Why a Wesleyan Approach to Theology (Ben Witherington)

Dr. Ben Witherington III discusses why he considers the Wesleyan understanding of the gospel to be most faithful to Scripture.

Read more articles and watch videos on Wesleyan theology on our website here:

[barbourjohn]

I love this. You make it nice and clear. I grew up Calvinist and I thought it was very strange too.
But we were taught, yes this is hard to take but it’s what the Bible teaches and you just have to come to terms with it.

Now. That’s very very strange.
So glad that by God’s grace I kept in the Word until God revealed to me these very truths you are expounding.

[thomastucker]

I am a follower of Christ Jesus and that's all !

[donalddodson]

Wow! I attended a Wesleyan Church for a few years, and missed this differentiation. Thank you.

[tbkirkes]

Excellent, succinct summary. I'm encouraged and emboldened to hold onto and teach the Wesleyan view.

[ricobonifacio]

I really enjoyed this video. Thank you for making it.

[LilacDaisy]

I'm a reformed baptist (as Spurgeon) who attends a Presbyterian church, and I'm planning on trying out a Wesleyan next week. I listen to only reformed preachers (a lot!), and they're all about "faith without works is dead", so it seems I'll be in good company. :-)

[erykpatrykchudy]

27 dislikes! I think that a few calvinists visited this video. 😂

[DanteTing]

Both Arminians (as Wesley is) and Calvinists affirm that without God's active intervention no one can come to believe in God and be saved. The difference is in the extent of God's active intervention, whether it causes people to believe or does it simply enable people to believe. Calvinists in affirming unconditional election would necessarily believe the former, while Arminians believe the latter.

[wyattwahlgren]

I'm really confused because I've never heard a Calvinist say anything along the lines of "works don't have anything to do with faith." I'm not convinced of either position yet, and I'm delving deep into this issue. I have to say this is a yellow flag, because I may be wrong here, but I don't know of any Calvinist who does not believe works are important in any way. I hope I'm not misrepresenting you here, but it seems you're saying that. I myself go to a church with a huge Calvinist leaning, and my lead pastor is a Calvinist. He teaches from the Bible that works are important for an obedient Christian. What does this have to do with Calvinism at all?

[RossTheWretch]

I am 1689 Reformed Baptist and I have never heard a pastor say that sanctification never involves our works from faith. The way I believe it is that sanctification is our duty as a believer to work out our own salvation.

So faith without works is dead. Not works "for" faith, but works "from" faith.

[marshallsanborn]

I see all these Calvinists being like "We're misrepresented!" when they have constantly misrepresented and slandered Arminian theology since Jacob Arminius first questioned the Deformed Church in the Netherlands. Dr. Witherington hit it on the nose again in this video.

[PreDustined]

I was a calvinist but I think I'm becoming a classical Arminian

[ronaldg.delossantos]

Sir I like your explanation, would you please tell us something about the second commandment (Exo. 20:3-6) Thank you.

[PeterShieldsukcatstripey]

That's brilliant. Thanks. We were taking about sanctification in church today. I'll forward this to my pastor.

[AJTramberg]

Maybe I'm a Wesleyan. I agree with this theology, although I'm an unreformed Baptist.

However it is befuddling to hear this position contrasted as opposite that of the Calvinist. In a matter of minutes I could link to a half dozen or more "easy believism" youtube channels who would accuse Calvinists of the very opposite....of being "Lordship Salvationists".... that "backload" works into salvation, and thereby deny the doctrine of sola fide by default.

John MacArthur, probably the most prominent Calvinist of the last half century is most famous for his book "The Gospel According to Jesus" where he presses in on the importance of repentance from sin and sanctification. That book is what started the entire "Lordship Salvation" controversy....by a Calvinist.


Not a defender of Calvinism, but its strange to see them attacked from both sides on the same issue of works.

[norala-gxld]

I don’t understand how this differs from the Catholic and Orthodox idea of deification or theosis. Does it?

[draperlawson]

Why was being born again not mention? We have lost what being born again really means. It's strange how one can talk about saintfiaction. But not being born again.

[LachlanVines]

I’ve never met a Calvinist who doesn’t strongly believe in the transforming, regenerative power of the Holy Spirit in the believer and the necessity of visible fruit of righteousness. I often think they actually become legalistic in the extent to which they emphasise this.
Surprised to hear you characterise them as downplaying it. Though they are not perfectionists, as Wesley was.

[thomastucker]

Strictly sticking to the Bible and led by the holy spirit, always be prayerful and anyone can be Christ like.

[jakeyboy]

Sincere question for you Doctor: What happened to the souls of all those that perished in the flood. I have been pondering on this question for awhile. Thanks, God bless