♫♫ Nothing in my hand I bring, Simply to Thy 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. ♫♫
This glorious hymn is stating that nothing you or I have done, can do, or will do, can restore us to a right relationship with the Lord.
Fig leaves of human effort will never cover the sinner from the stormy blast of God’s holy wrath.
All our works are filthy rags and can never produce the righteousness God’s demands.
We must simply cling to the cross of Christ and trust His work alone as our righteousness, holiness, and perfect satisfaction before the Lord.
We come to the Lord as spiritually naked, sinful, defiled individuals who must trust in the Lord to be covered with the righteous robes of Christ. We come as those who are spiritually helpless.
We have no spiritual strength or power or righteousness or holiness of our own to stand before a holy God.
We must trust in the grace of God, the mercy of God, the goodness of God, and the love of God for our redemption and reconciliation.
We come to God as spiritually foul sinners who must run to the cleansing fountain of Jesus Christ.
We come as those who need washing and cleansing in the blood of the Lamb.
We come as those who need Christ’s perfect atonement on the cross.
We need His cleansing blood to wash away all our guilty stains and sin.
Here’s my confession: I need Jesus Christ alone! I need Him now, I need Him tomorrow, and the next day and the next, etc., etc., throughout all eternity! I need Him every moment of every day! And by true faith, I have Jesus! I now have all that is necessary unto my salvation! I am righteous in Christ and an heir of salvation through the life, death, resurrection, ascension, session, and Second Coming of Jesus, who will consummate His glorious kingdom at His Coming and cast out all that offends! Hallelujah! What A Savior!
—Pastor S. Henry