Wholly Lean on Jesus’ Name

My hope is built on nothing less

than Jesus’ blood and righteousness;

I dare not trust the sweetest frame,

but wholly lean on Jesus’ name. – Edward Mote (1834)

What does it mean to “wholly lean on Jesus name”? The opening lines of My Hope is Built on Nothing Less by Edward Mote provide a beautiful declaration of dependence on Christ. Many people will sing this hymn, but how many will take its words to heart and practice them in their lives? These words are not words of trivial religion but of deep personal dependence. So let us consider these words and apply their meaning.

Let us first start at the end of this statement and work our way to the front. What is “Jesus’ name”? The name Jesus means“Jehovah is salvation” and indeed that what He is. Jesus is salvation. He is also much more. The prophet Isaiah said Jesus“shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the might God, the Everlasting father, the Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6). Time would fail us to just define these names, let alone the countless other name of Jesus throughout the Bible. My friend, are you looking to the name of Jesus for your salvation? Is He your Counsellor, God, Father, and source of peace? If not, please read on.

Lean, verb intransitive 1. To deviate or move from a straight or perpendicular line; or to be in a position thus deviating. 2. To incline or propend; to tend toward. 3. To bend or incline so as to rest on something; as, to lean against a wall or a pillar; to lean on the arms of another. 4. To bend; to be in a bending posture. (Webster’s 1828 Dictionary).

Next comes the word “Lean”, which means to incline, bend, and rest against something, and that something is Jesus. We are to rest upon His “everlasting arms”. You cannot lean or rest against something without depending on it to hold you up. So too Christ, depend on Him to hold you up, for He is the only one who will never fail to do so. “That is all well and good” I hear you say, “but how? How do I rest upon Jesus?” I am so glad you asked. You and I face a fearful choice. We stand rightly condemned before a holy God, and the fate of our eternal souls depend on how we answer a question. The question is “What will you do with Jesus?” We could deny Him and face our judgement alone and without hope, or as the apostle Paul said “if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” (Romans 10:9) Will you depend upon Christ to be your counsellor and defendant before the everlasting Judge of all the universe? If so, call upon Him, “for whosever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:13)

Wholly, adverb, 1. Entirely; completely; perfectly. 2. Totally; in all the parts or kinds. (Webster’s 1828 Dictionary).

That leaves one last word, which answers to what degree we shall lean and depend on the name of Jesus. The word “wholly” leaves no room for half measures or partial commitments. To do something “wholly” means that you do it entirely, totally, and without reservation. To “wholly lean on Jesus’ name” mean that without reservation, without depending on anything else, you are leaning on Christ. You hold nothing back from Him. You reserve no portion of yourself. As when a man jumps from a plane, he wholly depends on his parachute. He can not say, “I am partially depending on my parachute, but I could also flap my arms and fly to safety if it fails.” No, from the moment his feet left the plane, he was completely dependent on his parachute. So too we must be with Christ. Leap from the plane of self-dependence. Cut yourself free from all other reliance. Only in Christ alone, and Christ entirely, is our soul secure.

Let me challenge you to make that decision today, if you have not already. “Behold now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Corinthians 6:2) You stand alone in the courtroom of eternity, facing the Immortal, All-Knowing, All-Righteous, and Thrice Holy Judge. Your condemnation is plain for all to see, “for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) However, the greatest Lawyer and Counsellor stands waiting in the wings, and His name is Salvation. If you but call upon His name, He will stand in your defense. He will show His wounds to the All-Mighty Judge and say, “It is finished, the price has been paid.” And the Judge cannot but commute your sentence for “the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7). So my friend, will you “wholly lean on Jesus’ name” today?