Amazing Grace

I don't know much. I once knew even less.
Back then I thought that faith and righteousness
Could be attained by effort on my part
to overcome the sin within my heart.
But every time I failed to overcome
I felt a guilty, spineless piece of scum.
I felt so powerless to override
The pride and lust that bubbled up inside.
I saw some people living holy lives:
Obedient kids and ever-loving wives.
They never seemed to stumble, fail or fall;
My life was simply not like that at all!

I hated feeling guilty and to blame
I wished I could feel good and feel no shame.
I thought if I could just be good like them,
I'd never feel this wretchedness again.
But I know now one thing I didn't know:-
That what I saw in them was outward show,
And my desire for health and holiness
Was based upon my pride and selfishness.
For wretched is exactly what we are!
From lowly tramp to showbiz megastar.
And only as I see my hopeless case
Do I step out of Law and into Grace!

For Jesus said He did not come to save
The righteous, but the needy and depraved.
So let me rather honestly confess
My frequent sin and utter helplessness.
For only then can I begin to see
The awful price my Saviour paid for me;
And His amazing love that runs so deep
That He should save this selfish, sinful sheep!
So let me never, ever claim to be
A man that knows no vice nor vanity.
Don't let my fleshly, ever-present pride
Disguise the sinfulness that lurks inside.

For when I try to hide it I deny
The reason that my Saviour had to die.
He said if we confess our sinfulness
That He will clothe us in His righteousness!
But what a gracious promise! Can it be?
That God - Almighty God - can look at me,
And see - in me - His holy, sinless Son
Thus passing over all the sins I've done!
Thank God my righteousnesses aren't required
For everything I do is flawed and marred,
And though I sin and stumble frequently
My Lord imputes His righteousness to me-

.........And sets me unconditionally free!