Exegeting the Hymns #87 - Blessed Assurance

Blessed Assurance
w/m - Fanny Crosby

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.

This is my story, this is my song
Praising my Savior all the day long
This is my story, this is my song
Praising my Savior all the day long

Perfect submission, perfect delight,
Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
Angels, descending, bring from above
Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.

Perfect submission, all is at rest,
I in my Savior am happy and blest,
Watching and waiting, looking above,
Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.

We are moving through the most popular hymns of all time. This week is #10 (#9 is All Hail the Power, which I exegeted that one back in post #51).  

For those who haven’t been keeping track:

1. Amazing Grace
2. How Great Thou Art
3. Holy Holy Holy
4. It Is Well
5. Great is Thy Faithfulness
6. Praise to the Lord, the Almighty
7. Be Thou My Vision
8. All Creatures of our God and King
9. All Hail the Power
10. Blessed Assurance

Blessed Assurance was written in 1873 by Fanny Crosby, one of the most prolific hymn writers of the 19th century. This song speaks of the doctrine of the “Assurance of our salvation”. This is different than “Eternal security” in that some people are eternally secure, but may not feel the assurance that is theirs, and some may feel they have assurance now, but on the last day, they will find themselves without eternal life (Matthew 7:22).

Assurance is there for the true believer who not only professes faith in Christ, but actually possesses it. When one has truly repented and believed, can see the fruit of the Holy Spirit in their lives, feels the guilt of sin and wages war with it, is in submission to God, and truly loves Christ and His bride, there can be a blessed assurance on this side of heaven.

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine! Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine! We love Him because He first loved us. When we experience that unique love relationship with our Savior, this assurance becomes personal… Jesus is mine. That relationship is just an initial glimpse of the eternal bond we will one day share with Him. Heir of salvation, purchase of God, born of His Spirit, washed in His blood. The work of God in our lives seals that assurance, for if these things were dependent on us, we would lose them, and the assurance that goes with them, instantly.

This is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all the day long. Jesus, the Savior, did the work of salvation. Our only right response is never-ending praise.

Perfect submission, perfect delight, visions of rapture now burst on my sight; angels, descending, bring from above echoes of mercy, whispers of love. This verse describes the feeling that accompanies this right relationship with God. Although the term “Rapture” is often used to describe an eschatological event, here, I believe context dictates that it simply means a feeling of intense pleasure or joy. When we submit to His plan, His purpose, His control, it is accompanied by perfect peace and joy that can’t be found in this life otherwise. 

Perfect submission, all is at rest, I in my Savior am happy and blest, watching and waiting, looking above, filled with His goodness, lost in His love. Again, this verse begins with “perfect submission”. My guess was that Mrs. Crosby didn’t just run out of lines (She composed over 8,000 hymns in her life). She most likely wanted to drive the point home that without perfect submission, there can be little assurance. It is the work of God that saves us, and the work of God that keeps us. Relying on His work is paramount in finding happiness, rest, and this blessed assurance.

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