Dietrich Bonhoeffer argues the point of cheap grace versus costly grace that should motivate bearers of The Name to give all to and for His Name.
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 guy which the merchant will sell all his good. 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...Such grace is costly because it calls us to follow, and it is grace because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ.
Which grace has marked your life in thoughts, actions and words?
You've put words to a nagging frustration I've had for some time, as I've seen friends, families, communities, churches and entire denominations jettison the demands of costly grace like so much flotsam and jetsam.
ReplyDeleteWhat to do?
That costly grace that requires everything from us may leave us nearly unrecognizable in the end. Sometimes the sins that Jesus demands I give up are so much a part of my identity that I don't know who I am without them. I am only sure that I want to belong to Jesus, whatever I have to give up.
ReplyDeleteI recently heard from a minister....that your life probably won't look much different after turning your life over to God. If you are a teacher, you will just be the best teacher you can be for God. If you are a carpenter, you will just be the best carpenter you can be for God.
ReplyDeleteReally? Becuase my life (my physical life) looks NOTHING like it used to. I'd say the change is dramatic.