Come, Ye Sinners

come, ye sinners, poor and wretched,
weak and wounded, sick and sore.
Jesus ready stands to save you,
full of pity joined with power.
He is able, He is able -
He is willing, doubt no more.

come, ye needy, come and welcome;
God's free bounty glorify.
true belief and true repentance -
every grace that brings you nigh.
without money, without money,
come to Jesus Christ and buy.

come, ye weary, heavy laden,
bruised and broken by the fall.
if you tarry till you're better,
you will never come at all.
not the righteous, not the righteous -
sinners Jesus came to call.

let not conscience make you linger,
nor of fitness fondly dream.
all the fitness He requireth
is to feel your need of Him.
this He gives you, this He gives you,
tis the Spirit's rising beam.

lo! th'Incarnate God ascended,
pleads the merit of His blood!
venture on Him, venture wholly,
let no other trust intrude.
none but Jesus, none but Jesus
can do helpless sinners good.
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1) i love the image conjured by the phrase "Jesus ready stands to save you." the fact that "He is able" ensures for us as His protectees His competence.
2) we can obtain all that we need to be near God from Jesus directly - for free.
3-4) i love the way the third stanza totally decimates the "i have to get my act together before i can become a Christian" argument. Jesus did not come for the healthy, but for the sick. (like there are any healthy people...)
5) total dependence on Christ - His merit being utterly sufficient to pay off our debt - is as amazing as the fact that that we can gaze upon the face of the "Incarnate God" - the God-man, the Divine in skin and bones.
none but Jesus can do helpless sinners good. that is like the best news ever.

spring break starts tomorrow. we're driving to dallas - me and my roomie - but stopping to visit my sister and a friend on the way down. :-D yay for breaks.