"Amazing Grace"

"Amazing Grace" by John Newton*

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.

’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed!

Through many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
’Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promised good to me,
His Word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.

Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who called me here below,
Will be forever mine.

When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we’d first begun.

*John Newton was a slave trader before coming to Christ.

People forsake all manner of sin when they turn from their wicked ways and embrace JESUS CHRIST as their LORD and SAVIOR.

Some are quite offended that the likes of such evil can find a place at the LORD'S throne of mercy and grace. Who would imagine that the scum of the earth who had trafficked in human flesh could be saved?

The inability to fathom that possibility is due to the human vantage point from which we observe as opposed to GOD'S eternal vantage point. HE sees all mankind as depraved and lost in sin. HE does not measure man's sin by degrees but sees the entirety of it as the cause for CHRIST'S necessary sacrifice.

Prior to the execution of Ted Bundy, a notorious serial killer, he claimed his acceptance of JESUS as his SAVIOR. Ted Bundy claimed that his sins were washed away and he was bound for heaven.

Most people recoiled at that notion! It was offensive on so many levels, only one of which was the possibility that Bundy's own victims may not have repented; they may not have had the assurance that when he had done his evil work they would be in the bosom of Abraham.

Yet, if the words, "Whosoever will may come," are true, that heinous murderer is now rejoicing at the feet of JESUS.

There is a place at the cross for everyone who has ever sinned - there is a place for everyone. Your sins are neither too great nor too small to require your presence at the feet of JESUS. Your sins are neither too great nor too small to require the cleansing that only the shed blood of the SAVIOR can afford to you.

The WORD says, "Behold today is the day of salvation; behold now is the accepted time."

Would you have John Newton, former slave trader, and Ted Bundy, serial killer, at CHRIST'S throne while you languish -- lost for eternity?