Amazing Grace Discovery

On the tumultuous high seas, John Newton experienced the providential grace of God and, later when he was spiritually saved by God’s grace, wrote his personal testimony about God's sovereign, saving grace in a hymn that the world knows as Amazing Grace.  Unforeseen by Newton, It has echoed across oceans to be heard, sung and played throughout many cultures for many generations.   Its lyrics were penned in the late 18th century by a common man who was spiritually lost but, then, found by the grace of God.   Its soul-searching lyrics, presented along with its heart-warming tune, is what makes this hymn so genuinely inspiring and represents the ineffable power of lyrical music to cross generations and cultures.

Using the lyrics to Amazing Grace as a foundation, author, church musician and worship leader, John Hadley, has revealed their deep, rich, biblical meaning which is a pensive reflection of Newton& practical theology-what he believed about and experienced from the marvelous grace of God. He was a prayerful and devoted student of the Bible and what he learned from the Bible and what he experienced from God's marvelous grace is written into the lyrics of his hymns.  After describing how God.s grace is experienced through lyrical music,particularly through hymns, Hadley lays a solid foundational biblical meaning of God's amazing grace.  He then breaks down each hymn verse into lyrical phrases and clarifies their true biblical meaning. Using authoritative passages from Holy Scripture, the heart-felt sentiments and prayers from many of Newton's hymns, and biographical research from other authors on the life of John Newton, Hadley clarifies each phrase from each verse of Amazing Grace. He ends his book describing the reigning grace of God and the ultimate victory of Jesus Christ, the Alpha and Omega, and his Church over the evil satanic powers of the world.  Also, he includes a succinct presentation of the biblical themes of ;Amazing Grace, a Gospel presentation using several of Newton's hymns; and finally, a textual and musical analysis of Amazing Grace whereby he presents his theory on the origins of the popular tune people around the globe associate with this famous hymn.