Heavenly Springs

Holding Fast The Doctrines of Grace

  • About
  • The Doctrines of Grace
  • My Puerto Rican Grandmother
  • Women of the Reformation
  • Resources & Links
You are here: Home / Hymns / The Most Important Banquet Of All

The Most Important Banquet Of All

November 20, 2012 by Christina

Funny thing about studying doctrine — once a teaching gets a hold of your mind, you start to see it everywhere. The doctrine of “Justification by Faith” teaches that what God demands He provides.  Piper sums it up nicely, “God requires two things of us: punishment for our sins and perfection in our lives. Our sins must be punished, and our lives must be righteous. But we cannot bear our own punishment (Ps. 49:7-8), and we cannot provide our own righteousness. “None is righteous; no, not one” (Rom. 3:10). Therefore, God, out of His immeasurable love for us, provided His own Son to do both. Christ bears our punishment, and Christ performs our righteousness. And when we receive Christ (John 1:12), all of His punishment and all of His righteousness is counted as ours (Rom. 4:4-6; 5:1, 19; 8:1; 10:4; 2 Cor. 5:21; Phil. 3:8-9).”

This gospel hymn, so rich in biblical theology, expresses all we have to be thankful for. There is much! One day when you were at war with God – not looking for peace, God subdued you and miraculously opened your eyes. He didn’t do this because He saw something special, spiritual, or even willing in you. He did it because He is Sovereign.Whereas you should have been an object of His wrath, you received mercy.  He forgave all your sins (and there were many!) and He covered you in the righteousness of His perfect Son, Jesus Christ.  And one day, when this life is over, you will be seated, clothed in robes of righteousness, at the most important banquet of all!

How Sweet and Awful is the Place

How sweet and awful is the place
With Christ within the doors,
While everlasting love displays
The choicest of her stores.

While all our hearts and all our songs
Join to admire the feast,
Each of us cries, with thankful tongues,
“Lord, why was I a guest?”

“Why was I made to hear Thy voice,
And enter while there’s room,
When thousands make a wretched choice,
And rather starve than come?”

‘Twas the same love that spread the feast
That sweetly forced us in;
Else we had still refused to taste,
And perished in our sin.

Pity the nations, O our God,
Constrain the earth to come;
Send Thy victorious word abroad,
And bring the strangers home.

We long to see Thy churches full,
That all the chosen race May,
with one voice and heart and soul,
Sing Thy redeeming grace.

Isaac Watts, 1674-1748

Share this:

  • Email
  • Print
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Tumblr
  • Pocket
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit

Filed Under: Hymns, Isaac Watts, Justification by Faith

Comments

  1. Trisha says

    November 20, 2012 at 10:04 pm

    One of my most favorite hymns, Christina, and one I want sung at my funeral. 🙂 It’s hard to sing it without tears…”why was I a guest?” Yes! Yes!

    Happy Thanksgiving. I’m thankful for your steadfast commitment to His Word.

    • Christina says

      November 21, 2012 at 6:37 am

      Happy Thanksgiving to the Poff family, Trisha! xo

  2. Holly says

    November 21, 2012 at 1:13 am

    One of my most favorite hymns! A hymn that just garners even more love, thankfulness, gratefulness, and incredulity at how merciful and loving a Savior we serve! “Lord, why was I a guest?” I have often sung and thought this with an overwhelming sense of how great God’s grace is and how humbling it is to be “a guest”!

    • Christina says

      November 21, 2012 at 6:38 am

      Amen, Holly! The grace of God is greater than human resistance! Happy Thanksgiving!

  3. persis says

    November 21, 2012 at 8:15 am

    We sing this often at church. Thank God for rich hymns like this! Happy Thanksgiving!

    • Christina says

      November 21, 2012 at 9:19 am

      I just learned of this hymn a couple of days ago – apparently I’ve been deprived of my Christian heritage! Happy Thanksgiving, Persis!

  4. Diane says

    November 21, 2012 at 7:53 pm

    “once a teaching gets a hold of your mind, you start to see it everywhere.” How true this is – it’s sure like that with the Sovereignty of God too – Until we can all gather together together at the Great Banquet – you and Steven have a very wonderful Thanksgiving.

    • Christina says

      November 22, 2012 at 8:33 am

      Thanks Diane! Wishing you and the clan a beautiful & blessed Thanksgiving!

  5. Petra says

    November 22, 2012 at 7:56 am

    Excellent post, my friend! Thank you for introducing me to this God-honoring hymn!

    Thanking God for you today and hoping that you’ll be filled with much gratitude and love (and turkey too)!

    ♥ Petra

    • Christina says

      November 22, 2012 at 8:34 am

      Thank you dear Petra! Wishing you and your a beautiful and blessed Thanksgiving!

  6. Becky says

    November 27, 2012 at 7:24 pm

    Love you, sister!

    I am printing this. Thank you <3

Categories

Grab a Button!




Recent Posts

  • Yes, you are unworthy!
  • Margaret Clarkson on Human Weakness and the Power of God
  • Crisis, Christ, and Confidence Episode 5: Coronavirus – A Call for the Church to Rise
  • O For A Faith That Will Not Shrink
  • Crisis, Christ, and Confidence Episode 4: Coronavirus, the King of Conspiracies?

Recent Comments

  • Laura A Matesi on My Puerto Rican Grandmother
  • Rose Ali on Resources & Links
  • Liz Blanco on Resources & Links
  • Christina on Resources & Links
  • Liz Blanco on Resources & Links

Archives

Copyright © 2023 · Beautiful Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.