There are moments when something familiar is seen as if for the very first time, despite countless prior encounters. Such an experience can occur when reflecting on the words of “Amazing Grace.” The second verse, often overlooked, carries a profound and haunting message:
T’was grace that taught my heart to fear,
and grace my fears relieved.
How precious did that grace appear,
the hour I first believed.
The opening line holds a striking truth. “T’was grace that taught my heart to fear.” How could grace—often seen as gentle and comforting—teach fear? This paradox invites careful thought.
An illustration helps illuminate this concept. A young boy was once warned repeatedly by his father about the danger posed by wild animals. Despite the warnings, the boy approached a tiger’s enclosure, drawn by curiosity. The tiger appeared calm and unthreatening as the boy drew near. However, in a sudden and terrifying moment, the tiger lunged. The father intervened just in time, pulling his son to safety.
To ensure the boy understood the danger, the father tied a goat near the tiger’s cage and had his son watch as the predator swiftly killed and devoured the animal. The boy, who once saw the tiger as harmless, now understood the threat it posed. Fear became the necessary lesson that protected him from harm.
This reflects the essence of John Newton’s words, “T’was grace that taught my heart to fear.” For years, Newton lived in sin’s deadly grasp, blind to the danger it posed. God, in His mercy, revealed the terrifying reality of sin, much like the father revealed the tiger’s true nature. Grace opened his eyes to the dangers and snares he had ignored.
But the verse does not end in fear. The next line declares, “and grace my fears relieved.” True grace not only reveals the horror of sin but also extends the assurance of safety. Grace exposes the storm yet provides shelter.
A practical example illustrates this truth. When a tornado approaches, fear grips the heart at the sight of its destructive power. But when the storm miraculously lifts before reaching the home, the relief is indescribable. Though the yard may bear signs of the storm’s power, safety is preserved. Grace spares the soul in the same way, lifting the heart from danger to deliverance.
John Newton’s words reflect this dual reality. Grace reveals the horror of sin but does not leave the heart trembling indefinitely. The same grace that brings fear also brings peace and deliverance. Grace shows the terrible cost of sin and then lifts the soul from the ruins, offering salvation.
Newton’s reflection, “How precious did that grace appear, the hour I first believed,” reveals the moment grace became fully visible. God allows the devastating consequences of sin to be seen, as Isaiah wrote:
“But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:5-6).
Grace, though always present, becomes clear the moment faith is placed in Christ’s sacrifice. At that hour, grace ceases to be a theological concept and becomes an experienced reality. The depth of what Christ has done becomes evident, and grace reveals itself in all its splendor.
The work of grace precedes the awareness of grace. Long before it is seen, grace is active, preserving and drawing the heart to God. “That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:7-8).
Newton saw sin’s ferocity, but he also saw the Lamb who bore it all. Grace appeared, and from that moment forward, Newton’s life was transformed. The rest of his days were spent proclaiming the exceeding riches of God’s grace.
Reflect again on this stanza. Read it slowly or sing it aloud. Allow its truth to penetrate the heart, just as it did for John Newton. Let grace appear afresh.
T’was grace that taught my heart to fear,
and grace my fears relieved.
How precious did that grace appear,
the hour I first believed.