June 27, 1760: A Word from John Wesley

On June 27, 1760, John Wesley—tireless preacher and organizer of the evangelical revival in England—wrote in a letter, “Every one, though born of God in an instant, yet undoubtedly grows by slow degrees.” His sentence became a steadying guide for awakened believers who longed to be holy but were tempted to measure grace only by dramatic moments.

The Man and the Movement

Wesley’s ministry stretched across England, from crowded London streets to mining towns and fields where open-air preaching gathered the overlooked. Often on horseback and frequently opposed, he labored with unusual courage, not for personal fame but to call sinners to Christ and to form them into disciplined communities marked by prayer, Scripture, and love for neighbor.

New Birth: God’s Decisive Work

Wesley insisted that salvation begins with God’s action, not ours. The new birth is not earned by moral striving; it is a real change God brings in an instant, creating new desires and a new allegiance. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Growth: Slow Degrees of Obedience and Repentance

Wesley also refused a counterfeit holiness that boasts in sudden experiences while neglecting daily obedience. True maturity is a lifelong journey: repentance that stays tender, faith that keeps leaning on Christ, and habits that train the heart—private prayer, searching the Scriptures, regular worship, and works of mercy. “being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will continue to perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6)

Guardrails Against Despair and Pride

His counsel protected believers from despair when progress felt slow, and from pride when emotions ran high. The Spirit’s work is often quiet, like a steady flame rather than a flash.

Lasting Encouragement

Wesley’s words still invite Christians to patient holiness: to rise again after failure, to confess sin quickly, to forgive freely, and to trust God’s shaping hand day by day—until Christ is fully formed in His people.