This is hymn 10 of the Open Heavens daily devotion written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).
Hymn 10: IN CHRIST ALONE
1. In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand
2. In Christ alone, who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless Babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save
‘Til on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live, I live
3. There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ
4. No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From a life’s first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Could ever pluck me from His hand
‘Til He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I stand
IN CHRIST ALONE HYMN COMMENTARY
Beloved in Christ, we have the profound privilege today of reflecting on what has become a modern creed set to music—”In Christ Alone.” This hymn is a comprehensive, triumphant, and deeply theological declaration of the believer’s entire hope and security. It walks us through the cradle, the cross, the empty tomb, and the ultimate consummation, leaving us on the unshakeable ground of Christ’s finished work. This is not merely a song to be sung; it is a fortress to be lived in.
Why Sing This Hymn
We sing this hymn to confess the totality of our dependence on Jesus Christ. It is a proclamation of faith that anchors our soul in the historical events of the Gospel, defends us against fear, and proclaims our absolute security in the face of life, death, and eternity.
1. It is a Hymn of Exclusive Hope and Present Refuge (Verse 1)
The hymn begins with a bold, exclusive claim: “In Christ alone my hope is found.” In a world of shifting foundations, He is our “Cornerstone, this solid ground.” This verse captures the present experience of the believer: He is our Light in darkness, our Strength in weakness, our Song in sorrow. In Him, we find a love so high and a peace so deep that it has the power to still our fears and cease our strivings. We stand not in our own merit, but “here in the love of Christ.”
2. It is a Hymn of Atoning Sacrifice and Substitutionary Death (Verse 2)
Here, the hymn fearlessly proclaims the heart of the Gospel. It moves from the wonder of the Incarnation (“Fullness of God in helpless Babe”) to the scandal of the cross. It makes the vital, non-negotiable declaration: “as Jesus died, The wrath of God was satisfied.” This is the doctrine of propitiation—Christ bore the full weight of God’s righteous wrath against our sin, so that it might be turned away from us. “For every sin on Him was laid” (Isaiah 53:6). Our only boast is this: “Here in the death of Christ I live.”
3. It is a Hymn of Resurrection Victory and Transfer of Ownership (Verse 3)
The story does not end at the cross. The “Light of the world” was slain, but could not be held by darkness. His “bursting forth in glorious Day” is the pivot of history and the guarantee of our freedom. Because He stands in victory, “Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me.” The resurrection secures our new identity: “For I am His and He is mine”—a relationship sealed not by our effort, but “Bought with the precious blood of Christ.”
4. It is a Hymn of Eternal Security and Victorious Destiny (Verse 4)
This final verse declares the unassailable confidence that flows from the previous three. It is a shout of victory over life’s greatest adversaries: “No guilt in life, no fear in death.” Why? Because of “the power of Christ in me.” From our first breath to our last, and for all eternity, “Jesus commands my destiny.” No enemy—hell, man, or circumstance—has the power to undo what Christ has done. Our security is not in our grip on Him, but in His sovereign grip on us (John 10:28-29). We stand, now and forever, “in the power of Christ.”
A Word for Your Spirit Today
Are you assailed by guilt? Stand in the death of Christ, where wrath was satisfied. Are you gripped by fear, whether of life’s trials or death’s shadow? Stand in the power of His resurrection. Are you feeling insecure, unstable, or afraid of being lost? Stand on the promise of His holding power.
This hymn is your confession. Let it be your prayer and your proclamation. Declare it when doubts arise. Sing it when fears assault. Whisper it when you feel weak. You stand on solid ground. Your hope is found in Christ alone—in His love, His death, His life, and His sovereign power. There is no safer place.
Stand firm, beloved. You are His.
In the all-sufficient name of Jesus Christ, our Cornerstone and Conqueror, Amen.
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