LSB #614 "'As Surely as I Live,' God Said"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  Ezekiel 33:11, John 20:21-23, Matthew 16:19, Romans 3:23-24

Ezekiel 33:11:  "'Say to them, As I live, declares the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel?'"

John 20:21-23:  "21 Jesus said to them again, 'Peace be with you.  As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.'  22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, 'Receive the Holy Spirit.  23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.'"

Matthew 16:19:  "'I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.'"

Romans 3:23-24:  "23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus"

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The text is public domain:

"As surely as I live," God said,

"I would not see the sinner dead.

I want him turned from error's ways,

Repentant, living endless days."

And so our Lord gave this command:

"Go forth and preach in ev'ry land;

Bestow on all My pard'ning grace

Who will repent and mend their ways.

"All those whose sins you thus remit

I truly pardon and acquit,

And those whose sins you will retain

Condemned and guilty shall remain.

"What you will bind, that bound shall be;

What you will loose, that shall be free;

To My dear Church the keys are giv'n

To open, close the gates and heav'n."

The words which absolution give

Are His who died that we might live;

The minister whom Christ has sent

Is but His humble instrument.

When ministers lay on their hands,

Absolved by Christ the sinner stands;

He who by grace the Word believes

The purchase of His blood receives.

All praise to You, O Christ, shall be

For absolution full and free,

In which You show Your richest grace;

From false indulgence guard our race.

Praise God the Father and the Son

And Holy Spirit, Three in One,

As was, is now, and so shall be

World without end, eternally!

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The first verse comes from Ezekiel 33:11.  The second and third verses are from John 20:21-23, although "Go forth and preach in ev'ry land" bears more resemblance to "'Go therefore and make disciples of all nations...'" from Matthew 28:19.  The fourth verse comes from Matthew 16:19.

Romans 3:23-24, particularly "justified by his grace as a gift," appears in the seventh verse ("absolution full and free, / In which You show Your richest grace").