Grace Exposed In John Newton's Amazing Grace

The man who wrote “Amazing Grace” went from being a slave ship captain to a preacher and abolitionist. His name was John Newton. Newton was first a sailor, and when press-ganged into the navy, he started working on a slave trade ship. After being stranded in Africa for a few years, he boarded a ship bound for England. He was a passenger on that ship, and he survived several storms at sea. He then became a captain of a slave ship and transported many Africans as slaves to Britain. “John Newton has long been the best-known captain in the history of the African slave trade” (Rediker 158). Later on he became a Christian, and eventually quit working in the slave trade. Followed by his conversion, he became a preacher at a small church and …show more content…
(Turner 108).
His most famous hymn – “Amazing Grace” – illustrates his story and describes God’s grace that was shown to him. In the hymn “Amazing Grace” John Newton explores various deeds that God’s grace accomplishes: it saves, teaches, comforts, safeguards, and leads.
Grace saves. It saves sinners from the wrath of God, just like it saved John Newton. Only by God’s amazing grace do sinners believe and become Christians. Without grace, there is no chance for people to be saved from the judgement of God. Grace is a sweet sounding gift that is given. This sweet sounding gift gives redemption and peace. “Amazing grace! how sweet the sound – That saved a wretch like me!” (The Hymnal 202). Grace is a precious gift that God gives to all those who believe in Him. It is only by His grace that individuals can be saved from judgement. Newton was saved, by God’s grace, from Africa, storms, and judgement. As it says in the New American Standard Bible: “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God” (Eph. …show more content…
“And grace my fears relieved” (The Hymnal 202). When a person is afraid they can think about the grace of God and all that He has done for them, and that helps calm fears. John Newton was comforted by this grace because he knew that God always protected him. Christians can be comforted by knowing God – with His grace – is constantly with them and will never leave them in times of trouble. “This is my comfort in my affliction, That Your word has revived me” (New American Standard Bible Ps. 119.50). It is God “who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God” (New American Standard Bible 2 Cor.

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