From: bbs.skeezix@tsoft.sf-bay.org (Fred Felli)
Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian
Subject: True Faith
Date: 2 Oct 92 05:05:39 GMT
Organization: The TSoft BBS and Public Access Unix, +1 415 969 8238


 
I'd be interested in any divergent views on this excerpt from "The
Cost of Discipleship" by D. Bonhoeffer. I think it is a pretty good
analysis of real faith, as opposed to professed belief. Does anyone
agree/disgree?
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                  Costly Grace vs. Cheap Grace
                             from
                   "The Cost of Discipleship"
                              by
                      Dietrich Bonhoeffer
 
Cheap grace means grace sold on the market like cheapjack's wares. The
sacraments, the forgiveness of sin, and the consolations of the faith
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 means grace as a doctrine, a principle, a system. It means
forgiveness of sins proclaimed as a general truth, the love of God taught
as the Christian "conception" of God. An intellectual assent to that idea
to be of itself sufficient to secure remission of sins. The Church which
holds the correct doctrine  of grace has, it is supposed, by that very
fact a part in that grace. In such a Church, the world finds a cheap
covering for its sins; no contrition is required, still less any real
desire to be delivered from sin. Cheap grace therefore amounts to a
denial of the living Word of God, in fact, a denial of the Incarnation of
the Word of God.
 
Cheap grace means the justification of sin without the justification of
the sinner. Grace alone does everything they say, and so everything can
remain as it was before. "All for sin could not atone." The world goes on
in the same old way, and we are still sinners "even in the best life" as
Luther said. Well, then, let the Christian live like the rest of the
world, let him model himself on the world's standards in every sphere of
life, and not presumptuously aspire to live a different life under grace
from his old life under sin. Let the Christian beware of rebelling
against the free and boundless grace of God and desecrating it. Let him
not attempt to erect a new religion of the letter by endeavoring to live
a life of obedience to the commandments of Jesus Christ!...
 
What we mean by cheap grace, is the grace which amounts to the justific-
ation of sin without the justification of the repentant sinner who
departs from sin and from whom sin 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.
 
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. Costly grace confronts us as
a gracious call to follow Jesus, it comes as a word of forgiveness to the
broken spirit and the contrite heart.
 
                                    Dietrich Bonhoeffer, 1937
 
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-Fred (freddy@west.darkside.com) / (bbs.skeezix@tsoft.sf-bay.org)
 


--
Fred Felli (bbs.skeezix@tsoft.sf-bay.org)