And Can It Be (1738)
And Can It Be That I Should Gain was written by Charles Wesley (1707-1788), most likely soon after his conversion in May 1738. Wesley wanted to express his amazement at the beauty of God’s glorious grace. He marveled at how such grace is given to wretched sinners in regeneration and conversion.
And can it be that I should gain an interest in the Savior's blood? Died He for me, who caused His pain? For me, who Him to death pursued? Amazing love! How can it be that Thou, my God, should die for me?
In verse one, Wesley begins by exposing the profoundness of the gospel message. Can it really be that those who have rebelled against our maker, the Holy One of Israel himself, should receive an interest in his blood? Should it be that we who hung our Maker to the tree, in turn, receive the benefit of his atonement? For Wesley, as it ought to be for us, when we begin to ponder this reality, it should not take us long to answer, “It could never be!” And yet, that is the absurd reality of the gospel of our Lord Jesus. Because of his amazing love with which he loved us, even in our rebellion, our God has died for us, and so, it can be.
He left His Father's throne above, so free, so infinite His grace; Emptied Himself to show his love, and bled for Adam's helpless race; 'Tis mercy all immense and free; For O, my God, it found out me.
In verse two, Wesley turns from pondering the possibility of the gospel to Christ’s marvelous work in the incarnation and atonement. We were helpless in our sinful state, but Christ stepped down from his majesty and glory, and out of love, he emptied himself by assuming a human nature and shed his blood as our substitution. From this truth, Wesley concludes that God’s rich mercy has been generously bestowed upon undeserving sinners.
Long my imprisoned spirit lay, Fast bound in sin and nature's night; Thine eye diffused a quickening ray, I woke, the dungeon flamed with light; My chains fell off, my heart was free; I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.
In verse three, Wesley beautifully captures the reality that conversion is first God’s divine act, before it is ours. In our helpless state, we are imprisoned by our corrupted nature, which we have inherited from our first Head, Adam. This imprisonment puts our entire personalities, our desires, our minds, and our wills in bondage. But in the divine acts of regeneration and conversion, God comes to our aid. As Wesley masterfully puts it, the divine eye which shines with the light of life dispenses that life-giving light into the darkened dungeon of our sin-enslaved heart, and in that instance, we are born again, made to be new creatures in Christ Jesus. And what is the only response from the born-again man who has been enlivened by the Spirit? “My chains fell off, my heart was free; I rose, went forth, and followed Thee!” Regeneration and conversion are first an act of God dispensing his life-giving light in sinful hearts to effectually call them from their slavery. Man then, as a new creature, may freely embrace Christ in all his beauty as Lord through repentance and faith.
No condemnation now I dread; Jesus and all in Him is mine! Alive in Him, my living Head, And clothed in righteousness divine, Bold I approach th'eternal throne, And claim the crown, through Christ my own.
In verse four, Wesley now expounds on the results of Christ’s effectual atonement and the gifts of regeneration and conversion. As Paul says, “there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Rom 8:1) We have been credited Christ’s perfect righteousness and human obedience through faith, and we have been given every spiritual blessing by virtue of our union with him. Everything that is Christ’s is ours! We have died to sin and been made alive in Him, our second Head, the last Adam. Therefore, though at one time we could not draw near to God without fear of certain death, now, because of our union with Christ, we can approach the eternal throne of the Father with boldness, not as mere servants, but as the rulers God created us to be in Eden.
Amazing love! How can it be that Thou, my God, should die for me?
Pastor Cole