This song in particular is very popular with former SDA. Why? As an SDA you believe that you are sealed by the Sabbath day in the end times. So leaving an SDA church can be very difficult. You no longer have the Sabbath to cling to for your salvation, so you end up having to look to Christ instead. He is the only thing you can latch onto because without him you know you got nothing else.
Instead of using CCLI I am pulling the lyrics from the older version that still has wrath in it. You can find my source HERE.
In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand
Here are some of the passages that come to mind when I read the first verse.
“Jesus said to him,”I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” John 14:6 NASB
“The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief corner stone.” Psalms 118:22 NASB
“The LORD bless you, and keep you; The LORD make His face shine on you, And be gracious to you; The LORD lift up His countenance on you, And give you peace.'” Numbers 6:24-26 NASB
In Christ alone, who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save
‘Til on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live, I live
So in this verse get get the incarnation not only confessed but carefully so. Notice the author says “took on flesh” rather than “became” or something. The word choice shows nuance and care in their Christology.
Top it off with a confession of penal substitutionary atonement for our sins, well that’s just wonderful. It’s important to include the wrath of God too. Without a full confession of God’s wrath and what that means his love loses meaning too. God is Holy, and his righteous wrath burns against sin eternally and infinitely. Only by his love can such a wrath be satisfied. Nothing man can provide comes close enough to even matter.
There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ
Notice how we are free from the curse of sin standing in the resurrection of Christ. Wonderful, the song works great for good Friday and for Easter Sunday. We got the whole thing in three small verses.
No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life’s first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
Till He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand
Oh look hell is a thing in this song too! No wonder the liberals keep rewording this song. It has all those little words that bug them to no end.
I will stand
I will stand, all other ground is sinking sand
All other ground, all other ground
Is sinking sand, is sinking sand
So I’ll stand
THUMBS UP
Was there any doubt? Maybe I am biased with this song because of how much it means to me personally. Feel free to wax critical in the comments if you feel I’ve missed something on account of that.
|
Theology Scorecard |
Yes |
No |
| Is this song confessing Biblical theology? | X | |
| Is this song centered on God instead of yourself? | X | |
| Would this song make an Arian heretic uncomfortable? | X | |
| Is there Biblical Gospel in this song? | X | |
| Is there Biblical Law in this song? | X | |
| Is this song clearly addressing God in any capacity at all? | X |
Armchair Theologian 
The church’s traditions service I attend uses this song. Not so much in the modern worship. Needless to say, it’s why I attend the Traditions service. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person