The famous author of the hymn “Amazing Grace,” John Newton, died in 1807 after a long and fruitful ministry as a pastor. The epitaph on his gravestone in Olney, England, reads as follows;
“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, pardoned, and appointed to preach the faith he had long labored to destroy.”
His “Letters,” written to instruct inquiring converts, have long been a source of theological and pastoral counsel. Here are a few quotes from Newton’s letters. I hope you find them as edifying as I did. This post continues one begun last week.
Though we can do nothing spiritually of ourselves . . . yet there is a part assigned to us: resist the devil, purge ourselves from the filth of the flesh and spirit, give ourselves to reading, meditation and prayer, watch, put on the armor of God, abstain from every appearance of evil.
Faithfulness to light received will result in increasing measures of light and strength.
On loving Christ: What trifles are capable of shutting Him out of our thoughts!
Jesus is our wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, redemption. The more vile we are in our own eyes, the more precious He will be to us.
Though sin wars, it cannot reign; though it breaks our peace, it cannot separate us from His love.
(Believers) are not considered as in themselves, but as one with Jesus, to whom they have fled for refuge, and by whom they live the life of faith. They are accepted in the Beloved, they have an Advocate with the Father, who once made atonement for their sins, and ever lives to make intercession for their persons. Though they cannot fulfill the law, He has fulfilled it for them; though the obedience of the members (of the Body) is defiled and imperfect, the obedience of the Head is spotless and complete; and though there is much evil in them, there is something good, the fruit of His own gracious Spirit.
But when, after a long experience of their own deceitful hearts, after repeated proofs of their weakness, ingratitude, and insensibility, they find that none of these things can separate them from the love of God in Christ, Jesus becomes more and more precious to their souls. They love much because much has been forgiven them.
There is the unshakable ground of hope: a reconciled Father, a prevailing Advocate, a powerful Shepherd, a compassionate Friend, a Savior who is able and willing to save to the uttermost.
With respect to the past (the Christian) knows all things are become new. With respect to the present and the future, he leans upon the almighty arm and relies upon the word and power which made and upholds the heavens and the earth.
Avoid all that is incompatible with the gospel and the mind of Christ.
Resist the devil and he will flee. If he were to tempt you to anything criminal, you would . . . renounce it with abhorrence. Do the same when he tempts you to question the Lord’s compassion and goodness.
If we could go to heaven without suffering, we might be unwilling to desire it.
Moses could not have persuaded the Israelites to leave if they had been comfortable and prosperous in Egypt.
We are never more safe, never have more reason to expect the Lord’s help, than when we are most sensible that we can do nothing without him.
If we seem to get no good by attempting to draw near to Him, we may be sure we shall get none by keeping away from Him.
By affliction our prayers are quickened, for our prayers are very apt to grow languid and formal in a time of ease.
Many graces are impossible apart from affliction: patience, meekness, longsuffering, pity, self-knowledge.
We judge things by their present appearances, but the Lord sees them in their consequences.
Let us cast down the load we are unable to carry, and if the Lord be our Shepherd, refer all, and trust all, to Him.
Pastor Randy Faulkner