All That He Requires of Me

Come, ye sinners, poor and needy, bruised and broken by the fall;

• Jesus ready stands to save you, full of pardoning love for all. 
• He is able, He is able, He is willing doubt no more.

Let not the conscience make you linger, nor of fitness fondly dream; 

• All that He requires of sinners is to turn and trust in Him.  
• He will save you, He will save you, 'Tis the gospel's constant theme.

In order to live and die in the joy and comfort of belonging to Jesus, I need to confess three characteristics. 

• I have to be displeased with myself. This is one virtue. 
• I must have faith in deliverance. That is another. 
• Moreover, I must also know that I have a serious intention of living a grateful life. 

In my confession I echo and repeat God’s Word. 

• The Word of God tells me that I am completely sinful, and that I am being overpowered by that Word, so that I no longer can or want to contradict it. 
• God’s Word also teaches me that I must be displeased with myself; and thus I make confession of the Word of God that has conquered me. 

Romans 3:9,10 

• What then? Are we better than they? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin. As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one.” 

1 John 1:10 

• If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. 

God’s Word tells me also that there is redemption for me in Christ, 

• and that sharing in that redemption is sealed to me by God. 
• I could and would not accept it, 
• but the Word became too strong for me 
• and in faith I bowed my head and submitted. 

John 17:3 

• “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” 

Acts 4:12 

• “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” 

Acts 10:43 

• “To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.” 

Moreover, the Word of God tells me that it is God Who makes me holy,

• and that He will accomplish something positive in my life. 
• I did not want to relinquish control from my own hands, 
• but He taught me how. 
• His demand contains a promise for me, that I must obey the command since I accept the promise; 
• and having been conquered by God’s Word I also yield in this third instance. 

Matthew 5:16 

• Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. 

Romans 6:13 

• And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 

Ephesians 5:8-10 

• For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. 

1 Peter 2:9,10 

• But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.

Thus, believing is to be won over by the Word of God 

• and to be overcome by it. 
• In devoted submission we echo God’s Word 
• and believe the most daring things, 
• even this that we belong to Jesus Christ. 

Adapted Excerpt from The True Faith by Simon Gerrit De Graaf (1889-1955)