For Rowdy Christians Everywhere
Page 104
Sin’s Service
It’s when we sin that we see what mercy is worth;
when we stumble we find how forgiveness fulfills.
It’s when we fall that we most long for holiness;
when we stray, we remember to follow Jesus.
It’s when we have failed that we forsake our own works;
when we are weakest, we let God make us perfect.
Sin is a reminder that we are not perfect,
and a proof that in God’s eyes our inherent worth
is determined by His love, and not by our works.
Though all sin is abomination, it fulfills
this role: it brings glory to God through Christ Jesus
when he pardons, and it sets off His holiness.
Sin is a violation against holiness--
but it cannot overcome that which is perfect.
It merely provides an occasion for Jesus
to manifest God’s love and prove redemption’s worth.
Grace does not come cheap. Only precious blood fulfills
the pattern, and atones for mankind’s wicked works.
How carefully then, we should consider our works!
Make every effort to live in Christ’s holiness.
Fill your heart with the merciful love that fulfills
the law. Obey the Lord God, strive to be perfect.
Struggle hard to remain virtuous, which is worth
fighting for. Live in a way that exalts Jesus.
Yet if we sin, we have an advocate in Jesus,
who would rather save than condemn us for our works.
As soon as our hearts repent, they regain full worth.
We are not lost until we give up on holiness:
as long as we crave it, that wish makes us perfect.
Our efforts help us grow, and our struggle fulfills.
That which God promises, He always fulfills.
He has said that we are freed from sin through Jesus.
Why then do we still struggle? That patience may perfect
our faith. So that we seek not salvation through works,
but trust in God’s grace, and offer Christ’s holiness.
When we fall short of glory, we learn its true worth.
By myself I am worth nothing. My wretched works
are far from perfect. But this one service sin fulfills--
It makes me run back to Jesus for holiness.
All We Can Do
All we can do is show others the way;
point them in the right direction and pray
they will see; talk of God’s mercy and sing
of His love; warn of the need to repent,
and invite them to the joy of worship,
while displaying the light of Christ ourselves.
All we can do is look well to ourselves,
and keep our own steps in every right way;
devote our lives faithfully to worship,
remembering to always make time to pray--
honest enough to confess and repent,
thankful enough to shout glory and sing.
All that’s left to do is rejoice and sing
that God is the Lord, and not we ourselves.
Shout that He is true, and will not repent
of His gifts; thank Him for making a way;
as sincere in our songs as when we pray,
murmuring glory and warbling worship.
All that remains is eternal worship
in the presence of God, angels who sing
Holy Holy, and saints in white who pray
for justice--and we among them ourselves,
praising God’s grace for providing a way
when we believe, a door when we repent.
All we need to do is kneel and repent:
Cleanse away the sins that hinder worship;
Let Christ’s blood wash our past out of the way.
Finding mercy, let us rise up and sing
of the grace we could not earn by ourselves,
which needs us only to believe and pray.
All we can do at this point is to pray,
that those whose hearts are hardened might repent;
that we might grow in love and grace ourselves;
that God might accept our humble worship;
that all people might join their hands and sing--
in the name of Jesus, who leads the way.
Of the Way, the Truth and the Life we sing:
He hears when we pray, saves when we repent,
and fills us when we bring ourselves to worship.
“And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” -Revelation 22:17