When grace is no longer Grace

Have you ever been in one of those emergent type churches where everything is so naturally tolerant and the only verse people know is “Judge not that you be not judged”? (Matt 7:1). These are the places where sadly, sound doctrine is considered loud and obnoxious and everyone seemingly extends “grace” to everyone who sins. The Holy Spirit is there only as personal errand boy to confirm what some have to "reveal" contradictory to scripture and the congregation is filled with wolves who ravage the unsuspecting flock , including leaders from other churches who spread false teachings. Ambiguity, uncertainity and biblical illiteracy is often mistaken for humility and holiness.

Truth is divorced from love and the flag of legalism flies over the castle of false humility. The foundations have been destroyed. There could be nothing more heartbreaking to see misguided shepherds and a starving flock.

‘There is nothing new under the sun’, said Solomon. At times like this one only needs to see that Christians through the ages have battled such false teachings and false gospels. One only needs to trust the sovereign God and believe that Christ is coming and He will deal with His church. There will be a time of segregation. These are also opportunities for us to evaluate our own deceitful hearts. What shall we then say about this?

‘The Cost of Discipleship’ by the German Theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer is one of the great classics of Christian thought. It is centred around an exposition of the Sermon on the Mount, in which Bonhoeffer spells out what it means to follow Christ. It was first published in In 1937, when the rise of the Nazi regime was underway in Germany. It was against this background that Bonhoeffer's theology of costly discipleship developed, which was to lead ultimately to his death.

One of the most important parts of the book deals with the distinction which Bonhoeffer makes between "cheap" and "costly" grace. This is what he says.

Cheap grace is the deadly enemy of our Church. We are fighting today for costly grace. 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.

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.

Cheap grace is the grace we bestow on ourselves.

Costly grace is the treasure hidden in the field; for the sake of it a man’ will gladly go and self 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 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.

This is the grace that regenerates us , breaks the bondage of the power of sin giving us the Spirit of God enabling us to obey Him and desire Him. True grace is transforming grace. How can we who died to sin still live in it? (Rom 6:2)

Arthur W. Pink once said: "Never were there so many millions of nominal Christians on earth as there are today, and never was there such a small percentage of real ones .... We seriously doubt whether there has ever been a time in the history of this Christian era when there were such multitudes of deceived souls within the churches, who verily believe that all is well with their souls when in fact the wrath of God abideth on them."

Dr. Stuart Briscoe in his book , Now for Something Totally Different, says

"Our modern day is seeing a startling reaction against authority, an intense distaste for obedience. This movement seems to be a natural outgrowth of our democratic philosophy when it gets out of control. Government is to be of the people, for the people, and by the people, according to the democratic principle, and this can be beautiful as long as it is operating ideally. Today, however, we are beginning to see signs of a breakdown in the process .... this kind of thinking can result in what the writer of Judges described: 'In those days there was no King in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes' (Judges 17:6). The democratic system, out of control, can degenerate into anarchy. The erosion of authority can accompany the democratic process when confidence in government declines, as it has in our day.... Obedience is lacking on the family level, in the political realm, on the educational scene, even in the sports arena. And in the church we have a similar situation. People in our churches who profess that God is God and Jesus Christ, the risen Lord, is his Son are also reacting against his authority."

Cheap grace does have a high cost. One that has eternal implications.

Mat 7:21  "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

When there is a lack of obedience or even a desire to obey, one must question whether the risen Lord actually resides in the heart.

Eph 2:8-10  For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.