Rock of Ages

I’ve been listening to Jean Larroux’s sermon series on the five solas, and I love them.

The first one, Sola Scriptura, hit me because he kept bringing me back to the truth that Scripture is true.  The parts that I like and want to believe are true.  But the parts that I don’t really like and don’t want to believe are still true.  Scripture is not true because I believe it.  Its just true.  And because of that it is a measuring line that I can keep coming back to in my life.

Today I listened to the second one, Sola Fide.  Thinking about faith alone just resonates with me.  I have to be willing to come before the Lord putting all of my good works aside.  I come just with my sin and with Jesus.  Jean Larroux says this, “Faith is believing that the work of Christ will do everything that God said it would do".”  Really faith is believing that Scripture is true.  And it means that I stop trying to make a case for myself for how good I’ve been or how much more good than evil I have done (which isn’t even true).  Anyway… he ended with the words to the hymn, Rock of Ages, and I was reminded how much I love them.  So, I decided to share…

Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
let me hide myself in thee;
let the water and the blood,
from thy wounded side which flowed,
be of sin the double cure;
save from its guilt and power 

Not the labors of my hands
can fulfill thy law's commands;
could my zeal no respite know,
could my tears forever flow,
all for sin could not atone;
thou must save, and thou alone.

Nothing in my hand I bring,
simply to the cross I cling;
naked, come to thee for dress;
helpless, look to thee for grace;
foul, I to the fountain fly;
wash me, Savior, or I die.

While I draw this fleeting breath,
when mine eyes shall close in death,
when I soar to worlds unknown,
see thee on thy judgment throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
let me hide myself in thee.