From John Wesley and B.T. Roberts to GC15 and Beyond– Part 2
“Holy and Happy”
John Wesley tried to fully describe in a letter to a pastor in 1748 what it meant to be Methodist. If you were to read his description, it predictably includes justification by faith and living out our salvation in righteousness and holiness, empowered by the Holy Spirit. But, he included phrases like “attended with the peace of God and joy in the Holy Ghost” and “being justified by faith we taste of the heaven to which we are going . . ; we are holy and happy. . . .” Such descriptions litter Wesley’s account of what it means to be a Methodist and what it means to experience Christian maturity. Peace, joy and tasting of something good and, yes, being happy as well. That is the stuff we are meant to experience. Yes, holiness and righteousness are front and center. That was the character of God in us that we were intended to live. But, when we live in that intended way- there is a soulfully good taste in our mouths.
Wesley accompanied holiness with happiness. By happy, he did not mean giddiness or flippancy or self-gratifying sensation or even the kind of ease that comes from having everything our way. He meant a soul satisfaction that is deep and yet brings joyful expression to the surface.
There were days and places in our history where Methodists stressed the holiness part in virtually every meeting. Happy was sometimes left out. The happiness that results from living in the center of God’s will was not always left in the conversation. The happy-regardless-of-the-circumstances was not always stressed. It is time for a revival of both- “holy and happy”. I would offer that when we are at our best, we carry the fragrance of Christ- both the grave and the resurrection fragrances. Our lives are holy and our choices pure. And, it is all accompanied by joy, hope and yes, happiness. There should be a winsomeness in our gait and a smile on our faces. Let’s be fully Christians the way that the founder of Methodism describes- holy and happy- and then see how God uses us. Perhaps we will have another revival as there was at the start. I am praying so.