John Newton: From Disgrace to Amazing Grace

This is the Amazing song which has my testimony behind it, along with several others. John Newton wrote the original lyrics to the song after encountering and receiving God’s Amazing Grace. I love hearing other’s testimonies and would encourage anyone to read a brief story of John Newton, then William Wilberforce; one man who crossed paths with Newton and became an abolitionist.

John Newton was the captain of a slave trade ship he owned. One night during a voyage home, his ship encountered a violent storm of which he attempted to steer through and would have initially sunk. This marked the beginning of a long journey for Newton as his eyes  became open. “He recorded in his journal that when all seemed lost and the ship would surely sink, he exclaimed, “Lord, have mercy upon us.” Later in his cabin he reflected on what he had said and began to believe that God had addressed him through the storm and that grace had begun to work for him.” Now read the lyrics:

"Amazing grace! How sweet the sound. That saved a wretch like me! I once was lost, but now am found; Was blind, but now I see… 'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, And grace my fears relieved; How precious did that grace appear. The hour I first believed…Through many dangers, toils and snares, I have already come; 'Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far, And grace will lead me home."

Although the beginning of the song describes John Newtown’s spiritual blindness before he came to Christ: ‘I was once was lost, but now am found; Was blind, but now I see,’ …Ironically towards the end of his life, Newton was faced with physical blindness struggling to read even text.  However, he continued to preach the Word of God for 43 years until old age at his Church in Olney, Buckinghamshire England. Shortly before passing away in 1807 at the age of eighty-two; Newton exclaimed: “My memory is nearly gone, but I remember two things, that I am a great sinner, and that Christ is a great Saviour."

What is grace? It’s is an unmerited gift from God of His love and mercy that we are unworthy of and can never boast apart from it. A good question to ask is: “Have I received God’s grace,” because once you do, you will have a life TRANSFORMATION and a heart change that will FOREVER impact your perspective of things. The next time you stand to sing this hymn in Church, if you have encountered God’s saving grace…Sing this song like you mean it and bear witness! :) His loving grace has captivated my heart and set me free. ♥