By Christian Perfection, I mean, 1. Loving God with all our heart. Do you object to this? I mean, 2. A heart and life all devoted to God. Do you desire less? I mean, 3. Regaining the whole image of God. What objection to this? I mean, 4. Having all the mind that was in Christ. Is this going too far? I mean, 5. Walking uniformly as Christ walked. And this surely no Christian will object to. If any one means anything more, or anything else by Perfection, I have no concern with it.

—Journal, 3.369

Christian perfection does not imply an exemption from ignorance, or mistake, or infirmities, or temptations; but that it does imply the being so crucified with Christ, as to be able to testify, “I live not but Christ lives in me.” (Galatians 2:20) and has “purified my heart by faith.” (Acts 15.9.) It does imply “the being holy, as he that has called us is holy, in all manner of conversation:” (2 Corinthians 10:5; 1 Peter 1:15;) and, in a word, “the loving the Lord our God with all our heart, and serving him with all our strength.”

—An Earnest Appeal to Men of Reason and Religion, 8.22

Today we continue our celebration/commemoration of Wesley’s Aldersgate experience by highlighting one of his distinctive contributions to theology: Christian perfection.

A year or two after, Mr. Law’s “Christian Perfection” and “Serious Call” were put into my hands. These convinced me, more than ever, of the absolute impossibility of being half a Christian; and I determined, through his grace, (the absolute necessity of which I was deeply sensible of,) to be all-devoted to God, to give him all my soul my body, and my substance.

—A Plain Account of Christian Perfection, 11.367