Christ Receiveth Sinful Men
The hymn that also serves as title of the article, was written in 1718 by Erdman Neumeister. It was then translated from German into English in 1858 by Mrs. Frances Bevan. Many know the song by the first phrase in the first verse – Sinners Jesus will receive. Some hymnals utilize three verses, while others have four. Below are the three proper verses and the chorus of the song. The omitted verse carries a Calvinistic view, and is improper to sing. NOTE: All hymns must be scriptural to be pleasing to God, as a hymn that teaches false doctrine leads folks away from God.
Christ Receiveth Sinful Men
(1)
Sinners Jesus willl receive, Sound this word of grace to all
Who the heav’nly pathway leave, all who linger, all who fall.
(2)
Come and He will give you rest; Trust Him, for His Word is plain;
He will take the sinful-est: Christ receiveth sinful men.
(3)
Christ receiveth sinful men, Even me with all my sin;
Purged from every spot and stain, Heaven with Him I enter in.
(chorus)
Sing it o’er and o’er again; Christ receiveth sinful men;
Make the message clear and plain; Christ receiveth sinful men.
The words of the hymn are a wonderful sentiment and one in which many stake their eternity. However, many are confused and deceived regarding “how” Jesus receiveth the sinful. In Matt. 11:28-30, the Words of Jesus are spoken to the children of Israel as the kingdom (the church) was soon to come into being. His Words here were to call them to repentance that they might be prepared, and might accept the change that God required as the Law (covenant) changed.
He said unto them - Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. He was telling them that the ‘transition’ was not a difficult one, provided they would submit their will to that of the Father in Heaven. Previously, in Matt. 7:21 He had told His followers - Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Then, for us to ascertain, and to know what the will of the Father in Heaven is, we must look to the New Testament (after Acts 2) when the church began. We are told in Rom. 6:16 that one will ‘serve’ the one to whom he/she yields themselves. The brethren there were asked: Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? Then, in verse 17, we see the formula whereby Christ will receive the sinful man. But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. ‘Were’ indicates their past state, and have obeyed indicates they had, through obedience, become saved. Verse 18 is affirmation of this fact. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
However, there is a problem among some in the religious world, in that many fail to learn or understand what “that form of doctrine” is. Perhaps some also fail to realize that the Bible heart is the mind and “from the heart” means “with full understanding”. Let’s deal with each of these so if you so desire, you can come to the Lord in the right way and be received of Him. 1) That form of doctrine equates to what one MUST do to be saved. There are many passages that teach this. Rom. 6:3-4, Acts 22:16, and 1Pet. 3:21 are just a few. Every one of these teach being baptized “into Christ”. The “form” or pattern (Rom. 6:17) is the death, burial and resurrection of Christ (1Cor.15:1-4). In participating in this, we “die” to the love and practice of sin, are “buried” with Christ in baptism, and are “raised” to walk in newness of life. 2) From the heart equates to the “will of the mind”. In Rom. 12:1-2 the Roman brethren were admonished to present their bodies a “living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God,” as part of their “reasonable service”. Additionally, they were warned against conforming to the world, and encouraged to be “transformed by the renewing of your mind ”. It is the mind that guides the body’s actions.
To try to get Christ to ‘receive’ you in a way contrary to Bible teaching is vain. Jesus taught His brethren this in John 10:1 He said: Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. We are all sinful as Rom. 3:23 shows. Will you not submit your will to that of Christ and do as He Commands in His Word? Hear the Word. Believe that Christ is the Son of God. Repent (turn away in mind and action) from your past sins. Confess that Christ is God’s Son. Be baptized into Christ for the remission of sins. Christ will receive you. Then continue to prepare for eternity with God and Christ by remaining faithful until death.
Dennis Strickland – Mooresville church of Christ
