At the end of a year, we all want to look back and consider what has been accomplished in the previous 12 months. Some things inevitably work out well; other things, well, we will do better next year. It is always nice to have a beginning and ending point in the year. It provides a time to take stock of what has been accomplished and take note of what remains before us.

Toward the end of 1763, John Wesley looked back on some of the events surrounding his work during the previous year. In his WORKS, we read: “During the whole time [1763] many have been convinced of sin, many justified, and many backsliders healed. But the peculiar work of this season has been what St. Paul calls ‘the perfecting of the saints’ (Eph 4:12).” It is this emphasis on “perfection” that became one of the most distinguishing characteristics of Methodism.

Wesley continues: “Many persons … have experienced so deep and universal a change as it had not before entered into their hearts to conceive. After a deep conviction of inbred sin, of their total fall from God, they have been so filled with faith and love (and generally in a moment), that sin vanished, and they found from that time no pride, anger, desire, or unbelief. They could rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing, and in everything give thanks [cf. 1 Thess. 5.15-18]. Now whether we call this the destruction or suspension of sin, it is a glorious work of God—such work, as considering both the depth and extent of it, we never saw in these kingdoms before.”

How pleasing it must have been to Wesley to look back on the year and conclude that he had been able to “suspend” if not completely “destroy” sin for many persons. Wonder if we can include such a statement on our reports to the Bishop and District Superintendent this year.

Craven E. Williams
President
Greensboro College
Greensboro, N.C.