Wesley Corpus

His heart is full of love to all mankind, to every child of "the Father of the spirits of all flesh." That a man is not personally known to him, is no bar to his love; no, nor that he is known to be such as he approves not, that he repays hatred for his goodwill. For he "loves his enemies;" yea, and the enemies of God, "the evil and the unthankful." And if it be not in his power to "do good to them that hate him," yet he ceases not to pray for them, though they continue to spurn his love, and still "despitefully use him and persecute him." Methodists are defined not merely by what goes on inside them, but by how they relate to the people around them. Methodists love not only their fellow Christians, not only people who are nice to them, but also people who act as their enemies. Question: How's your love life? Are you able to love the people around you? What does it look like when you love each other in a Christian way? What impact do loving relationships within a church have on the ministry of the church? 10. For he is "pure in heart." The love of God has purified his heart from all revengeful passions, from envy, malice, and wrath, from every unkind temper or malign affection. It hath cleansed him from pride and haughtiness of spirit, whereof alone cometh contention. And he hath now "put on bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering:" so that he "forbears and forgives, if he had a quarrel against any; even as God in Christ bath forgiven him." And indeed all possible ground for contention, on his part, is utterly cut off. For none can take from him what he desires; seeing he "loves not the world, nor" any of "the things of the world ;" being now "crucified to the world, and the world crucified to him;" being dead to all that is in the world, both to "the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life." For "all his desire is unto God, and to the remembrance of his name." Real Christianity, according to Wesley, affects our character. Question: Considering the character qualities in this paragraph, how are you doing? Why is character important in ministry?