, Christopher Wright suggests a change to the lyrics of Stuart Townend’s hymn “In Christ Alone”. Wright suggests that it be modified to capture the greater biblical fullness of meaning (132-133). The original lyric is:“…till on that cross as Jesus died the wrath of God was satisfied.Wright suggests that it be changed to:
...till on that cross as Jesus died God's wrath and love were satisfied"I disagree with Wright’s suggestion. I understand that his hope is to recover the idea that God’s wrath and God’s love are “intrinsically connected to one another” (130). However, I think this change to the lyric would be a tad confusing. Satisfaction is a propitiation term. In Townend’s lyric is has to do with the permanency of the wrath of God being removed from us by the cross of Christ; it speaks of finality. To say that love is “satisfied” in the same context that you are speaking of wrath being “satisfied” would either lower what is meant by wrath being fully taken away or lower the eternal nature of love. Love is eternal and to speak of it as being “satisfied” in the same way that we speak of wrath being “satisfied” is confusing at best.
What do you think?
