And can it be that I should gain
An interest in the Savior’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain—
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
Charles Wesley, 1738
I am not a big music guy. I hate signing because I am self-conscious about how bad I sound. I would generally be happy to skip singing entirely and just go right to the preaching. But I really love the hymn And Can It Be That I Should Gain? not just for the song itself but because of the deep theological themes that it brings up. That Jesus Christ would die for others, and not just others but that He would die for the very people who hated Him and caused Him such grief, that He died for those who wouldn't lift a finger to help Him. That I gain all for something done for me centuries before I was born. Jesus Christ left the side of His Father, the perfect comfort and glory and communion with the Father, to intentionally come to earth specifically to die to redeem a people to Himself. Not because it made Him more than He was but strictly as an act of mercy and grace, looking upon fallen humanity with pity and saving some in spite of themselves. That is indeed a God who is worthy of all praise and honor and glory, a God who demands nothing from us but instead provides us everything.
An interest in the Savior’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain—
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
Charles Wesley, 1738
I am not a big music guy. I hate signing because I am self-conscious about how bad I sound. I would generally be happy to skip singing entirely and just go right to the preaching. But I really love the hymn And Can It Be That I Should Gain? not just for the song itself but because of the deep theological themes that it brings up. That Jesus Christ would die for others, and not just others but that He would die for the very people who hated Him and caused Him such grief, that He died for those who wouldn't lift a finger to help Him. That I gain all for something done for me centuries before I was born. Jesus Christ left the side of His Father, the perfect comfort and glory and communion with the Father, to intentionally come to earth specifically to die to redeem a people to Himself. Not because it made Him more than He was but strictly as an act of mercy and grace, looking upon fallen humanity with pity and saving some in spite of themselves. That is indeed a God who is worthy of all praise and honor and glory, a God who demands nothing from us but instead provides us everything.
How can it be that I should gain from the Savior's blood? Because He was moved by pity and love and died for me, He did it all for His sheep.
3 comments:
Beautiful post, Arthur and I echo your thoughts.
I am amazed.. amazed that Jesus would love me so much to leave His throne and come to dwell among us.... and die for the sins of all mankind.
I am humbled & amazed,
gloria
I can substantiate Arthur's statement regarding his singing. At the T4G Conference, everyone standing next to Arthur kept looking at his hymnal convinced he must have been singing the wrong song.
I wasn't singing at T4G, I was bringing a prophetic word. You are just lucky I didn't slay you in the spirit.
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