1 IF but one faithless soul be here,
Jesus assembled with thine own,
Wilt thou not in the midst appear,
Thy resurrection's power make known,
Sprinkle the sinner with thy blood,
And show thyself his Lord and God?
2 Slower of heart than Thomas, I
With thy sincere disciples meet;
A conscious unbeliever sigh
For faith and pardon at thy feet:
Thy feet, alas, I cannot see,
Or feel the blood that flows for me.
3 But nothing can obstruct thy way,
Thou omnipresent God of love:
Come, Saviour, come, thy wounds display,
My stubborn unbelief remove,
And me among thy people bless,
And fill our hearts with heavenly peace.
4 Occasion from my slowness take
Thy faithful followers to cheer,
For a poor abject sinner's sake,
Jesus, the second time appear,
Increase thy saints' felicity,
And bless them all by blessing me.
If But One Faithless Soul Be Here
If But One Faithless Soul Be Here Song Meaning, Biblical Reference and Inspiration
Written by the prolific hymn writer Charles Wesley, "If But One Faithless Soul Be Here" is a profound and deeply personal prayer set to verse, originating in the 18th century. It emerges from a context rooted in the early Methodist movement's emphasis on personal experience and communal worship. The hymn opens with a striking premise: the gathering of believers may include someone struggling with unbelief. In response, it voices an earnest plea for Christ to make His presence known among them, demonstrating the transformative power of His resurrection and the cleansing efficacy of His blood upon the hesitant heart. This sets a tone of vulnerability and hopeful anticipation for divine intervention within the assembly.
The hymn then shifts to the speaker's own confession, openly identifying with the "faithless soul" and comparing their internal struggle to that of Thomas, who doubted the resurrection until he saw the physical proof. The speaker describes themselves as "slower of heart" – an echo of the disciples on the road to Emmaus – sighing for faith and pardon while feeling unable to grasp the tangible reality of Christ's presence or the power of His sacrifice. This candid expression of doubt and longing makes the hymn relatable to many who have wrestled with spiritual uncertainty, portraying the search for faith as an act of humility and persistent seeking.
Despite the felt distance and difficulty in perceiving Christ, the hymn pivots with a declaration of God's nature. The third stanza asserts Christ's omnipresence and boundless love, proclaiming that nothing can obstruct His power. This confidence in divine capability underpins the renewed prayer for Christ to appear and "display His wounds" – a direct reference to His post-resurrection appearances to the disciples – as the ultimate means to remove the speaker's "stubborn unbelief." The prayer expands beyond the individual, asking Christ to bless the entire congregation and fill their hearts with "heavenly peace," showing the corporate dimension of the desired spiritual renewal.
The final stanza contains a poignant and unique petition. The speaker asks Christ to use their own spiritual weakness and slowness not just for personal blessing, but as an *occasion* to strengthen and cheer the "faithful followers" present. By answering the prayer of the "poor abject sinner," Christ is asked to appear "the second time" (meaning another powerful manifestation of His presence) to increase the "felicity" of the saints and bless them all through the act of blessing the struggling soul. This highlights the interconnectedness of the body of believers and the profound hope that even doubt can prompt a corporate outpouring of grace and renewed faith. Rooted in scriptural themes of Christ's post-resurrection appearances, the power of His blood, and His presence among His people, this hymn remains an inspiring expression of honest spiritual struggle and unwavering hope in Christ's power to overcome unbelief.
