SPIRITUAL ACCOUNTABILITY

Here is one set of nearly two dozen questions similar to what John Wesley gave to members of his discipleship groups more than 200 years ago.

The questions have their origin in the spiritual accountability group started by Wesley when he was a student at Oxford — a group that detractors called "The Holy Club." The first list appeared about 1729 or 1730 in the preface to Wesley's second Oxford Diary. Similar questions appeared in his 1733 A Collection of Forms of Prayer for Every Day in the Week. As late as 1781, Wesley published a list of questions like this in the Arminian Magazine.

1. Am I consciously or unconsciously creating the impression that I am better than I really am? In other words, am I a hypocrite?
2. Do I confidentially pass on to others what has been said to me in confidence?
3. Can I be trusted?
4. Am I a slave to dress, friends, work or habits?
5. Am I self-conscious, self-pitying, or self-justifying?
6. Did the Bible live in me today?
7. Do I give the Bible time to speak to me every day?
8. Am I enjoying prayer?
9. When did I last speak to someone else of my faith? [ conversation starter questions ]
10. Do I pray about the money I spend?
11. Do I get to bed on time and get up on time?
12. Do I disobey God in anything?
13. Do I insist upon doing something about which my conscience is uneasy?
14. Am I defeated in any part of my life?
15. Am I jealous, impure, critical, irritable, touchy or distrustful?
16. How do I spend my spare time?
17. Am I proud?
18. Do I thank God that I am not as other people, especially as the Pharisees who despised the publican?
19. Is there anyone whom I fear, dislike, disown, criticize, hold a resentment toward or disregard? If so, what am I doing about it?
20. Do I grumble or complain constantly?
21. Is Christ real to me?

Susanna Wesley defines sin

"Take this rule: whatever weakens your reason, impairs the tenderness of your conscience, obscures your sense of God, or takes off your relish of spiritual things; in short, whatever increases the strength and authority of your body over your mind, that thing is sin to you, however innocent it may be in itself."
   -- Susanna Wesley (Letter, June 8, 1725)

Here is another set of questions also developed by Wesley for use in Methodist class meetings and band meetings, which were small groups focused on accountability. Before joining these smaller groups, each member stated their willingness for the following questions to be asked of them at any time. These are hard hitting questions which are designed to be direct and straight to the point – no messing around here!

1. Have you the forgiveness of your sins?

2. Have you peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ?

3. Have you the witness of God’s Spirit with your spirit that you are a child of God?

4. Is the love of God shed abroad in your heart?

5. Has no sin, inward or outward, dominion over you?

6. Do you desire to be told of your faults?

7. Do you desire to be told of all your faults, and that plain and home?

8. Do you desire that every one of us should tell you from time to time whatsoever is in his heart concerning you?

9. Consider! Do you desire we should tell you whatsoever we think, whatsoever we fear, whatsoever we hear, concerning you?

10. Do you desire that in doing this we should come as close as possible, that we should cut to the quick, and search your heart to the bottom?

11. Is it your desire and design to be on this and all other occasions entirely open, so as to speak everything that is in your heart, without exception, without disguise, and without reserve?

Taken from The Works Of John Wesley, Volume 9 (The Methodist Societies History, Nature, and Design), Edited by Rupert E. Davies, Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1989, pp.77-78.

A NEW YEAR'S COVENANT RENEWAL By John Wesley

THE INVITATION

Dearly beloved: the Christian life, to which we are called, is a life in Christ, redeemed from sin by Christ, and consecrated to God through Christ. We have entered upon this life, having been admitted into that new covenant of which our Lord Jesus Christ is mediator, and which Jesus sealed with his own blood, that it might stand forever.

On one side of the covenant is God’s promise to fulfill, in and through us, all that God declared in Jesus Christ, who is the author and perfecter of our faith. We are sure that this promise still stands, for we have known God’s goodness and proved God’s grace in our own lives day by day.

On the other side, we promise to live no more for ourselves, but for Christ, who loved us even to death. He called us to serve God so that the purposes of Christ’s coming would be fulfilled.

From time to time we renew our vows of consecration—especially when we gather at the Lord’s Table. But today we meet expressly, as generations of our ancestors have met, to joyfully and solemnly renew the covenant which bound them and binds us to God.

WORDS OF ASSURANCE

This is the message we have heard from Jesus and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. If we walk in the light, as God is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

*COVENANT HYMN Come, Let Us Use the Grace Divine No. 606

(Written by Charles Wesley in 1762 for Methodism’s Covenant Service)

Come, let us use the grace divine, and all with one accord,
In a perpetual covenant join ourselves to Christ the Lord;
Give up ourselves, through Jesus’ power, His Name to glorify;
And promise, in this sacred hour, for God to live and die.

The covenant we this moment make be ever kept in mind;
We will no more our God forsake, or cast these words behind.
We never will throw off the fear of God Who hears our vow;
And if Thou art well pleased to hear, come down and meet us now.

Thee, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, let all our hearts receive,
Present with Thy celestial host the peaceful answer give;
To each covenant the blood apply which takes our sins away,
And register our names on high and keep us to that day!

*THE COVENANT:  And now, beloved, let us bind ourselves with willing bonds to our covenant God, and take the yoke of Christ upon us. This means that we are heartily content that Christ appoint us our place and work, and that Christ alone will be our reward.

Christ has many services to be done. Some are easy, others are difficult; some bring honor, others bring reproach; some are suitable to our natural inclinations and temporal interests, others are contrary to both. In some, we may please Christ and please ourselves; in others, we cannot please Christ except by denying ourselves. Yet the power to do all these things is assuredly given us in Christ, who strengthens us.

Let us engage our heart to the Lord, and resolve in God’s strength never to go back. Being thus prepared, let us now, in sincere dependence on God’s grace and trusting in God’s promises, yield ourselves anew to Christ.

THE COVENANT PRAYER

    O Lord God, holy Father, who has called us through Christ to be partakers in this gracious covenant; we take upon ourselves with joy the yoke of obedience, and engage ourselves, for love of you, to seek to do your perfect will. We are no longer our own, but yours.

Here let the minister and the people unite in saying:

    I am no longer my own, but yours. Put me to what you will, rank me with who you will; put me to doing, put me to suffering; let me be employed for you or laid aside for you; exalted for you or brought low for you; let me be full, let me be empty; let me have all things, let me have nothing; I freely and heartily yield all things to your pleasure and disposal.

And now, O glorious and blessed Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, you are mine and I am yours. So be it.  And the covenant which I have made on Earth, let it be ratified in Heaven. Amen.

HE IS THE ALPHA AND OMEGA

In 1994 my father preached this message at Faith Crusaders Church in Urbana, Illinois. Though he went to heaven in 2007, his words are yet inspiring.

"Who is He in yonder stall,

At whose feet the shepherds fall?

'Tis the Lord, O wondrous story!

 'Tis the Lord, The King of Glory! 

At His feet, we humbly fall,

Crown Him, Crown Him

Lord of All!"

Revelation 1:4-8.   

"John to the seven church which are in Asia:  Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits (the Holy Spirit) which are before his throne;  And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth.  Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever.  Amen.  Behold, he cometh with clouds, and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him:  and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him.  Even so, Amen.  I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, which is to come, the Almighty."

"I am Alpha and Omega!  It is as if He had said, "I am A to Z," for Alpha is the first, and Omega the last letter of the Greek alphabet.  He is our everything.   

If He is the A to Z, then He is the Second Adam.  The first Adam forfeited our life; the second Adam reclaimed it for us.  He is our Advocate, He is the Almighty God, the Everlasting Father, He is the Amen.  He is the Apostle of our Profession, He is the Arm of the Lord, He is the Author and Finisher of our Faith, He is the Author of Eternal Salvation!

He is the Beginning of the Creation of God, the Beloved Son.  He is the Blessed and only Potentate.  He is the BRANCH.  He is the Bread of Life.

He is the Captain of our Salvation, He is the Chief Shepherd, He is the Christ of God, He is the Consolation of Israel, He is the Chief Cornerstone, He is the Counselor, He is the Creator.

He is the Dayspring.  He is the Deliverer, He is the Desired of All Nations.  He is the Door!

He is the Elect of God, He is the Everlasting Father, He is the Faithful Witness, the First and the Last.  He is the First Begotten, and He is the Forerunner that is entered within the veil.

He is the Glory of God, He is God Himself Incarnate, He is God Blessed forever.   He is the Good Shepherd!   He is the Governor.  He is the Great High Priest.

He is the Head of the Church, the Heir of All Things.   He is the Holy Child, He is the Holy One, the Holy One of God, the Holy One of Israel.  He is the Horn of Our Salvation.

He is the Great I AM.  He is the Image of God.  He is Immanuel, God with us!

He is Jehovah, He is Jesus our Savior.  He is Jesus of Nazareth, He is the Judge of Israel, He is the Just One.

He is the King, He is the King of the Ages, He is the King of the Jews.  He is the King of all Kings, and the King of Saints!

He is the Lawgiver.  He is the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world.  He is our Leader, our Life.  He is the Light of the World.  He is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah and He is the Lord of All.  He is the Lord of Glory.  He is the Lord of Lords.  He is the Lord our Righteousness.

He is a Man of Sorrows, and acquainted with grief.  He is our Mediator.  He is the Messenger of the Covenant, the Messiah.  He is the Mighty God, He is the Mighty One.  He is the bright and Morning Star.

He is The Nazarene.

He is the Only Begotten Son.  He is our Passover.

He is the Prince of Kings.  He is the Prince of life.  He is the Prince of Peace, and He is our Prophet, Priest and King!

He is the Quencher of thirst for the Water of Life.

He is the Redeemer, the Resurrection and the Life.  He is our Rock and our Salvation.  He is the Root of David, and the Rose of Sharon.

He is our Savior.  He is the Seed of the Woman spoken of in Genesis, and the great Shepherd and Bishop of our souls.  He is the Son of the Blessed, the Son of David, the Son of God.  He is the Son of Man.  He is the Son of Righteousness.

He is the True Light.  He is the True Vine.  He is the TRUTH.

He is the Unleavened Bread that came down from Heaven. 

He is the Vine of whom we are but branches.

He is the true Witness.

And I violate the spelling to say, He is the One who speaks from the more Xcellent Glory!

He is the Word of God, made manifest that we should behold His glory, as of the glory of the Father, full of grace and truth.

He is One who is Yea and Amen!

And what to do for a "Z"?  Why He is Savior of Zacchaeus, and of all who have fallen into the depths and dregs of sin!  Respectable sinners.  Disreputable sinners.  Jesus Christ is Savior of us all.

"Zacchaeus, come down.  I am going to your house today!"  Glorious invitation, and issued yet again:  "Come down in repentance and faith!  Jesus will go home with you today!"

TIDINGS OF COMFORT AND JOY

“Merrrry Christmas!”   The Town Crier lifted his voice above the chatter of villagers excitedly walking down the cobblestone streets of the 16^th century English village.  It might have been Stratford.  Or maybe it was Oxford.  Perhaps it was Epworth.  Actually it was probably all three, and in hundreds of other villages and towns scattered throughout Britain. Then the Crier began to sing:

“GOD rest ye merry Gentlemen,

LET NOTHING YOU DISMAY!

Remember CHRIST our SAVIOR, was born on Christmas day!

To SAVE US ALL from SATAN’S POWER,

When we were gone astray,

OH, TIDINGS OF COMFORT AND JOY!

COMFORT AND JOY!

OH, TIDINGS OF COMFORT AND JOY!”

As I was asking the LORD for direction at this Christmas Season, I was captured by two words of the carol—COMFORT and JOY!  I thought how illusory and temporary is the comfort of this world.

Jesus himself emphasized the difference between that which the world offers, and what He would bring.  In speaking of PEACE, Jesus said, “my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:27).

The only PEACE that the world knows is the peace that is imposed by the threat or the actual use of external force.  But THE PEACE THAT IS FROM ABOVE is imparted by GOD to HIS People.  The prophet declares, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee, because he trusteth in Thee.”  (Isaiah 26:30)

The only COMFORT that the world knows is the comfort that comes from those around us.  I have often been amazed at the silly words people offer to those who are grieving. I’ve stood at the side of the departed and listened as friends have consoled themselves saying, “she has her angel wings now.”  I have no idea where this idea came from, but it certainly wasn’t God’s Word. 

The COMFORT that comes from GOD the FATHER, GOD the SON, and GOD the HOLY SPIRIT is based on the infallible, immutable, Promises of GOD’S WORD.  Our source is the all-knowing, all-powerful, ever-present GOD who is the CREATOR of the universe.  Our security is in the CHRIST who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity.  Our assurance comes from the HOLY GHOST who “bears witness with our spirits,” “intercedes for us with groanings which cannot be uttered,” and sanctifies the hearts of the redeemed.

The only LOVE that the world knows is sensual (physical) and temporal.  Too often what the world calls love is actually only infatuation.  The LOVE that comes from Heaven is LOYAL, SPIRITUAL, and ETERNAL!  The Scriptures tell us that this love is longsuffering, always kind, never envious, and does not push itself forward in pride.  The LOVE that GOD imparts,

Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own,

is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

Charity never faileth:   (1 Corinthians 13)

The PEACE, the COMFORT, the LOVE of GOD are all so different from that of this world. 

Even the GODLY SORROW is different from the SORROW of this world.  When the world is sorrowful over their misdeeds, they are just sorry they were caught.   But GODLY SORROW, the Bible tells us, WORKS REPENTANCE!  That means that GODLY SORROW brings us to the point of sincere repentance.  We are not only sorrow for our sins, we are sorry enough that we will, with God’s help, turn from them!  All of them!

And there is this truth.  THE JOY OF THE LORD is totally different from the HAPPINESS of this world.  The world’s happiness depends on happenings or circumstances.  They are happy when they get a new car.  They are happy when people applaud them.  They are happy when they sit down to a delicious meal.  But when the car is wrecked, when the crowds are gone, and when the meal is finished, then what?

GODLY JOY is centered in CHRIST.  Jesus encouraged His disciples, “These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.”  (John 15:11-14)

That’s why CHRISTIANS can take joy even amidst trials and tribulations—they know that their joy is not based on the things of this earth. 

My daughter recently checked out an Apple I-pad from her school library.  As we launched “Google Earth” a program that will literally take you around the world, we looked for the Colosseum in Rome.  It was so amazing to see that screen travel around the world to Italy, then close in on Rome, and finally take us to the Colosseum.  As we looked, I told Tressa about the Christians who died there as thousands of Romans jeered in the stands.  I told her how that parents were forced to watch their children thrown to the lions, how husbands would watch their wives eaten by the ravenous beasts, and how that finally the men would be tortured and killed. 

As we talked about those ominous days, days when thousands were martyred for their faith in Christ, I was reminded again of our Savior who “for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the Father.” (Hebrews 12:2).  

Ah this is a joy that is, as the Apostle Peter tells us, “joy unspeakable, and full of glory!” (1 Peter 1:8).

Dear readers, at this season, do not forget:

OUR COMFORT,

OUR PEACE,

OUR LOVE, and

OUR JOY

are found in the SAVIOR who was born of the virgin in the City of David!  Now that is what I call, “Tidings of comfort and joy!”