Once we stood in condemnation

1 Once we stood in condemnation,
Waiting thus the sinner's doom,
Christ in death has wrought salvation,
God has raised Him from the tomb.

2 As strangers then to God we lived,
Filled with enmity and fear;
Our souls from death He has reprieved,
Love revealed and brought us near.

3 Now we see in Christ's acceptance
But the measure of our own;
Him who lay beneath our sentence
Seated high upon the throne.

4 Quickened, raised, and in Him seated,
We a full deliv'rance know;
Ev'ry foe has been defeated,
Ev'ry enemy laid low.

5 Now we have a life in union
With the risen life above,
Now we drink in sweet communion
Some rich foretaste of His love.

6 Soon, O Lord, in brightest glory,
All its vastness we'll explore;
Soon we'll cast our crowns before Thee,
Whilst we worship and adore.

Source: A Few Hymns and Some Spiritual Songs. Selected 1856, for the Little Flock. Revised, 1881 #200