Cheap Grace Versus Costly Grace

Dietrich Bonhoeffer writes in his book The Cost of Discipleship "Cheap grace is the grace we bestow on ourselves . . . the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, communion without confession.  Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate." "Costly grace is the gospel which must be sought again and again, the gift which must be asked for, the door at which a man must knock . . . It is costly because it cost a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life."

The modern American church has been overcome by a plague of convenience Christianity.  We have developed a cafeteria style of faith that picks and chooses what it believes like making a salad at a salad bar.  Modern discipleship is defined as following Christ as long as it is comfortable, doesn't interfere with anything else in life, and doesn't cost me anything.

In Luke 9:57-62 Jesus confronts some potential followers with the true cost of discipleship.  Today's church needs to read again Jesus' words.  In them they would see Bonhoeffer is correct.  There is a cost to discipleship. First, discipleship is not an offer one makes to Christ.  Christ must call us.  Following Christ demands obedience to Him.  Christ's call takes priority over every area of our lives.  In essence, we are to die to ourselves.

Jesus reminds Peter in Matthew 19:29 that "everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life."  Those who pay the price of true discipleship will find real living.

Come see us Sunday.  We will talk about that.

Pastor Jeff