One phrase you might hear United Methodists use often is “means of grace”, but what does that phrase mean? The means of grace are vital practices we engage in every day in order to deepen our relationship with God, live out the teachings of Christ and allow the Holy Spirit to grant us renewed hope and strength in our spiritual journey.
Wesleyan Grace
Grace was at the heart of original Methodist movement started by the Rev. John Wesley in the 18th Century. Wesley defines grace as the sum total of all God’s gifts and blessings upon humanity from the moment of creation onward.
“For there is nothing we are, or have, or do, which can deserve the least thing at God's hand. ‘All our works, Thou, O God, hast wrought in us.’ These, therefore, are so many more instances of free mercy: and whatever righteousness may be found in man, this is also the gift of God” Salvation By Faith.
Wesley believed we experienced grace in three stages of prevenient/preventing, justifying and sanctifying grace. Prevenient grace precedes faith, leading one toward God and allowing for righteous action prior to justification. Justification occurs when a person accepts the Christian faith and receives assurance of God’s forgiveness and love. It is the moment we begin to accept the faith and find our hope in God’s almighty grace. Sanctification is the next step through which by God’s continued grace and our newfound faith we strive to live out Christ’s teachings fully.
Wesley focused a great deal of time on sanctification because he believed Christians not only had to freely accept the Christian faith, but also live according to the Gospel. For Wesley having faith did not just mean having the right beliefs or doctrines, but living a life transformed by the Holy Spirit to be more Christ-like. Christians become sanctified through the means of grace.
For a more in-depth explanation of Wesley’s teachings on the different stages of grace, read Bishop Kenneth L. Carder’s piece A Wesleyan understanding of grace.
Questions:
- How would you define grace to someone unfamiliar with Christianity?
- Why did Wesley argue that living a Christian life was just as important as holding the right beliefs?
Practicing the means of grace
As part of the sanctification process Christians engage in spiritual disciplines that help them deepen their relationship with God, form positive spiritual habits and cultivate authentic expressions of Christian love and compassion. Wesley referred to these practices as means of grace, because they are “the ordinary channels whereby he [God] might convey to men, preventing, justifying, or sanctifying grace…” The Means of Grace.
Wesley identifies three essential means of grace that Christians throughout time have always observed: prayer, scripture and the sacrament of communion. In prayer, we turn to God for help, strength and/or forgiveness while opening ourselves up to God’s guidance. In hearing, reading and reflecting on scripture we consult Christ’s teachings and allow the Holy Spirit to speak to us through them. Communion is one of the most tangible ways we receive God’s grace. During the sacrament, we confess and repent our sins, acknowledge our continued need for God, reaffirm our Christian beliefs and show our love for one another through the sharing of the meal.
There are many other means of grace beyond these three, however. While there is no exhaustive list, a means of grace is any practice that invites God’s transformative grace into our lives. Traditionally Methodists have divided the various means of grace into two general categories of works of piety and works of mercy. The best way to understand them is to frame them around the highest commandment to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” Luke 10:27
- Why do you think Wesley considered scripture, prayer and communion the three most important means of grace?
- Why is it important to practice the means of grace regularly after we have accepted the Christian faith?
Works of Piety
Works of piety are the various ways we show our love and faith in God and invite the power of the Holy Spirit into our lives. These include prayer, sacraments, any kind of corporal worship, private devotional exercises, fasting, etc.
If you have ever participated in a covenant discipleship group, you know they divide works of piety into two subgroups of acts of devotion and worship. Devotional acts often occur in private or small group settings and include practices such as prayer, meditation or scripture reading. It means giving of one's personal time and energy to God beyond that of communal worship. It is one way we practice putting God first in our lives.
Acts of worship are communal and occur in more public settings. Worship acts include singing, sharing communion or reciting of prayers and creeds together during a church service. Communal acts of worship are important for several reasons. Christ himself tells us that where two or more are gathered in his name he is also present (Matthew 18:20). Communal practices are also a way Christians build strong bonds with each other. Finally, they offer a vital teaching tool as God often speaks to us through the words or witness of other people. Christianity is a fundamentally communal faith.
Questions:
- How do you express your love for God on a daily basis?
- What acts of worship (singing, praying, communion, etc.) bring you the most joy? Why?
- Why do you think personal and communal works of piety are equally important?
Works of Mercy
Works of mercy focus on loving one’s neighbor, however, because it is God’s command that we love our neighbor, we are also expressing our faithfulness to God through works of mercy. Along with making us better followers of Christ’s social teachings, works of mercy help us develop greater empathy as we build positive relationships with our immediate neighbors and the larger human community.
Works of mercy can be divided into two subgroups of acts of compassion and acts of justice. Compassion refers to personal and direct expressions of kindness toward others such as comforting someone in mourning, visiting the sick, feeding the homeless or giving to charity. Compassion often provides direct and hands-on love and support to our neighbors.
Acts of justice are more communal and focused toward righting societal injustices. When churches engage in advocacy or protest on behalf of others such as oppressed minorities, they're carrying out acts of justice. Acts of justice go a bit further than compassion in trying to either reform or end unjust practices, laws or conditions in society in accordance with the kind of loving human relationships called for in Christ’s Sermon on the Mount.
Questions:
- Who are the neighbors in your community who you think need to be shown Christian love the most?
- What are some of the ways your church could advocate for justice on behalf of others?
- Why are acts of compassion and justice equally important to the Christian life?
Small Group Meetings
The means of grace are essential because our need for God’s love and guidance never goes away. God’s grace is like the very air we breathe in that our need for it is constant. One way Wesley ensured his followers continued to practice the means of grace was by instituting small group meetings. Along with attending weekly public worship, Methodists were expected to meet together weekly to check in on each other.
The meetings typically involved a prayer and the reading of scripture, but most of the time was reserved for accountability. In many ways, the meetings were like modern-day recovery groups where each member would be asked to share on the state of their soul and encourage each other in their attempts to more fully follow Christ’s teachings. By asking them how they engaged in works of piety and mercy, the group held their members accountable. Small groups were also a vital ministry tool where Methodists could share ideas for engaging their community and organize outreach ministries among themselves. These groups were one of the reasons why the Methodists were so effective in helping the poor in their community.
Though much has changed since Wesley organized the first Methodist societies in 18th Century Britain, small groups are still proving to be one of the best methods for making new disciples and it’s not hard to see why. Jesus himself knew better than anyone that a small and committed group of people bound together by the love of God could change the world when he called his 12 disciples.
Questions:
- Why is it important for us to participate in small groups/classes on top of going to regular worship services?
- Why was accountability such an important principle in the early Methodist movement?
Conclusion
The means of grace are ways in which Christians continue to receive God’s transforming love as they undergo the process of sanctification. When we practice the means of grace, we are not just taking in God’s love, but carrying it into the world to share with others. John Wesley believed Christian faith began inside the heart from which it flows out into the world, spreading love, holiness and mercy broadly.
Other Resources
- John Wesley Sermons, ResourceUMC.org
- A Wesleyan understanding of grace by Bishop Kenneth L. Carder
- The gift of grace by Cecile S. Holmes
- The Wesleyan Means of Grace, Umc.org
- Covenant Discipleship Groups, Discipleship Ministries