A poem was written by Charles Wesley in 1739=
to commemorate the anniversary of his conversion to Christ on May 21, 1738=
=2E Remember, like so many who call themselves “christian” toda=
y, Wesley worked, studied, gave, prayed, even being ordained, and served as=
a foreign missionary but had never actually been BORN AGAIN by faith alone=
(not by his good, religious works). He gave, he sacrificed, he followed ch=
urch rituals and rites, even taking the dangerous voyage to North America t=
o make “christians” of natives. But after all this lamented, &#=
8220;I came to convert the Indians, but, oh, who will convert me?”
Since the early hymnals of the Methodist Chur=
ch, the hymn “For the Anniversary Day of One’s Conversion” has traditionally held a place of honor as the opening hymn. It is the 1=
8-stanza testimony of Wesley. What exactly had happened? Wesley wrote=
in his diary so all could understand: In the evening I went very unwill=
ingly to a society in Aldersgate Street, where one was reading Luther’s Pre=
face to the Epistle to the Romans. About a quarter before nine, while he wa=
s describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Chris=
t, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ a=
lone for salvation, and an assurance was given me that he had taken away my=
sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.
In the preceding years he believed that he had to be=
righteous BEFORE God would accept him as His child. He believed that a per=
son must be holy before Christ would restore them to right relationship wit=
h the Father. In other words, prior to his Aldersgate experience Wesley bel=
ieved that good works preceded justification by faith. Now he knew that FIR=
ST one must believe that Christ makes him acceptable to God. Christ’s=
shed blood alone redeems and makes him a child of God. Salvation is a pure=
gift of God’s amazing grace. Nothing he could ever do or say could earn Go=
d’s love and acceptance. Only then, AFTER being spiritually born again, cou=
ld he do the good works and will of God.
O=
ne year after this life-changing event, the impact of God’s grace and=
conversion of Charles is seen in each stanza. Read (or sing) it with his e=
yes, the “chief of sinners” he calls himself, praising God that=
from his religious blindness he had seen the light! And (I pray) the light=
of being born again apart from works will shine for you! For me, it =
was March 17th, 1957, and I will never forget that day for all e=
ternity!
Glory to God, and praise a=
nd love
be ever, ever given,
by saints below and saints above,
the=
church in earth and heaven.On this glad day the glorious Sunof Righteousness arose;
on my benighted soul He shone
and filled it=
with repose.Sudden expired the legal strife,
’twas then I c=
eased to grieve;
my second, real, living life
I then began to live.Then with my heart I first believed,
believed with faith divin=
e,
power with the Holy Ghost received
to call the Savior mine.I felt my Lord’s atoning blood
close to my soul applied;
me, me =
He loved, the Son of God,
for me, for me He died!=
I found and=
owned His promise true,
ascertained of my part,
my pardon passed in =
heaven I knew
when written on my heart.O for a thousand ton=
gues to sing
my dear Redeemer’s praise!
The glories of my God and Kin=
g,
the triumphs of His grace.My gracious Master and my God,assist me to proclaim,
to spread through all the earth abroad
the =
honors of Thy name.Jesus! the name that charms our fears,
th=
at bids our sorrows cease;
’tis music in the sinner’s ears,
‘ti=
s life, and health, and peace!He breaks the power of canceled s=
in,
He sets the prisoner free;
His blood can make the foulest clean;His blood availed for me!He speaks and listening to His voic=
e
new life the dead receive;
the mournful, broken hearts rejoice,
=
the humble poor believe.Hear Him, ye deaf, His praise, ye dumb=
,
your loosened tongues employ;
ye blind, behold your Savior come,and leap, ye lame, for joy.Look unto Him, ye nations, own
y=
our God, ye fallen race!
Look, and be saved through faith alone,
be j=
ustified by grace!See all your sins on Jesus laid;
the Lamb =
of God was slain,
His soul was once an offering made
for every soul o=
f man.Harlots and publicans and thieves,
in holy triumph joi=
n!
Saved is the sinner that believes
From crimes as great as mine.Murderers and all ye hellish crew,
ye sons of lust and pride,believe the Savior died for you;
for me the Savior died.Aw=
ake from guilty nature’s sleep,
and Christ shall give you light;
cast=
all your sins into the deep,
and wash the Ethiop white.Wit=
h me, your chief, you then shall know,
shall feel your sins forgiven;anticipate your heaven below
and own that love is heaven.
~~
Dr Bob Griffin
[email protected] www.grif.net
"Jesus Knows Me, This I Love!=
"