It could be the most popular song in all of Christianity. It has been sung by artist world wide, been in movies and recorded over and over. But do you know the story of the man who wrote the song?
In a corner of the churchyard of Olney Parish Church there is a large tombstone on which the inscription reads: “John Newton, clerk, once an infidel and libertine, a servant of slaves in Africa, was by the rich mercy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ preserved, restored and appointed to preach the faith he had long labored to destroy.”
John Newton was the son of a sea captain engaged in Mediterranean trade. His mother died when he was 6, and after several years at school, he joined his father’s ship at the age of 11. Immorality, debauchery and failure followed. Rejected by his father and finally jailed and degraded, he later served on slave ships where he incurred the hatred of his employer’s black wife.
He was eventually brought to his senses by reading “The Imitation of Christ” by Thomas a Kempis, the great German preacher of the 13 and 1400’s. He gave is life to Christ and at the age of 39 he became a minister of the Gospel and was the pastor of the Olney Church for 15 years. He wrote many hymns but the most familiar is:
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.
What we need more than anything in life is the grace of God. There are three aspects of God’s grace – saving grace, sustaining grace and sanctifying grace.
God’s greatest demonstration of grace is seen in Jesus Christ! Without Jesus there is no grace. He is the very personification of grace.
It is only through a personal relationship with Jesus that a person can find forgiveness and healing. That is saving grace!
God’s grace sustains us as well. Do you realize that people outside of Christ have no assurance of Salvation? People as searching for security, peace and some sort of assurance of eternity but are not finding it.
I am amazed that God sustains my salvation despite my faults and short comings. Even through my failures He sustains me.
“Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him.” Romans 4:4-7
That is sustaining grace!
The grace of God should sanctify us. Sanctification is the act of becoming holy and godly. This process should start when we come in contact with God’s grace and surrender our lives to Jesus Christ. That’s sanctifying grace!
2 comments:
Love that song.
As my aunt lay dying five years ago, she requested Amazing Grace to be performed for her funeral, on bagpipes. She loved the bagpipes and anything celtic.
Weak, and unable to communicate via phone, I sent letters to her. They were read to her by a friend, and in one of them, I shared the story of her favorite hymn. I used it as a witnessing tool. She died before I could make it home to see her and I have no idea if she had a relationship with Christ.
I can trust God's justice. I fear it.
I hope she accepted that Amazing Grace.
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