Singing this song in church the other day and found myself singing “All I want is Christ” during the chorus. Below are the lyrics to the whole song by Jordan Kauflin.
I once was lost in darkest night
Yet thought I knew the way
The sin that promised joy and life
Had led me to the grave
I had no hope that You would own
A rebel to Your will
And if You had not loved me first
I would refuse You still
But as I ran my hell-bound race
Indifferent to the cost
You looked upon my helpless state
And led me to the cross
And I beheld God’s love displayed
You suffered in my place
You bore the wrath reserved for me
Now all I know is grace
Hallelujah! All I have is Christ
Hallelujah! Jesus is my life
Now, Lord, I would be Yours alone
And live so all might see
The strength to follow Your commands
Could never come from me
Oh Father, use my ransomed life
In any way You choose
And let my song forever be
My only boast is You
© 2008 Sovereign Grace Praise (BMI), by Jordan Kauflin
Here’s a video that Dave MacKenzie at Sovereign Grace put together from the Next conference, where you can hear a live version of the song:
All I Have Is Christ from Sovereign Grace Ministries on Vimeo.
Mark,
I too find myself changing the words to some of the songs we sing! Like the chorus In Christ Alone which has a great driving melody. But one line reads “But on the cross where Jesus died, the wrath of God was satisfied.” Not being a proponent of penal substitution, I can’t sing this. So I usually end up mumbling something under my breath.
As Easter draws near, I found myself thinking of your blog and your experiences with doubt and belief. As you represent that small sample of doubters attending worship services and speaking about their experiences, I wonder how the Easter celebration will feel to you. There are plenty of people who attend Easter services and don’t really believe, but they aren’t all that concerned about it. But you obviously care deeply. I know that I often feel at odds with what I hear in church and feel like a bit of an outsider, but I believe in the basics: God, the incarnation, the resurrection.
In worship services, we occasionally recognize those who are hurting, especially at holidays. Mother’s Day prayers for those who have lost a mother, Christmas prayers for those who are alone or who have lost loved ones. But I have never heard a prayer for those who want to believe but cannot, or an Easter prayer for those who doubt the resurrection. Such a prayer would be refreshing in a worship service.
Creator God, if you do in fact exist, be gracious and patient with those who cannot at present believe in your existence and activity in our world. Strengthen the spirits of those who earnestly seek truth, and grant them periods of rest and peace along journey. Perhaps few take such a journey, but those who do are ever aware of the weighty consequences of their search. Help ease the burden. We desire certainty. Help us find peace in uncertainty. Light a spark of hope and belief in those who seek truth, and in so doing seek you. Amen.
Kyle,
Thanks for the prayer it meant a lot. Easter is a tough time of year for me, and if it wasn’t for the candy, it would be rather depressing (I sometimes joke to hide the pain). Time to go get some more jellybeans
Mark,
I must share with you what I am compelled to share, and I hope these verses speak to you in the way they did to me.
For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”
I pray that you will have peace and joy restored to you.