In the Methodist tradition, Christian perfection does not mean being morally flawless or never making mistakes.
Instead, it is a way of speaking about how God’s love can shape a person’s whole life over time.
Methodist founder, John Wesley, used the term to describe a deep and growing love for God and neighbour, rather than a state of human perfection.
Christians believe that God’s grace is at work throughout their lives: forgiving, healing and transforming them. Christian perfection points to the hope that this grace can become so central that love increasingly shapes a person’s intentions, attitudes, and actions. It is about being renewed in love, not about achieving spiritual success or self-improvement through effort alone.
Methodists understand this as a dynamic, ongoing journey rather than a final destination. People continue to grow, to be challenged and to rely on God’s grace. Christian perfection is therefore less about what a person has achieved, and more about becoming open to what God is doing within them, through the Holy Spirit.
This way of speaking encourages Christians to take discipleship seriously while remaining humble and realistic about human limitations. It holds together confidence in God’s transforming love with compassion for ourselves and others, trusting that God’s purpose is always greater love: for God, for neighbour and for the world.
To speak of Christian perfection is to affirm that there is no limit to what God’s grace can achieve in us.
