It may come as a surprise to some that John Wesley recognized the bondage of man's will in sin. He had no doubt about it. He wrote, "Though he strive with all his might, he cannot conquer, sin is mightier than he. He would fain escape; but he is so fast in prison, that he cannot get forth."
Wesley wrote further about the bondage of man's will in sin. "Such is the freedom of his will; free only to evil; free to drink iniquity like water; to wander farther and farther from the living God, and do more despite the Spirit of grace."
Statements like we have read from Wesley shows the influence of Reformation theology. Even more so, he followed the teaching of Scripture on the bondage of man's will in sin (Romans 3:10-18). He realized that man as a sinner is in a hopeless situation without the grace of God in Christ. He knew that the answer was found only through faith in Christ. "Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed" (John 8:36). That is free will in Christ alone.
Wesley wrote from the background of Reformation theology, when he wrote of man's bondage in sin. He proved to be sound according to Scripture on this issue. No wonder that Charles Spurgeon said of Wesley, "if there were wanted two apostles to be added to the number of the twelve, I do not believe that there could be found two men more fit to be so added than George Whitefield and John Wesley."
