Resolved: Grace Requires that We Strive for Obedience.

The apostle Peter, writing of Paul, said the following:"...account that the longsuffering (alternative translation: patience) of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; 16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. 17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness. 18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." (2 Peter 15-18)Yet many in the Christian world fall exactly into the error of the wicked (alternative greek translation: lawless), and DO fall from their steadfastness. They don`t understand what Paul was saying about the longsuffering of God and become lawless because of it. Frankly, the German theologian and martyr Dietrich Bonhoeffer framed the issue better than I ever could."Cheap grace means grace sold on the market like cheapjacks' wares. The sacraments, the forgiveness of sin, and the consolations of religion are thrown away at cut prices. Grace is represented as the Church's inexhaustible treasury, from which she showers blessings with generous hands, without asking questions or fixing limits. Grace without price; grace without cost! The essence of grace, we suppose, is that the account has been paid in advance; and, because it has been paid, everything can be had for nothing. Since the cost was infinite, the possibilities of using and spending it are infinite. What would grace be if it were not cheap?...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 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 be 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."The idea that we can be saved simply by lip-service to the name of Christ is refuted on several occasions by the Master Himself. "46. And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? 47 Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: 48 He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. 49 But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great."Coming to Christ, hearing His words and even seeking His counsel is all inadequate, as is the example of the young rich man. He had faith in the Lord to seek him out. He had faith that Jesus would know what He lacked. But in that moment of decision, to do or not to do, the young ruler declined to give all that he had to Christ (an action), and was like that man whose house was without foundation. Great was his ruin. My opponent will now quote heavily from Paul, as Peter predicted many would, to try and wrest the scriptures to say something they do not. Yet before explaining the function of grace in Romans, inarguably the most comprehensive epistle on the subject, Paul explained the true system of salvation. "5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; 6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds: 7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: 8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath" (Romans 2:5-7)Those who while not being perfect are nevertheless continuing with patience to do well, seeking for glory and honour and immortality, are given eternal life. But those who are selfish (alternative translation of "Contentious") and do not obey, get indignation and wrath. All the rest of Paul`s writing must been seen in this light. He is not writing against works and obeying Jesus`s commandments. Rather, he is writing against the doctrines of the Jews and Jewish Christians who believed that the Law of Moses could save them, or that works alone could save them. As I said before, no amount of works without Jesus` sacrifice could have saved us. Only He. And having paid the price for us, He is now in a position to demand that we do certain things, and the things He demands are those which make us better people, make us like unto Him, which is His goal. "And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one." (John 17:22). If we continued in sin, never improving as people, not being patient continuers in well doing, this goal of our Master could never be achieved. We could never overcome, as He has overcome, neither sit in His throne, as He sat in His Father`s throne (Revelation 3:21).