Amazing Grace

John Newton lived in England during the 1700s, and for much of his early life, he was not a good man. He was involved in the slave trade, one of the cruelest industries in human history. He helped buy and sell African men, women, and children who were taken from their homes, separated from their families, and treated like property. Newton was also known for foul language, reckless behavior, and open disregard for God.

In 1748, Newton was sailing home when a violent storm struck in the Atlantic Ocean. The winds battered the ship, water poured in, and the crew struggled to keep the vessel afloat. Newton was convinced he was going to die. In desperation, the man who had spent years mocking God cried out, “The Lord have mercy on us.” The ship survived the storm, eventually reaching Ireland after several more weeks at sea. Newton never forgot that night. In fact, for the rest of his life, he remembered March 21, 1748, as a turning point in his relationship with God.

But Newton’s transformation didn’t happen overnight—in fact, he continued working in the slave trade for several more years, captaining three slave-trading voyages himself. It would take years for him to fully recognize the evil of the industry he had participated in. Eventually, he left the sea, became a minister, and later publicly condemned the slave trade he had once helped perpetuate.

Nearly 25 years after that terrible storm, Newton was preparing a sermon for his congregation in Olney, England. The passage was 1 Chronicles 17, where King David marvels at God’s goodness and asks, “Who am I, Lord God, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?” As Newton reflected on that question, he couldn’t help but think about his own life, remembering the terrible things he had done, the people he had hurt, and the mercy God had shown him. So he wrote a hymn for his congregation to sing on New Year’s Day. It began with words that would eventually become known around the world: “Amazing grace! How sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me!”

Near the end of his life, when his memory was failing, Newton reportedly told a friend, “My memory is nearly gone. But I remember two things: that I am a great sinner, and that Christ is a great Saviour.”