Songs of Worship: In Christ Alone

The first song in this "series" of posts is "In Christ Alone", words and music by Keith Getty & Stuart Townend.

I love this song because it has the most amazing lyrics. The tune is also nice, but the lyrics are what grabs me. Good lyrics based on grace-based Christian belief is also a great way to build your own faith, because you are listening to "teaching" as you listen to the song. I'll go through it with my comments added in red, so you see what I mean -

In Christ Alone
Words and Music by Keith Getty & Stuart Townend
Copyright © 2001 Kingsway Thankyou Music

In Christ alone my hope is found;                             
He is my light, my strength, my song;                      
This cornerstone, this solid ground,                          
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.        
What heights of love, what depths of peace,          
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!          
My comforter, my all in all—                                      
Here in the love of Christ I stand.

[The only solid foundation for your hope is Christ. He stands firm through the fiercest droughts and storms (troubles) you may encounter in your life. 

His love, His peace, will still your fears and stop your striving! Just rest in Him, you have nothing to fear. Let Jesus be your strength, your comfort. You can stop striving and fighting, just rest and stand in His love.]

In Christ alone, Who took on flesh,

Fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness,
Scorned by the ones He came to save.
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied;
For ev'ry sin on Him was laid—
Here in the death of Christ I live.

[Jesus came down on earth and became man, but was still God. But He is human - He knows and understands how we feel, He feels the same emotions we do. 

When Jesus died on the cross, He FULLY satisfied God's wrath and judgment that should have fallen on us. Every one of our sins, my sins, your sins, was laid on Him. He was judged instead of us, and so in His death, we live!]

There in the ground His body lay,
Light of the world by darkness slain;
Then bursting forth in glorious day,
Up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory,
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me;
For I am His and He is mine—
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

[Jesus died and rose again. He is victorious over death. Because of what He did, sin has lost its grip on us. We can stand victorious in Christ. All our sins were paid for by Jesus' precious blood.]

No guilt in life, no fear in death—
This is the pow'r of Christ in me;
From life's first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny.
No pow'r of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home—
Here in the pow'r of Christ I'll stand.

[We now need not feel guilty or condemned in life, because Jesus bore our sins and was punished for us. Do we deserve to be punished? Yes! But we won't be, because Jesus was punished instead. Is this fair? No! But this is the gift we have received. Accept it with gratitude and praise for God. 

No power of hell or evil scheme can separate us from God now. Despite the situations that you may face, stand in the power of Christ - stand in victory and when you fight, fight from victory, not for victory.]