Dietrich Bonhoeffer on Cheap Grace
Let the Christian rest content with his worldliness and with this
renunciation of any higher standard than the world. He is living for the
sake of the world rather than for the sake of grace. Let him be comforted
and rest assured in his possession of this grace - for grace alone does
everything. Instead of following Christ, let the Christian enjoy the
consolations of his grace!
That is what we mean by cheap grace, the grace which amounts to the
justification of sin without the justification of the repentant sinner who
departs from sin and from whom sins departs.
Cheap grace is not the kind of forgiveness of sin which frees us from the
toils of sin. Cheap grace is the grace we bestow on ourselves. Cheap grace
is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism
without church discipline, Communion without confession, absolution
without personal confession.
Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace
without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.
Costly grace is the treasure hidden in the field; for the sake of it a man
will gladly go and sell all that he has. It is the pearl of great price to
buy which the merchant will sell all his goods. It is the kingly rule of
Christ, for whose sake a man will pluck out the eye which causes him to
stumble, it is the call of Jesus Christ at which the disciple leaves his
nets and follows him.
Costly grace is the gospel which must be sought again and again, the gift
which must the asked for, the door at which a man must knock.
Such grace is costly because it calls us to follow, and it is grace
because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ. It is costly because it costs
a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life.
It is costly because it condemns sin, and grace because it justifies the
sinner. Above all, it is costly because it cost God the life of his Son:
ye were bought at a price, and what has cost God much cannot be cheap for
us. Above all, it is grace because God did not reckon his Son too dear a
price to pay for our life, but delivered him up for us.
Costly grace is the Incarnation of God.
- Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship
--
Russ T. Nale
http://grace.break.at
God is still speaking
http://www.stillspeaking.com
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