# “My hope is built, not upon what I feel in myself, but upon what He felt for me” by John Newton

- Link: https://tollelege.net/2020/10/30/my-hope-is-built-not-upon-what-i-feel-in-myself-but-upon-what-he-felt-for-me-by-john-newton/
- Published: 2020-10-30T12:00:16-05:00
- Author: tollelege

“The gospel gives me relief.

When I think of the obedience unto death of Jesus Christ in my nature, as a public
person, and in behalf of sinners, then I see the law, which I could not obey, completely
fulfilled by Him, and the penalty which I had incurred sustained by Him.

I see Him in proportion to the degree of faith in Him, bearing my sins in His own
body upon the tree.

I see God well pleased in Him, and for His sake freely justifying the ungodly. This
sight saves me from guilt and fear, removes the obstacles which stood in my way,
emboldens my access to the throne of grace, for the influences of His Holy Spirit
to subdue my sins, and to make me conformable to my Saviour.

But my hope is built, not upon what I feel in myself, but upon what He felt for 
me; not upon what I can ever do for Him, but upon what has been done by Him upon
my account.

It appears to me becoming the wisdom of God to take such a method of showing His
mercy to sinners, as should convince the world, the universe, angels, and men, that
His inflexible displeasure against sin, and His regard to the demands of His truth
and holiness, must at the same time be equally displayed.

This was effected by bruising His own Son, filling Him with agonies, and delivering
Him up to death and the curse of the law, when He appeared as a surety for sinners.

It appears to me, therefore, that, though the blessings of justification and sanctification
are coincident, and cannot be separated in the same subject, a believing sinner,
yet they are in themselves as distinct and different as any two things can well 
be.

The one, like life itself, is instantaneous and perfect at once, and takes place
the moment the soul is born of God; the other, like the effects of life, growth,
and strength, is imperfect and gradual.

The child born today, though weak, and very different from what it will be when 
its faculties open, and its stature increases, is as truly, and as much, alive as
it will ever be. And, if an heir to an estate or a kingdom, has the same right now
as it will have when it becomes of age, because this right is derived not from its
abilities or stature, but from its birth and parents.

The weakest believer is born of God, and an heir of glory.”

–John Newton, “[Letter XIV](https://www.amazon.com/dp/1848715110?tag=toletaupanre-20),”
[_The Works of John Newton_](https://www.amazon.com/dp/1848715110?tag=toletaupanre-20),
[_Volume 6_](https://www.amazon.com/dp/1848715110?tag=toletaupanre-20) (Carlisle,
PA: Banner of Truth, 2015), 6: 247-249.

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