Not what I used to be – John Newton

Not what I used to be – John Newton

Yesterday’s sermon on Romans 1:1 I shared one of John Newton’s most famous sayings –

“I am not what I ought to be. I am not what I want to be. I am not what I hope to be. But still, I am not what I used to be. And by the grace of God, I am what I am.” John Newton

John Newton wrote his own epitaph. It still stands on his gravestone as a testament to the transforming power of the gospel in his life.

John Newton, Once an infidel and libertine, A servant of slaves in Africa, Was, by the rich mercy of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, Preserved, restored, pardoned, And appointed to preach the faith He had long labored to destroy.

You can see pictures of the Olney church yard here:

http://www.baptistlife.com/johnnewton.htm