Springorchid Files

Amazing grace is a term made famous by John Newton’s hymn. It is about God’s love, a movie title, and a Christian contemporary song title.

1. Amazing Grace The Hymn

John Newton, a former slave ship captain, penned the words for the hymn Amazing Grace. His life story was quite inspiring, read it here.

Amazing grace! (how sweet the sound)
That sav’d a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears reliev’d;
How precious did that grace appear,
The hour I first believ’d!

Thro’ many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
’Tis grace has brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promis’d good to me,
His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.

Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease;
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who call’d me here below,
Will be forever mine.

2. Amazing Grace The Movie

Amazing Grace is also the name of a British movie I totally enjoyed.

I nearly missed it if not for a movie poster at Shaw. That’s how I came to know about it. There was no big fanfare, no TV commercial promoting this movie. It’s not on the radio. It ran for only for a few short weeks in Singapore. 

It is a dramatization of the story about the campaign to abolish slavery in the United Kingdom and the man, William Wilberforce, behind the movement.

There were questions about how historically accurate the movie is. For example, Wilberforce had an opiate addiction he picked up for pain management. In the movie, he kicked the addiction but it isn’t so in real life.

The movie did accurately portrayed that it wasn’t Wilberforce or the campaign (appealing to high moral principles of humanity, equality and decency) that caused the country to abolish slavery. It’s all about money. Slavery was no longer profitable for Britain.

But it was Wilberforce and his supporters that kept the campaign alive and never lost hope. They were there, in the end, to push the abolishment of slavery through and end it forever.

Historically accurate or not, Amazing Grace is an inspiring story that celebrates tenacity and hope. It also stars some of the biggest names in the British film industry; for example, Benedict Cumberbatch, Ioan Gruffudd, Albert Finney.

Another thing I love about the movie is the Amazing Grace OST. One of the songs is Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone) by Chris Tomlin. Tomlin revitalized the old hymn written by John Newton with his own addition.

3. Amazing Grace – My Chains are Gone

[Verse 1]
Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost, but now I'm found
Was blind, but now I see

[Verse 2]
'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear
And grace my fears relieved
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed

[Chorus 1]
My chains are gone, I've been set free
My God, my Savior has ransomed me
And like a flood His mercy reigns
Unending love, amazing grace

[Verse 3]
The Lord has promised good to me
His word my hope secures
He will my shield and portion be
As long as life endures

[Chorus 1]
My chains are gone, I've been set free
My God, my Savior has ransomed me

And like a flood His mercy reigns
Unending love, amazing grace

My chains are gone, I've been set free
My God, my Savior has ransomed me

And like a flood His mercy reigns
Unending love, amazing grace

So, what is this grace that is so amazing?

God’s grace is Jesus Christ, his Son.

He sent Jesus to free us from the law of sin and death by suffering and dying for us. Not because we are worthy but because He love us.

Amazing that God is willing to give up His own beloved son for us.

¹⁶ For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. ¹⁷ For God didn’t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him.

John 3:16-17 WEB

Amazing because Jesus’ work is complete and perfect. There is nothing left for us to do.

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Be greatly blessed!