Charles Wesley - Author Of Faith, Eternal Word Lyrics
Lyrics
1 AUTHOR of faith, eternal Word,
Whose Spirit breathes the active flame:
Faith, like its Finisher and Lord,
To-day as yesterday the same;
2 To thee our humble hearts aspire,
And ask the gift unspeakable;
Increase in us the kindled fire,
In us the work of faith fulfil.
3 By faith we know thee strong to save;
(Save us, a present Saviour thou!)
Whate'er we hope, by faith we have,
Future and past subsisting now.
4 To him that in thy name believes
Eternal life with thee is given;
Into himself he all receives,
Pardon, and holiness, and heaven.
5 The things unknown to feeble sense,
Unseen by reason's glimmering ray,
With strong, commanding evidence,
Their heavenly origin display.
6 Faith lends its realizing light,
The clouds disperse, the shadows fly;
The Invisible appears in sight,
And God is seen by mortal eye.
Video
Author of Faith Eternal Word - Charles Wesley
Meaning & Inspiration
Charles Wesley's "Author of Faith, Eternal Word," released on July 8, 2024, stands as a profound theological statement set to verse, resonating with the timeless power of Christian faith. This hymn delves deep into the nature of faith itself, tracing its origins to Jesus Christ, the "Eternal Word" through whom all creation came to be, as proclaimed in John 1:1-3. Wesley immediately establishes this divine connection, suggesting that faith is not a human invention but a "gift unspeakable" (stanza 2), a "kindled fire" (stanza 2) ignited by the Holy Spirit, the very "Spirit breathes the active flame" (stanza 1). This understanding aligns perfectly with passages like Ephesians 2:8, which states that salvation comes "by grace through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God."
The hymn's core message revolves around the transformative power of faith, particularly its role in bridging the gap between the temporal and the eternal. Wesley emphasizes that through faith, believers possess what they hope for, not in some distant future, but as a present reality. "Whate'er we hope, by faith we have, Future and past subsisting now" (stanza 3) is a powerful declaration that echoes Hebrews 11:1, which defines faith as "the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." This present possession of future realities is further elaborated in stanza 4, where believing in Christ grants "Eternal life with thee is given," encompassing pardon, holiness, and heaven. This speaks to the comprehensive nature of God's saving work through faith in Jesus, mirroring promises found in verses such as 1 John 5:11-12: "And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son does not have life."
Furthermore, Wesley addresses the often-invisible nature of faith, contrasting it with the limitations of human senses and reason. He asserts that faith illuminates truths "unknown to feeble sense, Unseen by reason's glimmering ray" (stanza 5). This capacity for faith to reveal divine realities is described as a "strong, commanding evidence" (stanza 5), leading to an experience where "The Invisible appears in sight, And God is seen by mortal eye" (stanza 6). This spiritual vision transcends mere intellectual assent, aligning with Jesus' own words in Matthew 5:8: "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." The hymn powerfully articulates that faith is not blind credulity but a divine light, a "realizing light" (stanza 6), that dispels the obscurities of the material world and grants a tangible apprehension of God's presence and promises. It is a testament to the enduring truth that faith is the conduit through which humanity connects with the divine, finding assurance and hope in the unshakeable character of God.