The Aquila Report

Your independent source for news and commentary from and about conservative, orthodox evangelicals in the Reformed and Presbyterian family of churches

Providence College
  • Biblical
    and Theological
  • Churches
    and Ministries
  • People
    in the News
  • World
    and Life News
  • Lifestyle
    and Reviews
    • Books
    • Movies
    • Music
  • Opinion
    and Commentary
  • General Assembly
    and Synod Reports
    • ARP General Synod
    • EPC General Assembly
    • OPC General Assembly
    • PCA General Assembly
    • PCUSA General Assembly
    • RPCNA Synod
    • URCNA Synod
  • Subscribe
    to Weekly Email
  • Biblical
    and Theological
  • Churches
    and Ministries
  • People
    in the News
  • World
    and Life News
  • Lifestyle
    and Reviews
    • Books
    • Movies
    • Music
  • Opinion
    and Commentary
  • General Assembly
    and Synod Reports
    • ARP General Synod
    • EPC General Assembly
    • OPC General Assembly
    • PCA General Assembly
    • PCUSA General Assembly
    • RPCNA Synod
    • URCNA Synod
  • Subscribe
    to Weekly Email
  • Search
Home/Biblical and Theological/John Newton

John Newton

Immoral sailor and slave trader transformed into a humble, devoted minister of Jesus.

Written by Nathan Millican | Friday, January 10, 2020

Newton was a diligent writer and wrote voluminously. His letters capture a depth of the gospel, an awareness of the human heart, a compassion for the souls of family and friends, and an insatiable desire to keep his heart and mind on Jesus. What follows are some brief statements taken from some of his letters.

 

A couple weeks ago I met with a friend who recommended John Newton’s book, “Letters of John Newton.” John Newton was once a strong advocate for the slave trade and lived a deeply immoral life as a sailor. Through the gospel, Jesus saved John Newton and used his life in a remarkable way, setting him apart as a Christian leader in England during a time of revival in the country.

Newton was a diligent writer and wrote voluminously. His letters capture a depth of the gospel, an awareness of the human heart, a compassion for the souls of family and friends, and an insatiable desire to keep his heart and mind on Jesus. What follows are some brief statements taken from some of his letters. My hope is that as you read his words you will be prompted to purchase this book so that you can receive the encouragement and refreshment of soul that I have experienced in working through his letters.

  • The necessary practical application of doctrinal truth: “I set no value upon any doctrinal truth, further than it has a tendency to promote practical holiness.”
  • The dangers of simply knowing the truth intellectually but not being changed by it: “A man may give his assent to the gospel and be able to defend it against others, and yet not have his own spirit truly influenced by it.

Read More

Related Posts:

  • John Newton, My Friend
  • John Newton on Hearing Sermons
  • John Newton and "Christian" Slave-Traders
  • Smiling at Storms
  • Should We Preach with a Wider Audience in Mind?

Subscribe, Follow, Listen

  • email-alt
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • apple-podcasts
  • anchor
Text and Translation
Belhaven University

Archives

Books

Geerhardus Vos: Reformed Biblical Theologian, Confessional Presbyterian - by Danny Olinger

Special

A Golden Chain
  • About
  • Advertise Here
  • Contact Us
  • Donations
  • Email Alerts
  • Leadership
  • Letters to the Editor
  • Principles and Practices
  • Privacy Policy

Important:

Free Subscription

Aquila Report Email Alerts

Special

5 Solas of the Reformation
  • About
  • Advertise Here
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Principles and Practices
  • RSS Feed
  • Subscribe to Weekly Email Alerts
Providence Christian College - visit

DISCLAIMER: The Aquila Report is a news and information resource. We welcome commentary from readers; for more information visit our Letters to the Editor link. All our content, including commentary and opinion, is intended to be information for our readers and does not necessarily indicate an endorsement by The Aquila Report or its governing board. In order to provide this website free of charge to our readers,  Aquila Report uses a combination of donations, advertisements and affiliate marketing links to  pay its operating costs.

Return to top of page

Website design by Five More Talents · Copyright © 2022 The Aquila Report · Log in