# The Thaw explained — Olney Hymns

> Chapter companion for Olney Hymns by John Newton.

## What happens

This poem uses the natural phenomenon of thawing ice and snow as an emblem of divine grace. It emphasizes that only God can melt the hardened, sinful heart, and that outward means are ineffectual until the Spirit's warmth is applied. The sinner's guilt and unbelief dissolve when beholding Christ's atoning blood.

## Themes in this chapter

### Grace and Unmerited Favor

The thaw is an emblem of grace that softens the hardest heart, a gift from God alone.

### Human Sinfulness and Depravity

The heart is described as stone, ice, or steel, illustrating the natural hardness and sinfulness of humanity.

## Character check-ins

### Jesus Christ

His blood shed for sinners is the means by which hatred, unbelief, and guilt melt away.

### The Holy Spirit

The Spirit's kindly heat is requested to warm frozen hearts.

### God

The work of melting the heart of stone is attributed to God alone.

### Sin

Sin is depicted as hardness of heart, which is dissolved by grace.

## Key lines

> Could all the art of man suffice To move away the snow, To clear the rivers from the ice, Or make the waters flow?

No human effort or skill can remove the snow or melt the ice, just as human means cannot change the heart.

_Emphasizes human inability to effect spiritual change._

> No, ’tis the work of God alone; An emblem of the power By which he melts the heart of stone In his appointed hour.

Only God can melt the stony heart, just as only He can cause the thaw.

_Highlights divine sovereignty in conversion._

> But let the stoutest sinner feel The soft’ning warmth of grace, Though hard as ice or rocks or steel, His heart dissolves apace.

Even the most hardened sinner, when touched by grace, will quickly have his heart softened and changed.

_Illustrates the transformative power of grace._

> Seeing the blood which Jesus spilt To save his soul from woe, His hatred, unbelief, and guilt, All melt away like snow.

When the sinner beholds Christ's sacrifice, his hatred, unbelief, and guilt disappear like melting snow.

_The atonement is the means by which sin is removed._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/olney_hymns_se/chapters/89-the-thaw
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/olney_hymns_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/olney_hymns_se/chapters