The Scripture Way of Salvation · §35 · John Wesley

No sin in a believer?

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Hence may appear the extreme mischievousness of that seemingly innocent opinion: That there is no sin in a believer, that all sin is destroyed, root and branch, the moment a man is justified. By totally preventing that repentance, it quite blocks up the way to sanctification. There is no place for repentance in him who believes there is no sin either in his life or heart. Consequently there is no place for his being perfected in love, to which that repentance is indispensably necessary.

1771 text

11. Hence may appear the extreme mischievousness of that seemingly innocent opinion, That “there is no sin in a believer; that all sin is destroyed, root and branch, the moment a man is justified.” By totally preventing that repentance, it quite blocks up the way to sanctification. There is no place for repentance, in him who believes there is no sin either in his life or heart. Consequently there is no place for his being perfected in love to which that repentance is indispensably necessary.

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About this text

On Ephesians 2:8: what salvation is, what faith is, and how we are saved by it, from pardon to holiness of heart.

EditionPrinted in Wesley's 1771 Works, which do not say when he preached it

Wesley's own sermon in updated English wording. The 1771 panel is the text of the Works Wesley himself had printed in 1771. It is public domain.

Reference

Sermon 43 in the 1771 Works. Ephesians 2:8.

We have not yet re-checked this work against its source. We put this English text into updated wording with AI help. No scholar has yet certified it as faithful and complete. Open the 1771 text under any part to compare.

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