revrogesison
Justifying grace is a central concept in Wesleyan theology, encapsulating the transformative experience that occurs when individuals are reconciled with God through faith in Jesus Christ. Defined as the little-deserved favor of God granted to sinners, justifying grace means not only the forgiveness of sin but also the declaration of justice before God. This theological principle is at the heart of the teachings of John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement, which posits that only by faith – a gift of God–do individuals come to live a deep transformation that leads to salvation. According to Wesley, the justification of grace is essential to allow believers to recognize their sinful state and receive the love of God, which acts as a catalyst for change in their lives (Olson, 2024).
Wesley’s theological framework underlines that the justification for grace is an immediate personal experience that occurs at the time of faith. This belief follows from his emphasis on the importance of personal experience in the lives of believers. Unlike other theological perspectives that consider grace mainly as a distant or abstract concept, Wesley stressed its experiential nature, suggesting that individuals must actively accept this grace to feel divine forgiveness. Wesley’s justification of grace is intimately linked to the concepts of conviction of sin, repentance, and assurance of salvation. He marks the transition of a state of distance from God to that of acceptance and relationship, strengthening faith as a personal and communal journey.
