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Opening Ourselves to Grace:
The Basics of Christian Discipleship

A RULE OF LIFE

“A rule of life is a pattern of spiritual disciplines that provides structure and direction for growth in holiness…. It fosters gifts of the Spirit in personal life and human community, helping to form us into the persons God intends us to be.”
(Marjorie J. Thompson, Soul Feast: An Invitation to the Christian Spiritual Life.)

Our United Methodist heritage gives some fruitful help here. In the Class Meetings, the Methodists “watched over one another in love.” Their life together was guided by the General Rules given to the United Societies by John Wesley. The General Rules are the Methodist rule of life.

This Methodist rule of life was general because it allowed for the diverse personalities, needs, and spiritual maturity of the members of the class meeting. It was a rule because it was a guide to help the Methodists orient their corporate and individual lives toward Christ and his life in the world. It was like a compass that helps keep a traveler on course to his or her destination. For the Methodists, the destination was holiness of heart and life. They were on a journey together guided by their rule of life. Being accountable to and with one another, “watching over one another in love,” helped them make progress along the way.

The General Rules are very simple:

1. Do no harm by avoiding evil of every kind; especially that which is most generally practiced…
   
2. Do good as often as you can to as many as you can, to their bodies and to their souls …
   
3. Practice the means of grace:
   • Private and family prayer
   • Public worship
   • Bible reading and study
   • The Lord’s Supper
   • Fasting or abstinence
     (The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church pages 72-74).

This is simple, basic Christianity. The General Rules help people grow in faith and love by following the teachings of Jesus Christ as he summarized them in Matthew 22:34-40 and John 13:34-35. They provide a model of balanced and varied discipleship. The rules help disciples keep a balance of what Wesley called “works of piety” (loving God) and “works of mercy” (loving your neighbor as yourself).

NEXT: Summing Up