What So Amazing About Grace?

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

It was not till I bought Twila Paris' Perennial CD that I realised something about the old favourite "Amazing Grace".  She sang it with such life!  The way we sing it sometimes makes me wonder how amazed we really are. Perhaps the word 'grace' has been used so much that it has lost its meaning.  We say it is "unmerited favour" - getting something we do not deserve.  But it is wonderfully more!  Christ died for us not just while we were undeserving but rather "while we were yet sinners"!  How could a God whose "eyes are too pure to look to look on evil" look upon the wicked, much less love them?  How else can the righteous Judge deal with sinners except by destroying them?  But instead he has chosen to justify us - we who are filthy, wretched and detestable in his sight.  We are not just undeserving.  We are deserving of infinitely worse.  But amazing grace!  Christ died for us. The hymn writers knew this well as they penned these words: "Amazing grace!  How sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me."  "Amazing love!  How can it be that Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?" and "How deep the Father's love for us, how vast beyond all measure, that He should give His only Son to make a wretch His treasure." Wonder of wonders!  God justifies the ungodly!   Let us look at His grace and be truly amazed.