John Newton’s Letter on Faith (December 8, 1775)

On December 8, 1775, Anglican pastor and hymnwriter John Newton set down a plain, weighty definition of saving faith in a letter: “This is faith: a renouncing of everything we are apt to call our own and relying wholly upon the blood, righteousness and intercession of Jesus.” Written in the era of global upheaval and war, the line reads like a quiet trumpet blast against the constant human urge to justify oneself.

John Newton (1725–1807)

Newton is best known for “Amazing Grace,” but his influence spread through sermons, correspondence, and pastoral counsel. His early life was marked by rebellion and moral collapse, including participation in the Atlantic slave trade. The Lord’s providential restraint and mercy pursued him through danger at sea and years of spiritual darkness. His later repentance did not erase past evil, yet it produced a humbled courage: he became a faithful minister and, in time, a public voice against the slave trade. His “heroism” was not self-made virtue but steadfast obedience—telling the truth about sin, calling people to Christ, and enduring the cost of repentance.

What Newton Meant by Faith

Newton’s sentence confronts spiritual pride and anxious striving alike. Faith is not a spiritual résumé; it is an empty-handed receiving of Christ. To “renounce” what we call our own is to abandon confidence in moral effort, religious performance, or personal strength. The ground of peace with God is “the blood” and “righteousness” of Jesus—His atoning death and perfect obedience credited to believers—and His ongoing “intercession,” the Savior’s living advocacy for His people.

Scripture speaks the same comfort: “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1). And, “Therefore He is able to save completely those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede for them” (Hebrews 7:25).

Legacy and Devotional Emphasis

Newton’s counsel still calls believers to a settled confidence: Christ has finished the work, and He still prays for His own. True Christian maturity grows not from self-reliance but from deeper repentance, gratitude, and love—resting in Jesus, then rising to serve with humility, purity, and perseverance.