Hymns for the Family: All I Have is Christ
Hymns for the Home
Hymns for the Home is a series that will highlight hymns and worship music that are great for family worship. They are chosen for their Biblical and spiritual content, as well as their simplicity.
Devotional
This song, which many people consider a contemporary hymn is full of rich theology and true submission to Jesus. Reminding the singer that their true need is Christ.
Faith Begins with Humility
Before being led to the Gospel we have an utter inability to lead ourselves. We are lost and unable to find the way. Yet in our rebellion it is the love of Christ that draws us home.
Faith Finds Home at the Cross
Though our "hell-bound race" deserves nothing but the wrath of God, because of the Jesus love and his work at the cross, we receive nothing but "grace". Ponder for a moment the contrast in these rhyming lyrics... Our faith finds home in the change from hell to grace purchased at the Cross.
The Strength of Faith is Christ Alone
Since we have no ability on our own to find faith, then we certainly have no ability on our own to keep it. In the final verse of this song, we are reminded that the strength of our faith is found in Christ and Christ alone. Truly, All we have is Christ.
History
Jordan Kauflin is the Staff Pastor at Redeemer Church of Arlington, Virginia. About 10 years ago, Jordan and his brother Devon were working on songs for an upcoming album. Jordan said that "during the writing process for that upcoming album, [he] was inspired to write a song that talked about the joy we have in Jesus that is greater than any joy in this world. That led him to try and describe the futility of our life without Jesus: 'I once was lost in darkest night.'"
He was also inspired by the last two verses in John Newton's hymn, "Old Things Are Passed away," specifically "the thought that if God had not loved us first, we would still be refusing his mercy." Jordan's vision for the song was to "tell the story of redemption and our response to it."
Jordan wrote the song alongside his father Bob Kauflin, who serves as a pastor and director of music at Sovereign Grace Church of Louisville in Kentucky. They worked hard to craft the song in such a way to convey a biblical truth without being too complex. Bob said, "looking back over the original lines Jordan had been considering for the chorus, I'm so grateful he worked hard to trim it down. It was worth the investment to be able to joyfully sing out, 'Hallelujah! All I have is Christ! Hallelujah! Jesus is my life!' and know that's all we need to say."
They finally finished the song and in 2008 the debuted the song, outside of their home church, at the New Attitude conference in Louisville, Kentucky. Shortly after its public release, the song began to spread from church to church and has become one of the most well-known songs that Sovereign Grace Music has produced.
Click the QR code for Jordan Kauflin Performance
Sing along using the above Lyrics printable
