Luke 18:13 “God, be merciful to me, the sinner!”

The year was 1740 when Charles Wesley penned the thirteen stanzas to his now famous hymn, “Depth of Mercy”. This powerful hymn, I believe, is unmatched in its depth and ability to communicate the remorse and terror over one’s sinfulness. And like the tax collector in Luke 18, it too is a cry to God who alone can graciously save sinners even though we have shaken our fists toward heaven and previously scorned His law. This is the cry welling up from a penitent heart. And this is a cry that continues to ask, especially as we have opportunity to come to the Lord’s Table, “Can there be mercy still reserved for me?” It is to such a question, as we grieve over our sin, that God and Christ resoundingly answer, “Yes!”

This is a mercy, a pardoning love and forgiveness that the psalmist David knew and experienced. We read in the psalms that God counted righteousness to David “apart from works” (Ps. 32; Rom. 4:6). And we know from examining David’s life that he sinned quite seriously, yet when he was brought to confess his sin before God, he also knew God’s blessing once more. This is David’s reflection in Psalm 32:1-2, which Paul cites in Romans 4:7-8: “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds have been forgiven, and whose sins have been covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord (YHWH) will not take into account.”

Who are we that God would be so mindful of us? Wesley contemplated,

I have long withstood His grace,
Long provoked Him to His face,
Would not hearken to His calls,
Grieved Him by a thousand falls.

I have spilt His precious blood,
Trampled on the Son of God,
Filled with pangs unspeakable,
I, who yet am not in hell!

I my Master have denied,
I afresh have crucified,
And profaned His hallowed Name,
Put Him to an open shame.

It is a glorious and remarkable fact that, when we are united to Christ, God justifies us. This justification includes God counting Christ’s righteousness as ours and, in so doing, forgiving all our sins. What a wonder is the free justification of the ungodly. Wesley articulates such wonder and amazement in his hymn. Such a reality for the believer likewise means that we can never lose Christ and that God will never condemn us: “There is therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:1). Believers are those, as David wrote, “against whom the Lord will not take into account [his sins].” This is because of Christ’s imputed righteousness in the believer’s life.

As Wesley pondered the reality and severity of his sin, which is what we all must do, horror gave way to hope as he saw in Jesus Christ, the Savior, God’s demonstration of love and compassion for the sinner through the display of Christ crucified. Wesley calls upon us to see His wounded hands and side and, in this, to know and feel God’s love.

Jesus, answer from above,
Is not all Thy nature love?
Wilt Thou not the wrong forget,
Permit me to kiss Thy feet?

If I rightly read Thy heart,
If Thou all compassion art,
Bow Thine ear, in mercy bow,
Pardon and accept me now.

Jesus speaks, and pleads His blood!
He disarms the wrath of God;
Now my Father's mercies move,
Justice lingers into love.

Kindled His relentings are,
Me He now delights to spare,
Cries, "How shall I give thee up?"
Lets the lifted thunder drop.

By this, Wesley clearly understood something of God’s propitiation and justification: that the wrath we deserve was placed upon Christ as He who knew no sin was made to be sin for us, and in so doing, the stain of our sin-soaked rags was exchanged such that we enjoy a new standing before a holy God. But Wesley also knew that justification does not mean that we will no longer commit sins. Moreover, it does not imply that God is pleased with us when we do sin. Our sins, Wesley understood, still deserve punishment. The Westminster Confession of Faith, 11.5, states, “God doth continue to forgive the sins of those that are justified; and, although they can never fall from the state of justification, yet they may, by their sins, fall under God’s fatherly displeasure, and not have the light of His countenance restored unto them, until they humble themselves, confess their sins, beg pardon, and renew their faith and repentance.” John Calvin similarly remarks that while God does not cease to love His children, He is, nonetheless, “wondrously angry” with them. And God shows this displeasure, not out of hatred but out of love, so as to stir up obedience and to set us straight (Heb. 12:7-10).

Though our union with Christ can never be broken, our communion with Christ can and may very well be broken. Our sins and continued disobedience bring displeasure. Therefore, when we sin, we rightly have a sense of godly guilt and grief, even alienation. Our assurance may even weaken and our conscience may lose its peace. We experience this on a personal level in our relationships. For example, if we are married, we would do well not to expect smiles and laughter if we were to insult our spouse. On a spiritual plain, our relationship with God is no less personal, even though it is actually more certain. No child wishes to remain under his father’s frown. Therefore, when we displease our heavenly Father, we repent.

Now incline me to repent,
Let me now my fall lament,
Now my foul revolt deplore,
Weep, believe, and sin no more.

So as we have opportunity to come to the Lord’s Table, let us do so with prepared hearts that confess our sin and seek forgiveness daily (Matt. 6:12). Let our assurance be strengthened, knowing that if we confess our sin, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). In the elements themselves, which are a sign of Jesus’ sacrifice for us, may our faith be renewed as we are reminded that His body and blood were shed for the forgiveness of sins.

Depth of mercy! Can there be
Mercy still reserved for me?
Can my God His wrath forbear,
Me, the chief of sinners, spare?