>>There's a reason why the song Amazing Grace has the line:
>>"Was blind, but now I see." It's literal truth.
>
>When you put such a beautiful song to your own use I have to say something.
>Your assertion that it is literal truth is not the truth. I am happy for you in your
>faith, but faith is not the same thing as truth.


I don't understand your response. The author of Amazing Grace became a Christian later in life after being a slave trader, a most vile man (by his own admission). He wrote the song's lyrics to reflect that transformation, and that's exactly what he meant by those lyrics: he had been blind to the spiritual nature of our existence, blind to Jesus as Truth, but now he sees Jesus as Truth. This is confirmed in later lyrics (see http://www.constitution.org/col/amazing_grace.htm ).

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I offer my personal experience here as best I can convey:

What the author of Amazing Grace writes about is the nature of the true Christian faith as it exists in one's life. Through faith, things which one cannot know or believe otherwise, these are now known to be true. It's not because of faith, but because the individual is born again, called by God, given faith, now being able to hear the spiritual nature of our existence, being able to understand and discern the things previously not possible to the flesh-based reason and mind, being now able to hear God Himself (who is spirit) as He is, and not just as words on a page, or an idea spoken by another. He now lives inside you (His Spirit) enabling you to see this new component of your existence.

It is impossible for a non-believer to understand this in their mind. It is something they must experience by being born again. And when this happens to a person, the words, "was blind, but now I see" take on their real, new meaning. It's a similar comparison to the condition were a person being blind because their eyes did not work, not knowing what it's like to see the world around them, and then suddenly being able to see the world. Everything they thought they knew about life will have changed. And things previously not possible to understand are now so crystal clear (such as being able to see the nature of a tree in all its beauty, grand stature and splendor, the width of the sky, the appearance of a cow, so many things).

It's simply amazing, Mike, this spiritual transformation. I would never have believed it possible had it not happened to me. And it's re-written the entirety of my life. Do I still make mistakes? Daily. Hourly. Minute by minute at times. I fail a lot. But there is this consistent drive within me to get up, dust myself off, ask forgiveness, and continue on toward God. And He is patient and faithful to tolerate His child growing up, just as a parent would be to their rebellious young youth who, later in life, becomes a good person.

I will be nine years old as a Christian shortly before my birthday this year (July 31). And during that time I've had great highs, and deep lows. I've sinned greatly, moved in faith greatly. Made huge mistakes, had grand triumphs. But through it all, God continually calls and draws me forward. And through the countless tears, I've moved, with Him drawing me forward.

I stand upon and against the nature of this world, desiring to walk in service to God, in service to my fellow man, because of this inner drive, and being told by more or less every other person that I offend them, that my references to Jesus are offensive, that my faith is misguided, and all manner of other negative aspects regarding my efforts to give that which I have been given to them as well (because I give credit to Jesus as to why I do it). It is not of nor by personal strength that I endure all of these things and continue on. It is solely because of Him living inside me who gives me strength, because I am, like all of us in the flesh, a very weak man. As Paul said about himself being "the chief of sinners," I too am the chief of sinners. But it is not me who is right, but it is God who remains faithful. God who pulls one continually toward the "onward and upward". Toward Himself.

I pray this happens to/for you. You'll be floored. You'll never be the same. You'll be taken aback beyond measure (just as John Newton, the author of Amazing Grace, was. After becoming a Christian he went back to England's leadership and rallied against slavery, against abuses toward men. A complete life transformation because now he saw the true nature of our existence, the truth of God, that all of us are precious and dear, and especially so to God).