And Can it Be? / Amazing Love

Supposedly written shortly after Charles Wesley understood salvation was by grace through faith and was saved, the classic hymn "And Can It Be?" shows the awe of what Jesus would do for our salvation.

And Can It Be?

by Charles Wesley, 1738

And can it be that I should gain
An interest in the Savior’s blood?

Romans 3:10-11 as it is written, "There is none righteous, not even one; There is none who understands, there is none who seeks for God;

Died He for me, who caused His pain—
For me, who Him to death pursued?

Of the Messiah in Isaiah 53:5 But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed.

Of Jesus in 1 Peter 2:24 and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.

Jesus said in Luke 19:10 "For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost." 

Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

Jesus said in John 15:13 "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends."

Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

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He left His Father’s throne above
So free, so infinite His grace—

Jesus said in John 6:38 "For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me."

Ephesians 2:7 so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

Emptied Himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam’s helpless race:

Philippians 2:5-7 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.

’Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For O my God, it found out me!

Ephesians 2:4-6 But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved ), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

1 Peter 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

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Long my imprisoned spirit lay,
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;

John 8:34 Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin.

Ephesians 2:1-2 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.

Thine eye diffused a quickening ray—
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;

1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.

Romans 6:17-18 But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.

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No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in Him, is mine;

Romans 8:1 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Alive in Him, my living Head,
And clothed in righteousness divine,

Colossians 2:13 When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions,

Ephesians 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body.

Isaiah 61:10 I will rejoice greatly in the LORD, My soul will exult in my God; For He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

Bold I approach th’eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.

Hebrews 4:16 Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

2 Timothy 4:8 in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.