“Amazing grace! How sweet the sound, that saved a wretch; like me! I once was lost, but now am found, was blind, but now I see.”
As the beloved hymn penned by English clergyman John Newton states, God’s grace is indeed simply amazing! Newton, a former sailor in the Royal Navy, was involved in the 18th century Atlantic slave trade when a violent storm threatened to sink his ship, prompting him to cry out to God for mercy. A recipient of the “amazing grace” that flows freely to all who choose to receive God’s unmerited favor through faith in His Son Jesus Christ, Newton was converted to Christianity. He ultimately renounced his trade and sought to end slavery, and was ordained as a priest in the Church of England. The most famous of his hymns, “Amazing Grace” was inspired by Newton’s personal experience at sea as a heartfelt expression of his gratitude to God.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (Ephesians 2: 8-9)
Like John Newton’s, this God of grace hears our cries for mercy in the storms of life. Born slaves to sin and, thus, spiritually dead, we are liberated from our fleshly bondage by accepting Jesus’ payment of our sin debt in full. Christ demonstrated His amazing grace and boundless love by dying on the cross so that believers can be reborn spiritually into a living hope. Salvation is given solely as the gift of a gracious God to those who trust in Christ as their risen Savior, not as a result of our good deeds. We are saved for good works, not by them. This is our faithful God’s promise of grace (Romans 10:9): “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” Simply amazing!
“’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, and grace my fears relieved; how precious did that grace appear the hour I first believed!” (From “Amazing Grace” written in 1779)
