This is an awesome hymn, written by Charles Wesley, brother of John (with whom he started the Methodist church).  I am a huge fan of Charles Wesley, and as far as I can see, he is probably the greatest lyricist of all time, certainly of the church and probably of the entire world!

And Can It Be That Good?

From his conversion in 1738, he averaged 2 hymns a week for 50 years.  Not a bad output, especially given that most of these were written on horseback as he and his brother John traveled from meeting to meeting!

Charles and his brother John were both ordained ministers and founded a holy group called “The Methodists” because of their “methods” of rising early and strict Bible study. They were zealous yet they were both caught in the trap of legalism, and when they went on a mission trip to the American colony of Georgia, they returned discouraged, broken and, in Charles’ case, ill. After his return, both he and his brother met a Moravian called Peter Bohler, who urged Charles to look more deeply at the state of his soul and who taught them about true evangelical Christianity.

In May of 1738, while feeling ill again, Charles read Martin Luther’s book on Galatians and was deeply convicted. He wrote, “At midnight I gave myself to Christ, assured that I was safe, whether sleeping or waking. I had the continual experience of His power to overcome all temptation, and I confessed with joy and surprise that He was able to do exceedingly abundantly for me above what I can ask or think.”

He also wrote, “I now found myself at peace with God, and rejoiced in hope of loving Christ. I saw that by faith I stood.”

Two days later he began writing a hymn about his conversion testimony, which many think is this very hymn “And Can It Be (Amazing Love)”. The hymn’s words bear this theory out, especially the words of this verse…

Long my imprisoned spirit lay
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray,
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free;
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

This is my absolute favourite verse, and I love singing it because it is a little bit like my own testimony also!
The brothers ministered to the poor, outcast and illiterate, many miners and poor farmers, preaching outdoors for the first time to thousands without a microphone.  John did most of the preaching, and Charles used the amazing songs the Lord gave him to bring theology to the hearts of these illiterate people, and allow common people to experience and learn about God.

And Can It Be is an awesome, poetic, powerful hymn, and an important part of our Hymns of our Fathers presentation.

And Can It Be

And can it be that I should gain
An interest in the Savior’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain—
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

He left His Father’s throne above
So free, so infinite His grace—
Emptied Himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam’s helpless race:
’Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For O my God, it found out me!
’Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For O my God, it found out me!

Long my imprisoned spirit lay,
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray—
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.

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 throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.
Bold I approach th’eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.