I’ve just started reading the biography of Deitrich Bonhoeffer, a German theologian, writer, martyr, and sold-out Christ-follower during the rise of Nazism. He was also a fierce opponent of “cheap grace.” He wrote the classic “The Cost of Discipleship” in which he stated, “Cheap grace is 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.” Cheap grace has choked the life out of the modern church.
Cheap grace winks at sin. It accepts the sinful nature as “just who I am” and refuses to fight those ungodly passions. We are far too complacent with sin. I’m not talking about the church’s willingness to tolerate and celebrate sin. I am speaking of you and me and our individual pet sins. David said, “I know my transgressions and my sin is always before me” (Ps 51:3). Maybe it’s always before us because we are holding on to it.
How far are you willing to go to rid yourself of sin? Jesus said, “If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. If your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away” (Mat 18:8, 9). Wow – that’s pretty extreme! And that’s how seriously we need to take our sins. Could He have meant this literally? Maybe. But let’s take it down a notch just in case. What are you continually dabbling in that stirs up your sin nature? T.V. shows and movies? Books and magazines? Websites? Relationships? Alcohol? Recreational drugs? Gossip? Anger? Sexual immorality? Idolatry? Ad infinitum. What sin do you “cherish in your heart” (Ps 66:18). Are you willing to cut it off for the sake of Christ?
Jesus paid the highest price to set you free from sin and its power over you. You and I cheapen His sacrifice when we refuse to let sin go. Jesus added, “It is better for you to enter [eternal] life maimed or crippled or without an eye than to enter hell with all your parts intact” (Mat 18:8,9 – very paraphrased). Which says that those who chose sin have rejected Jesus. The end result is hell.
Beloved, what are you willing to do to honor this costly gift of grace? Or said another way, which do you love more? Christ or your sin?
Deeper Roots 
I too have been reading about him and studying some of his messages. I love his no-nonsense teachings. God Bless, Sis!
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I’m dedicating Thursdays to study though some of these classic books. Right now we’re in “The Pursuit of Holiness” and next we will dig into “The Cost of Discipleship.” These are great Christian books that have sat on the shelves too long.
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