Just As I Was (Song)

I really do love the hymn, Just As I Am, that tells about salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ. There is nothing we need to bring to Him to save us - just repentance of our sins (ie. a change of mind about our sins that we see them as wicked in His sight and we no longer desire them the way we did before - we want the Saviour instead) and faith in His shed blood and finished work upon the cross of Calvary. Unfortunately, to many in the religious world, Just As I Am becomes a creed to justify staying as we are - no change, no repentance, nothing different - but somehow still saved and Heaven bound! When we sang this song as our closing hymn in church yesterday, I was thinking about the difference true salvation does make - and that difference is eternal. The Lord God changes us, cleanses us, adopts us as His children, gives us eternal life, regenerates us and makes us new creatures in Him, and so much more. I came to the Lord just as I was - but praise the Lord, I did not stay that way!

(My friend, Angela, really helped me iron this poem out and turn it into a song.)

Just As I Was

Just as I was, I came to You;
You took my heart and made it new;
Transformed by Your grace - Lord, I love You.
Oh Jesus, my Saviour, I’m Yours, I’m Yours.

Not as I was - my sins are all gone;
I’m now adopted as your son;
For on the cross, it all was done.
Oh Heavenly Father, I’m saved, I’m saved.

Not as I was - in darkest night;
You opened my eyes and gave me sight;
Washed by Your blood, and changed by Your might.
Oh Lamb of God, I’m cleansed, I’m cleansed.

Now as I am - You’ve shown me Your way;
For when I bowed my head to pray,
You gave me new life that very day.
Lord, by Your Spirit, I’m changed, I’m changed.

November 19, 2023
Jerry Bouey and Angela Trenholm

Jeremiah 31:33-34 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

Jeremiah 33:8 And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me; and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me.

Ezekiel 11:19 And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh:

John 3:3-7 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.