God's grace is constantly at work, drawing humanity toward what Wesley called "the renewal of the image of God" in human lives.
Prevenient Grace: The Foundation of Human Agency
Wesley's concept of prevenient grace, or what Runyon terms "preventing grace," represents a crucial theological innovation. Unlike his Calvinist contemporaries who emphasized human depravity and divine predestination, Wesley saw grace as universally present and actively working in all human lives. As Runyon explains, this grace is "preventing" in the older English sense of "going before" – it precedes any human awareness or response to God.
What makes Wesley's understanding of prevenient grace particularly significant is its anthropological implications. For Wesley, prevenient grace restores a measure of human freedom that was lost in the Fall. Runyon emphasizes that this isn't just about individual salvation – it's about God's ongoing work of restoration in creation. Through prevenient grace, every human being receives what Wesley called "the first wish to please God," a divine spark that enables moral consciousness and spiritual sensitivity.
This grace operates in several key ways:
It enables basic moral consciousness and the capacity to discern right from wrong
It awakens in humans an awareness of their need for God
It restores a degree of free will, making genuine human response possible
It operates universally, regardless of religious affiliation or awareness
It provides the foundation for all subsequent work of grace in human life
The revolutionary aspect of this doctrine lies in how it navigates between total depravity and Pelagian optimism about human nature. As Runyon notes, Wesley's understanding of prevenient grace provides a theological basis for both human responsibility and divine initiative in salvation.
Justifying Grace: The Transformative Moment
Runyon argues that Wesley's understanding of justifying grace goes beyond the traditional Protestant emphasis on forensic justification. While Wesley affirmed that justification involves the forgiveness of sins, he saw it as part of a larger transformative process. As Runyon explains, "For Wesley, justification is not merely a change in our status before God but the beginning of a real change in our being."
This transformative understanding is rooted in Wesley's concept of the "new birth" that accompanies justification. In Wesley's theology, as Runyon emphasizes, justification and regeneration are distinct but inseparable. Justification changes our relationship with God, while regeneration begins the actual transformation of our nature.
The key elements of justifying grace include:
Pardon from sin that addresses both guilt and power of sin
Restoration of relationship with God through what Runyon calls "participatory grace"
Initial renewal of the image of God in the believer
Real transformation of human nature beginning with new birth
Development of the witness of the Spirit giving assurance
What makes Wesley's understanding particularly significant is how it connects individual salvation with God's larger purpose of new creation. As Runyon notes, "Justification is not an end in itself but the gateway to sanctification and the restoration of the image of God in humanity."
Sanctifying Grace: The Journey of Transformation
In Runyon's analysis, sanctifying grace represents the heart of Wesley's theological vision. While justification establishes a new relationship with God, sanctification is about the actual transformation of human nature. As Runyon emphasizes, this isn't just about individual moral improvement – it's about the restoration of the image of God in humanity and, through humanity, in all creation.
Wesley's doctrine of sanctification, according to Runyon, is grounded in his understanding of humanity's original purpose: to bear God's image and participate in God's creative and redemptive work. Sanctifying grace is the means by which this purpose is gradually restored. This process involves:
Progressive transformation of character through what Wesley called "grace upon grace"
Development of perfect love as the goal of Christian life
Active participation in God's mission of cosmic renewal
Growth in both personal holiness and social righteousness
Movement toward what Wesley termed Christian perfection
Runyon particularly emphasizes how Wesley's understanding of sanctification differs from both Catholic and Protestant traditions of his day. Unlike Catholic emphasis on infused righteousness or Protestant focus on imputed righteousness, Wesley saw sanctification as a dynamic process of transformation through participation in God's life and love.
The Integrated Vision of Grace
What makes Wesley's threefold understanding of grace particularly relevant today, as Runyon argues, is its integrated vision of personal and social transformation. This understanding:
Connects individual salvation with cosmic renewal
Integrates personal piety with social justice
Maintains balance between divine initiative and human response
Provides theological framework for engaging contemporary issues
Offers hope for real transformation in this life
As Runyon concludes, Wesley's doctrine of grace remains a vital resource for contemporary theology, offering a vision of transformation that encompasses both personal renewal and social change. This understanding continues to shape Methodist approaches to discipleship, mission, and social engagement.
Contemporary Applications
Wesley's threefold understanding of grace has profound implications for contemporary Methodist practice:
In worship and liturgy, it shapes how we understand and celebrate God's ongoing work
In evangelism, it provides a framework for understanding conversion as both moment and process
In social justice work, it grounds our commitment to both personal and societal transformation
In pastoral care, it offers hope for real change while acknowledging human limitation
In ecumenical dialogue, it provides bridges between different Christian traditions
The doctrine remains a distinctive and vital part of Methodist theological identity, offering resources for addressing contemporary challenges while maintaining connection to our theological heritage.
