I love the old hymns, and have grown especially attached over the last few years to several of them. (Many of them are written below, if you wish to see them) In these particular hymns, the message of the cross, the gospel, is clearly explained. That is, there is only one way to attain righteousness in the sight of God, which is through the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross.
I could try to be a good person, but I cannot keep it together well enough. Even on my best days, I fall short of God's perfection. But praise God that in His mercy and love He provided a way. While the world was still in sin, God sent His only Son Jesus to be born of a virgin, so that Jesus would live the perfect sinless life we cannot. Then Jesus Christ was crucified, and there he took on Himself the sin of the world. There, He paid the price we could not pay; He paid the debt He did not owe.
As He died, He called out "It Is Finished!" His work was complete, and it is still complete. All that God requires for a sinner to be made righteous is to believe in Jesus. All God requires is that a sinner puts his/her faith in what Jesus accomplished on the cross, and God looks upon their sin no more.
That is the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ; that is the beauty of God's love, that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us that we might be restored to a relationship with God. Jesus Christ bore our sin and shame so that we could stand before God the Father without either. And it has nothing to do with our accomplishments, but everything to do with what Jesus accomplished for us.
Will you believe? Will you put your faith in Jesus? You don't have to wait until you're a better person - in fact, you can't even become a better person. The only righteousness that God considers in His perfection - and that is given as a free gift by God Himself. Willl you receive that gift by faith? It is all that God requires, to confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead so that you would have life and peace. Only faith in the Son of God can make a person right with God, and God has made that completely free. The blood of Jesus that washes away our sins has been made available - the question is, will you believe and receive it?
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"Jesus Paid It All"
I hear the Savior say, "Thy strength indeed is small,
Child of weakness, watch and pray, Find in me thine all in all."
(Chorus)
Jesus paid it all, All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow.
Lord, now indeed I find Thy power, and Thine alone
Can change the leper's spots, and melt the heart of stone.
(Chorus)
For nothing good have I whereby Thy grace to claim -
I'll wash my garments white in the blood of Calvary's Lamb.
(Chorus)
And when before the throne I stand in Him complete,
"Jesus died, my soul to save," My lips shall still repeat
(Chorus)
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"Nothing But the Blood"
What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
(Chorus)
Oh! precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow;
No other found I know,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
For my pardon this I see - Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
For my cleansing, this I plea - Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
(Chorus)
Nothing can for sin atone - Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
Naught of good that I have done - Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
(Chorus)
This is all my hope and peace - Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
This is all my righteousness - Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
(Chorus)
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"Are You Washed in the Blood?"
Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing power?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Are you fully trusting in His grace this hour?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
(Chorus)
Are you washed in the blood,
In the soul cleansing blood of the Lamb?
Are you garments spotless? Are they white as snow?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Are you walking daily by the Savior's side?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Do you rest each moment in the crucified?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
(Chorus)
When the Bridegroom cometh willl your robes be white?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Will your soul be ready for the mansions bright,
And be washed in the blood of the Lamb?
(Chorus)
Lay aside the garments that are stained with sin,
And be washed in the blood of the Lamb;
There's a fountain flowing for the soul unclean,
O be washed in the blood of the Lamb.
(Chorus)
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"Glory to His Name"
Down at the cross where my Savior died,
Down where for cleansing from sin I cried,
There to my heart was the blood applied;
Glory to His name!
I am so wondrously saved from sin,
Jesus so sweetly abides within,
There at the cross where He took me in;
Glory to His name!
Oh, precious fountain that saves from sin,
I am so glad I have entered in,
There Jesus saves me and keeps me clean;
Glory to His name!
Come to this fountain so rich and sweet;
Cast thy poor soul at the Savior's feet;
Plunge in today and be made complete;
Glory to His name!
