The Amazingness of Grace

Tony Reinke has written a book on John Newton and his view of the Christian life. So far, I am...well amazed. He has pulled together Newton’s 40 years as a pastor and letter writer and provides great insight into life in Christ. 

Starting in the first chapter there is so much to soak in concerning grace. To quote Reinke; “When Newton speaks of grace, he is speaking of Christ in union with the believer. Newton’s grace is ever ‘my grace,’ a sovereign, all- sufficient, alone-sufficient grace that flows freely and fully from the person of Jesus Christ.” 

Reinke then uses a part of Newton’s sermon on Matthew 11:27 to describe this union:

“The great God is pleased to manifest himself in Christ, as the God of grace. This grace is manifold, pardoning, converting, restoring, persevering grace, bestowed upon the miserable and worthless. Grace finds the sinner in a hopeless, helpless state, sitting in darkness, and in the shadow of death. Grace pardons the guilt, cleanses the pollution, and subdues the power of sin. Grace sustains the bruised reed, binds up the broken heart, and cherishes the smoking flax into a flame. Grace restores the soul when wandering, revives it when fainting, heals it when wounded, upholds it when ready to fall, teaches it to fight, goes before it in the battle, and at last makes it more than conqueror over all opposition, and then bestows a crown of everlasting life. But all this grace is established and displayed by the covenant in the man Christ Jesus, and without respect to him as living, dying, rising, reigning, and interceding in the behalf of sinners, would never have been known.” 

So thankful for this book, the research and writing of Reinke, the ministry and letters of Newton, but I am beyond thankful for Christ Jesus... 

Grace and Peace!