Who Said That?

Who Said That?

"In conformity, therefore, both to the doctrine of St. John, and the whole tenor of the New Testament, we fix this conclusion:  A Christian is so far perfect as not to commit sin. 

This is the glorious privilege of every Christian . . . though he be a babe in Christ.  But it is of only grown Christians it can be affirmed they are in such a sense perfect, as, secondly, to be freed from evil thoughts and evil tempers."

Please, no google searches or other forms of cheating.  You must guess who said this!  Leave your answers in the comments section.  I'll let you know who this is in a couple of days.

Update on Monday, July 31, 2006 at 07:15PM by Kim Riddlebarger

As many of you correctly guessed, this is John Wesley, from A Plain Account of Christian Perfection (London:  The Epworth Press, 1976), 42.

Comments

[truthseeker]

John Wesley

[John Cerny]

I want to say Finney, but I will go with Pelagius.

[Rick B.]

Jacobus Arminius?

["lee n. field"]

I'm gonna guess Wesley.

[zrim]

could it be....SATAN!!

oh wait, everybody above essentially covered him. (sure sounds wesleyan.)

[Re4mdmom]

I'm thinking Wesley.]

[Chris Sherman]

Sounds like a, "Wesleyan fantasy".

Do I hear echoes of that hymn, "I surrender All" playing in the background?"

"A Christian is so far perfect as not to commit sin." That would be great, except whoever wrote that is is probably dead now.

[Guy de Bresil]

That's gotta be in Wesley's "A Plain Account of Christian Perfection." I own it, but I haven't read it in a few years. Yet it sounds just like it. It's on one of my shelves, right next to Finney's Systematic Theology.

The funny thing about these two rascals is that the Oberlin Abomination (a full-on Pelagian) is even worse than Wesley, but he is infinitely more clear. Now that's a good heretic: you always know exactly what he means. With Wesley, on the other hand, and with most other heretics (as well as the unorthodox), they always want to soften their blows by qualifying them ad infinitum and making contradictory statements. It's frustrating.

[Justin Wells]

I think Wesley and Finney are too obvious. You knew those two would be the first guesses we would have. I'm going to go with a more obscure guess and say Schleiermacher. I know it's a long shot.

[Mizzoutyger]

Sounds like Wesley, but that would be too easy.

[zrim]

justin, i don't think Schleiermacher ever even used the term sin (or evil?). the categories for wesley and he seem essentially different. maybe i am wrong, but i think liberals at best retain the categories but fill in another meaning; at worst they throw them out completely. it just doesn't sound like a liberal thing to say...

[shane]

hmm... can't be Wesley... How about Oral Roberts or some Oneness guy??

[KBennett]

Wesley

[BrianR]

Sounds ALOT like Horton, but I'll say Wesley.

[DFW]

Sounds JUST LIKE R. Schuller on the White Horse Inn interview you guys did a few years ago ...

[pilgrim]

Sounds like Mildred Bangs Wynkoop
A friend of mine had to read a book of hers for an essay in Bible College, and he shared much of the book with me.

Maybe it isn't but it's the same sort of thing.

[Jeff Rolfe]

Since I'm a good Methodist I'll go with Mr. Wesley, though I wouldn't agree with the statement. Wait, maybe I'm not a good Methoidst after all.

[carlo saulzallido]

Gotta be Wesley.....!!

[T.]

Pelagius.

[timinator]

Is it Robert Schuller?? Sounds like something he might say.