John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, believed that works of devotion, service, and love are necessary. Not to earn our salvation, but to mature our salvation.  And just like a tree that does not bear fruit, or a bird that has no song, or a star that produces no light, salvation without works is pointless. Even though we don’t earn our salvation by our works, we can’t use our salvation without works.  The phrase that Wesley coined here is that we must “work out our salvation.” We need to prove it, express it, and exercise it with our deeds. And this lies at the heart of what it means to be called “Methodist.”