Just As I Am - verse 1

“Just as I am, without one plea, but that thy blood was shed for me, and that thou bidst me come to thee, O Lamb of God, I come, I come.” – Charlotte Elliott

Plea: a formal statement by or on behalf of a defendant or prisoner, stating guilt or innocence in response to a charge, offering an allegation of fact, or claiming that a point of law should apply.

This verse from the very old hymn, Just as I am, Without One Plea, is robust with precious and deep truth. The essence of the sentence is “Just as I am, I come.” But if this sentence was a sandwich, that statement would only represent the two slices of bread. The meat is that this imperfect, sinful person is not qualified to approach a perfect, sinless God EXCEPT that Christ’s blood was shed on their behalf AND (to top it off) the writer is actually being summoned by the precious Lamb of God. This is the point of law that applies!

Rewritten, this statement might look like this: Father, I’m coming to You realizing that I actually don’t have any right to approach You when we look at who I am and who You are.  But there is this one thing: Jesus died for me. And You said that His death is sufficient payment for my sin. So when I accepted Him as my Savior, You say that I am accepted by You. Further, You also invite me to come to You. So although I have no goodness in me and no right to come to you, I have nothing to offer, and I may be coming to you in a state of weakness or weariness or even in the midst of my sin, I come to you My Redeemer and Savior, never the less. In humility and based on the blood of Jesus and His work alone, I come.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with Me.” Revelation 3:20

“Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28

I come from a tradition of singing hymns. And these songs have had a wonderful impact on my spiritual life. This particular song has six verses, each with wonderful words of transparency and humility. Starting on Monday we will take a very brief look at each of these verses and we will see what spiritual truths are revealed within.