A Plain Account of Christian Perfection

1. The Essence of Christian Perfection: Perfect Love

Love is the fulfilling of the law, the end of the commandment.

Defining holiness. John Wesley's understanding of Christian perfection, developed over decades, centers on the concept of perfect love. This love is not merely an emotion but an "habitual disposition of soul" that embodies holiness, implying a thorough cleansing from all sin and an endowment with the virtues of Christ. It means loving God with every fiber of one's being—heart, soul, mind, and strength—and loving one's neighbor as oneself.

Total devotion. This profound love becomes the singular aim and ruling desire of the heart, guiding all thoughts, words, and actions. It signifies an entire inward and outward conformity to Christ, where every part of life is a sacrifice to God. Wesley emphasizes that there is no middle ground; one must be "all-devoted to God," giving Him everything without reservation.

The royal law. For Wesley, this perfect love is the "royal law of heaven and earth," encompassing all commandments. It is the ultimate end, the "one perfect good" that the soul desires for its own sake, leading to an unbroken fellowship with God. This foundational understanding, first articulated in his 1733 sermon "The Circumcision of the Heart," remained the core of his doctrine throughout his life.

2. Perfection as Deliverance from All Sin, Inward and Outward

Repose in the blood of Christ; a firm confidence in God, and persuasion of his favour; the highest tranquillity, serenity, and peace of mind, with a deliverance from every fleshly desire, and a cessation of all, even inward sins.

Cessation of sin. A central tenet of Christian perfection, as Wesley understood it, is a complete deliverance from sin, both external actions and internal inclinations. This means being "cleansed from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit," and experiencing a "cessation of all, even inward sins." This radical transformation is not merely a suppression of sin but its actual removal from the heart.

Beyond outward acts. Wesley clarifies that this state goes beyond merely not committing outward sins. It extends to being freed from "evil thoughts and evil tempers," such as pride, self-will, envy, malice, wrath, and anger. When Christ lives within, the "evil nature, the body of sin, is destroyed," and the heart is purified by faith, allowing only what is holy, just, and good to reside there.

Scriptural basis. Wesley vigorously defends this possibility against common objections, citing numerous scriptures. He argues that the New Testament promises a present cleansing from all sin, not just at death. For instance, 1 John 1:7 states, "the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin," implying a current, active purification in this life.

3. Perfection is Not Absolute Infallibility or Freedom from Infirmity

I continually affirm quite the contrary, and always have done so.

Human limitations. Wesley explicitly states that Christian perfection does not imply absolute perfection, which belongs to God alone. It does not make a person infallible, omniscient, or free from ignorance, mistake, or various human infirmities. These include:

• Weakness or slowness of understanding
• Irregular quickness or heaviness of imagination
• Impropriety of language or ungraceful pronunciation
• A thousand nameless defects in conversation or behavior

Mistakes are not sin. Crucially, Wesley distinguishes between "mistakes" and "sins properly so called." A mistake in judgment, arising from the soul's dwelling in a "shattered body" and its inherent limitations, may lead to a mistake in practice. However, if "every word and action springs from love," such a mistake is not considered sin in the scriptural sense, though it still "needs the atoning blood" of Christ.

Continuous need for Christ. Even the most perfected individuals remain susceptible to these involuntary transgressions and defects. Therefore, they continue to need Christ's priestly office to atone for their omissions, shortcomings, and mistakes. This clarifies that perfection does not remove the need for a Mediator but rather deepens the believer's dependence on Him.

4. Attainment: Both Gradual Preparation and Instantaneous Transformation by Faith

A man may be dying for some time; yet he does not, properly speaking, die, till the instant the soul is separated from the body; and in that instant he lives the life of eternity. In like manner, he may be dying to sin for some time; yet he is not dead to sin, till sin is separated from his soul; and in that instant he lives the full life of love.

A dual process. Wesley teaches that Christian perfection involves both a gradual and an instantaneous work of God. Believers typically experience a gradual mortification of sin and growth in grace after justification. However, the actual "death to sin" and "entire renewal in the love and image of God" is an instantaneous event, a moment when sin is finally separated from the soul.

The "now" of salvation. While God often allows a considerable time for this process, He can "cut short his work" and accomplish the transformation in a moment, a day, or a week. This instantaneous work is received by "simple faith," and Wesley emphasizes that believers should expect it "not at death, but every moment; that now is the accepted time, now is the day of this salvation."

Seeking diligently. This instantaneous blessing, however, is not attained through "careless indifference or indolent inactivity." It requires vigorous, universal obedience, zealous keeping of commandments, watchfulness, self-denial, daily cross-bearing, earnest prayer, fasting, and consistent attendance on all ordinances of God. God grants the faith for this transformation only to those who seek it with utmost diligence.

5. The Indispensable and Continuous Need for Christ's Mediation

None feel their need of Christ like these; none so entirely depend upon him.

Constant dependence. Far from diminishing the need for Christ, Christian perfection intensifies it. Those who are perfected in love feel their dependence on Christ more profoundly than ever. They recognize that all grace is a free gift, purchased by His blood, and received not separate from Him, but "in and with himself."

Christ's offices. The perfected Christian continually needs Christ in all His offices:

• Prophet: As "the light of the world," providing light moment by moment.
• King: Supplying holiness every moment, without which only unholiness would remain.
• Priest: Making atonement for their "holy things," omissions, shortcomings, mistakes, and defects, as even perfect holiness is acceptable only through Him.

Atonement for imperfections. Wesley clarifies that the need for atonement is not for fresh reconciliation, but for the continuance of God's favor and for the inevitable deviations from the perfect law that arise from human infirmity, not from a defect of love. The abiding merit of Christ's death and His continual intercession are essential for every transgression, even involuntary ones.

6. Living the Perfected Life: Fruits of the Spirit and Constant Devotion

Pure love reigning alone in the heart and life, -- this is the whole of scriptural perfection.

Manifestation of love. The essence of Christian perfection is pure love, which manifests itself through specific "fruits of the Spirit" that govern the heart and life. These include:

• Rejoicing evermore: A constant, overflowing joy in God.
• Praying without ceasing: A continuous lifting of the heart to God, in all times and places.
• In everything giving thanks: Cheerful reception of all circumstances as God's will.
• Long-suffering and kindness: Patient endurance of weaknesses and wickedness, with a tender, benign spirit.
• Freedom from envy, rash judgment, pride, self-will, anger, evil thoughts.
• Fidelity, simplicity, godly sincerity, meekness, temperance.

Active obedience. This inward transformation naturally leads to outward obedience. The perfected Christian keeps all of God's commandments "with all his might," serving Him with all strength. Every action, word, and thought is subordinate to God's pleasure, aiming solely at His glory. This includes diligent engagement in good works, both of piety and mercy, and a conscious effort to make all around them happy.

A single eye. The "single eye" of the perfected soul means having one intention: to do God's will, not one's own. This unwavering focus ensures that all activities, from daily business to recreation, contribute to advancing God's glory and promoting peace and goodwill among humanity.

7. Navigating Challenges: Guarding Against Pride, Enthusiasm, and Antinomianism

Settle it then in your heart, that from the moment God has saved you from all sin, you are to aim at nothing more, but more of that love described in the thirteenth of the Corinthians.

Spiritual dangers. Wesley recognized that the pursuit and experience of Christian perfection came with significant spiritual dangers. He issued strong "Cautions and Directions" to those professing this state, highlighting three primary pitfalls:

• Pride: Even when attributing all grace to God, pride can manifest as thinking one has more light than others, or no longer needs human teaching. Humility requires acknowledging one's smallness and readiness to own faults.
• Enthusiasm: This involves mistaking one's own imagination for divine impressions, such as dreams, voices, or visions. It often leads to expecting the end without the means (e.g., knowledge without studying Scripture) or seeking new gifts beyond "more love." Wesley insists that "love is the highest gift of God."
• Antinomianism: "Making void the law through faith," believing that being "filled with love" negates the need for holiness, set times for prayer, or self-examination. Wesley stresses that Christ adopted the moral law into the law of love, and believers must "magnify the law" and declare the "whole counsel of God."

Practical vigilance. To counteract these dangers, Wesley advises constant watchfulness, adherence to Scripture, valuing reason and knowledge, and avoiding specific behaviors like:

• Bigotry (confining love to one's own group)
• Stillness (wrongly ceasing from good works)
• Self-indulgence (laughing at self-denial)
• Censoriousness (condemning opponents)
• Solifidianism (crying "Believe, believe!" to the exclusion of other truths)

8. The Importance of Community, Humility, and Exemplary Conduct

Suffer not one thought of separating from your brethren, whether their opinions agree with yours or not.

Unity in the Church. Wesley strongly warns against schism, emphasizing that inward disunion and outward separation are detrimental to the Church of Christ. He urges believers to avoid a "dividing spirit," not to exalt one preacher above another, and to bear with "incoherency or inaccuracy of expression" or even "mistakes" in others.

Societal rules. Adherence to the rules of the Methodist Society and Bands, particularly the weekly meetings for prayer and exhortation, is deemed crucial for deepening and confirming spiritual blessings. These connections are the "very sinews" of the community, and weakening them strikes at its root.

Humble witness. Those who believe they have attained perfection are advised to speak of it with the "deepest humility and reverence," giving all glory to God. They should avoid "magnificent, pompous words" and instead speak of the specific particulars God has wrought in them, such as freedom from pride, self-will, or anger, and a "fulness of love." This humble testimony serves to encourage others without provoking opposition.

9. The Dynamic Journey: Continuous Growth and the Possibility of Falling

I am well assured they can; matter of fact puts this beyond dispute.

Growth in grace. Christian perfection is not a static state but one that is "improvable." Those perfected in love can and should continue to "grow in grace far swifter than they did before," not only in this life but "to all eternity." This ongoing growth involves deepening their love, knowledge of Christ, and conformity to God's image.

Amissible state. Wesley, through observation and experience, became convinced that Christian perfection is "amissible," meaning it can be lost. He notes "numerous instances" of individuals who had experienced this state but subsequently lost both the fruit and the witness of the Spirit. This reality underscores the need for continuous vigilance and dependence on God's grace.

Recovery is possible. Despite the possibility of falling, Wesley affirms that those who lose this state can recover it. He observes that it is "an exceeding common thing for persons to lose it more than once, before they are established therein." This offers hope and encouragement for those who stumble, urging them not to deny or hide their relapse but to seek help and trust in God's restorative power.

Last updated: February 9, 2026