God’s Grace – Our Sins

By Brandon Baggett

The above title is borrowed from a popular hymn found in many Christian songbooks, “Grace Greater Than Our Sin.” The lyrics to this song were written by Julia H. Johnston in the year 1911, and Daniel B. Towner composed the music. This well-known hymn presents a striking contract between the depth and darkness of our sins and the amazing grace of our God.

Throughout the lines of the song, Johnston selected word pictures such as “guilt,” “despair,” “loss” and “stain” to drive home the magnitude of our sins. Truly, we would all be struck with the guilt and hopelessness of our sins if we pondered our lives for very long. However, this moving hymn directs our attention to “Grace, grace, God’s grace, Grace that will pardon and cleanse within; Grace, grace, God’s grace, Grace that is greater than all our sin!”

Interestingly, generations before wrote these memorable lyrics, the apostle Paul wrote the book of Romans where he said, “Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more” (Romans 5:20 ESV). Not only did Paul write these inspired words about grace, but he personally experienced the power of God’s grace in his life. He was once a verbal, violent, and vicious persecutor of Christ and his church (cf. Acts 26:9-11; 1 Timothy 1:13). However, “the grace of our Lord overflowed” in his life (1 Timothy 1:14). Paul’s sins were great and many, but God’s grace was so much more.

This means there is good news for people like you and me. Nobody is too far gone.

It doesn’t matter where you’ve been or how many wrong turns you’ve made in your life. God’s grace can save you too. Truly, God’s grace is greater than our sins.