A Testimony of Grace

“Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God: To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just and justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.” (Romans 3:25-26)

There is no Doctrine in all of Scripture more significant, in fact it is THE DOCTRINE of ALL of Scripture, how that God is just to justify wretched sinners without lowering His standard of justice. This Truth revealed is the means that God has converted the hearts of sinners since the fall of man and by which He does continue to the end of time to draw sinners to Christ. The Spirit of Grace takes this Message, which no sinner would otherwise know and brings the souls of those for whom Christ paid the debt, to Him, not simply in the academic knowledge of salvation but the very assurance of it to the hearts of those for whom Christ paid the debt.

One great example of this is in the life of William Cowper (pronounced ‘Cooper.’) He was a well-known poet and hymn writer in the 1700’s, who penned a number of hymns the Church sings today such as‘There Is a Fountain [filled with blood].’

What many may not know is that William Cowper suffered great depression and agony of mind and soul and it was out of these seasons of despair that the LORD brought Peace (Christ) to his soul and from those times wrote the enduring hymns that we sing today.

During one of these periods when he could not find peace and he was in his room pacing back and forth, feeling utterly hopeless, not knowing whether he could live another second. Suddenly, in sheer desperation he sat down on a chair by the window. There was a Bible there and according to Cowper’s own testimony he wrote, ‘The passage which met my eye was the twenty-fifth verse of the third chapter of Romans. On reading it I received immediate power to believe. The rays of the Sun of Righteousness fell on me in all their fulness. I saw the complete expiation that Christ had wrought for my complete pardon and justification by His death. In an instant I believed and received the Peace of the Gospel. If the arm of the Almighty God had not supported me, I believe I should have been overwhelmed with gratitude and joy. My eyes filled with tears; transports choked my utterance. I could only look to Heaven in silent fear, overflowing with love and wonder!’