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35 - The unfairness of grace
Kirk Reflections 18th June 2023.
John McPhee brings this week's reflection from Kirkliston Parish Church, Scotland.
HE UNFAIRNESS OF GRACE
Bitter about life and toward Christianity because of his circumstances, He began his downward spiral into degradation. When he learned that the Herwick was preparing to embark on a five-year voyage around the world, he tried to desert. However, a few sailors spotted him, dragged him back to the ship, flogged him, and demoted him. He lost his status as an officer in training and was forced to travel around the globe. Without hope in the world, He considered suicide. Nothing except an act of the Almighty God Himself could intervene in his life.
Not caring about much of anything except being able to escape life aboard the British ship, eventually He reached the coast of Sierra Leone where he became the servant of a slave trader. His job was to capture African men and women, transport them abroad, and force them into slavery. What was ironic was that aboard this slave ship, He was also treated as a slave by his bosses. Over the years he hopped from slave ship to slave ship and was enveloped by the darkness around him.
Then, as if God was just waiting for the absolute right moment, He reached down His hand and grabbed him by the shirt-tails. On this night, he happened upon a copy of The Imitation of Christ, the message of which cut him straight to the heart. And that very night a severe storm slammed the ship. Everyone on board almost sank to the watery grave below.
Almost.
Almost.
With this new life in Christ, He was immediately transformed.
John Newton came to deeply regret his involvement in the Slave Trade. In 1787, he wrote a tract, ‘Thoughts upon the African Slave Trade’, which
graphically described the horrors of the Slave Trade and his personal role in it. He influenced many people, including William Wilberforce, who would spend the rest of his life working towards the abolition of slavery. Later Wilberforce challenged Newton to speak publicly against slavery, the very occupation to which Newton had given most of his life. Newton accepted the challenge and became a major voice in the eventual abolition of slavery in England.
He Newton wrote the words to the famous hymn, Amazing Grace:
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.
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.
Amazing Grace. The only possible answer to a life like He Newton. The only possible answer to a life like yours and mine.
As his life faded, John Newton is known to have said to a friend, “My memory is nearly gone, but I remember two things – that I am a great sinner, and Christ is a great Saviour.”
Because of his new life in Jesus Christ John Newton had become a new man.
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By Kirkliston ParishKirk Reflections 18th June 2023.
John McPhee brings this week's reflection from Kirkliston Parish Church, Scotland.
HE UNFAIRNESS OF GRACE
Bitter about life and toward Christianity because of his circumstances, He began his downward spiral into degradation. When he learned that the Herwick was preparing to embark on a five-year voyage around the world, he tried to desert. However, a few sailors spotted him, dragged him back to the ship, flogged him, and demoted him. He lost his status as an officer in training and was forced to travel around the globe. Without hope in the world, He considered suicide. Nothing except an act of the Almighty God Himself could intervene in his life.
Not caring about much of anything except being able to escape life aboard the British ship, eventually He reached the coast of Sierra Leone where he became the servant of a slave trader. His job was to capture African men and women, transport them abroad, and force them into slavery. What was ironic was that aboard this slave ship, He was also treated as a slave by his bosses. Over the years he hopped from slave ship to slave ship and was enveloped by the darkness around him.
Then, as if God was just waiting for the absolute right moment, He reached down His hand and grabbed him by the shirt-tails. On this night, he happened upon a copy of The Imitation of Christ, the message of which cut him straight to the heart. And that very night a severe storm slammed the ship. Everyone on board almost sank to the watery grave below.
Almost.
Almost.
With this new life in Christ, He was immediately transformed.
John Newton came to deeply regret his involvement in the Slave Trade. In 1787, he wrote a tract, ‘Thoughts upon the African Slave Trade’, which
graphically described the horrors of the Slave Trade and his personal role in it. He influenced many people, including William Wilberforce, who would spend the rest of his life working towards the abolition of slavery. Later Wilberforce challenged Newton to speak publicly against slavery, the very occupation to which Newton had given most of his life. Newton accepted the challenge and became a major voice in the eventual abolition of slavery in England.
He Newton wrote the words to the famous hymn, Amazing Grace:
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.
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.
Amazing Grace. The only possible answer to a life like He Newton. The only possible answer to a life like yours and mine.
As his life faded, John Newton is known to have said to a friend, “My memory is nearly gone, but I remember two things – that I am a great sinner, and Christ is a great Saviour.”
Because of his new life in Jesus Christ John Newton had become a new man.