And can It Be? (vi)

Verse 6

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 trone,

And claim the crown, through Christ my own.

We come now to the final installment of this sacred hymn written by Charles Wesley, and what an appropriate ending it is. Grounded on all that came before, this verse completes the race as we see the images of justification, sanctification, and even glorification (grace in the life to come in the new heaven & new earth) come together.

The first time I heard this hymn sung at Asbury Seminary, I recall vividly someone shouting "WOOOOOOO!!" at the first line of this verse. There was something liberating about that shout that comes to mind every time I sing this song now. We saw a beautiful picture of liberty from the bondage of sin in verse 4. Here we see another aspect of that in the blessedness of assurance of those who walk according to the Spirit. There's lots of debate about Romans 7 and the battle of the flesh against the law. Is this picture (of someone who wants to do what is right and not do what is wrong but finds himself not doing what is right and doing what is wrong) the expected norm or pattern for the life of the believer? Or, is Paul speaking in past terms...of someone who is trying to live according to the law apart from grace? If the latter, then the pattern of losing the battle against the flesh is not the expected norm of the life of the Christian, but is something from which God wants to set us free in Christ. Accordingly, when we are found in Christ, "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death." If Christ has made our chains to fall off, there is nothing to be afraid of. We are free to follow him! And in that there is no need to dread condemnation anymore!

Another word on not dreading condemnation that stands out as Wesleyan to me is the language of 'perfect love' as it pertains to sanctification. In 1 John 4.17-18, we see this come to fruition: By this is love perfected in us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. This is at the heart of Wesleyan sanctification: perfection in love. And that is what can give us the confidence and boldness so exuded in this hymn.

This confidence takes a level that may draw discomfort to some of us who want to shy away from any sense of entrepreneurial spirit that makes us the master. Charles affirms, "Jesus, and all in Him, is mine...claim the crown, through Christ my own." Charles is not saying, "Jesus is mine...not yours!" He is also not saying, "I'm claiming him because I have the right to ownership of him." He's saying, "Jesus is mine because in the pursuit of righteousness, he's all that I can claim that can bring it to me...and he brings it by bringing himself."

The language of being "clothed in righteousness" is synonymous with justification. It is an external, or forensic, work of God in Christ indicating that Christ "justifies the ungodly" or covers our ungodliness with his godliness. Some stop righteousness there...that's as far as it goes and any sort of inherent righteousness of ourselves is postponed to life after death. The Wesleyan understanding of righteousness says that this clothing does something to and in us now. It begins to infect us, even now. Christ's righteousness actually is imparted into us as we wear his cloak. It purifies us today. It not only marks us as royalty but makes us royalty. And in that...because Christ is our own...when we approach the the throne we can do so with boldness and claim the crown.

Do note, however, that this is not a "pie in the sky, by-and-by" sort of picture. Wearing Christ's righteousness will take us down paths that will not be easy. It will require us to take up our cross. That is the life of sanctification...following Jesus. Martin Luther's final two theses of the 95 say this:

94. Christians are to be exhorted that they be diligent in following Christ, their Head, through penalties, deaths, and hell;

95. And thus be confident of entering into heaven rather through many tribulations, than through the assurance of peace.

Notice the common language of Christ as our "Head" between Luther and Charles' lyrics above. But to return to the opening lyric of this verse, for those who walk in accordance with the Spirit (i.e., following Christ) there is no need to fear condemnation. It is not a matter of whether or not you recall a decision made in a point in time. It is a matter of whether or not you are walking with him now. Christ's cloth of righteousness will not stay on us if we don't move and follow him.