Anthem Church

This classic hymn of Isaac Watts based on Galatians 6:14 has often been called the greatest hymn in the English language. Another contemporary of Isaac Watts said of it, "There may be a few others equally great, but there is none greater." All one needs to do to realize the truth of this statement is to sing this majestic hymn. The contrast is vivid as Paul declared his boasting to be in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. For the Judaizers the Cross was an object of shame; for Paul it was the object of glorying. They gloried in the flesh; he gloried in the Savior. The "Cross" speaks of the atonement of Christ with which Paul was identified and by which the world was crucified to Paul and he to the world. The world system with all its allurements, fleshly displays, and religions of human effort was cast aside by Paul. He looked at the world as if it were on a cross-and the world looked at Paul as though he were on a cross. The original title of this hymn was "Crucifixion to the World by the Cross of Christ