Words that Only Some Western Christians May Sing

1 A debtor to mercy alone,
of covenant mercy I sing;
nor fear, with Your righteousness on,
my person and off’ring to bring.
The terrors of law and of God
with me can have nothing to do;
my Savior’s obedience and blood
hide all my transgressions from view.

2 The work which His goodness began,
the arm of His strength will complete;
His promise is yea and amen,
and never was forfeited yet.
Things future, nor things that are now,
nor all things below or above,
can make Him His purpose forgo,
or sever my soul from His love.

3 My name from the palms of His hands
eternity will not erase;
impressed on His heart it remains,
in marks of indelible grace.
Yes, I to the end shall endure,
as sure as the earnest is giv’n;
more happy, but not more secure,
the glorified spirits in heav’n. (Augustus Toplady, 1771)

7 thoughts on “Words that Only Some Western Christians May Sing

  1. Amen. There are many who want to say that “the law is filled with grace” , but Romans 6 teaches us that the justified elect have a different relation to divine law not because of a new ability but because of being placed into Christ’s death.

    Those who speak of “definitive sanctification” because of a new disposition should not be confused with those who speak of “positional sanctification” because of legal identification with Christ and His death. . A careful reading of Romans 6 denies that the reason sin shall not reign is not because “we will not practice sin (so much) anymore”. The reason sin shall not reign over those set apart by Christ’s blood is–“no longer under the law.”

    Romans 6:7 “For one who has died has been justified from sin. 8 Now since we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer rules over Christ. 10 For the death Christ died Christ died to sin once for all time

    Romans 6:14 Sin will not rule over you, BECAUSE you are not under law but under grace.

    Smeaton, The Apostles Doctrine of the Atonement –It is a mistake to not carry Romans 5 into Romans 6. If we carry the thought of the representative character of the two Adams from the one chapter into the other, then the difficulty vanishes. All men sinned in the first man’s act of sin; for that public act was representative, and all Adam’s offspring were included in it. There here have been but two men in the world, with the two families of which they are the heads. t

    Smeaton: It is said that “we died to sin (verse 2). As this phrase is misunderstood quite frequently, we must discover what it really means. It frequently occurs in the writings of Paul in different forms, and it always alludes, not to an inward deliverance from sin, but to the Christian’s objective relation. It means that we are legally dead to sin in Jesus Christ.
    This is made very clear by two other expressions occurring in the section. The first of these passages applies the same language to the Lord Himself; for He is said to have died to sin once (verse 10). Now the ONLY sense in which the Sinless One can be regarded as dying to sin, is that of dying to its guilt, or to the condemning power which goes along with sin, and which must run its course wherever sin has been committed. Christ died to guilt. . Christ certainly did not die to sins indwelling power.

    Smeaton–The second of these phrases shows that this dying was the meritorious cause of our justification. “He that is dead has been justified from sin”. The words mean that we were one with Christ in His obedience unto death, just like we were one with Adam in his disobedience. Christ’s death to sin belongs to us, and is as much ours as if we had born the penalty ourselves. And the justification by which we are forgiven and accepted has no other foundation.Romans 5 describes all this in the third person, whereas Romans 6 describes it in the first person..

    Smeaton–It might be asked, “can’t we understand that these statements designate two separate actions, one done by Christ, and a similar or parallel one by us?” No. The acts are not two, but one. There is not one crucifixion on the part of Christ, and a second, parallel and similar but different, crucifixion on the part of His people. There is but one corporate act—the act of “one for many.”

    Anglican Toplady—my names impressed on His heart remains in marks of indelible grace.

    Psalm 110:3 –Your people will be made willing in the day of your power

    an ex- Lutheran —“I locate just as much free will and decision theology at the back door of Lutheranism than is found at the front door of evangelicalism. The evangelicals use their mightier than Gods will to decide to accept Christ, while the Lutherans believe you can will away the imputed alien righteousness of Christ. Both are guilty of a similar deed of adding a decision to the gift-one in the giving of it the other the ungifting of it-but both are contributing and thus taking away from it -one is helping God accomplish it and the other is overpowering and rending asunder what He has done.
    ..What comfort is it for God to say cooperate with the gift inasmuch as you don’t someday decide to walk away and reject me. You must be faithful to the sacraments and keep believing. All the while knowing that we continually fall short of the glory of God. Lutherans claim a difference with Arminians teaching while Arminians can lose their salvation by sinning it away, that Lutherans do not believe you can lose it by falling into sin, but by rejecting Christ. Well rejecting Christ is a sin-not believing is a sin ”

    https://oldlife.org/2009/03/26/what-if-lutherans-and-reformed-agreed-on-sanctification

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  2. From whence this fear and unbelief?
    Hath not the Father put to grief
    His spotless Son for me?
    And will the righteous Judge of men
    Condemn me for that debt sin
    Which, Lord, was charged on thee? Complete atonement thou hast made,
    And to the utmost farthing paid
    Whate’er thy people owed;
    How then can wrath on me take place
    If sheltered in thy righteousness,
    And sprinkled with thy blood?

    If thou hast my discharge procured,
    And freely in my room endured
    The whole of wrath divine,
    Payment God cannot twice demand–
    First at my bleeding Surety’s hand,
    And then again at mine.

    http://www.reformation21.org/blog/2015/01/wesley-and-the-death-of-toplad-1.php

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  3. Rock of Ages, Cleft for you all but then God causes the elect to accept the offer?

    Not the labor of my hands
    Can fulfill Thy law’s demands;
    Could my zeal no respite know,
    Could my tears forever flow,
    All for sin could not atone;
    Thou must save, and Thou alone.

    Nothing in my hand I bring,
    Simply to Thy cross I cling;
    Naked, come to Thee for dress;
    Helpless, look to Thee for grace;
    Foul, I to the fountain fly;
    Wash me, Savior, or I die.

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