cheap grace

[Kris_J]

Hi all, just wondering if you think there is such a thing.

"By the phrase cheap grace, Bonhoeffer means the grace which has brought chaos and destruction; it is the intellectual assent to a doctrine without a real transformation in the sinner's life. It is the justification of the sinner without the works that should accompany the new birth. Bonhoeffer says of cheap grace:

[It] 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.{1}"

Comments would be much appreciated cos I'm really curious about it. Thanks! :)

[Treasure the Questions]

Bonhoeffer seems to explain it quite well. What are you curious about?

Karin

[Toney]

Bonhoeffer seems to explain it quite well. What are you curious about?

Karin

I agree with Karin. It's the old end run around the cross trick: "Jesus did it all, say Alleluia!" Won't work.

You just spin your wheels and go nowhere fast.

[Kris_J]

Bonhoeffer seems to explain it quite well. What are you curious about?

KarinHow does that apply to sins unknown & unrepented? Is the notion of being forgiving of them a "cheap grace"?

[growingupinhim]

Grace is not a liscensed for sin paul says...Grace gives us the freedom to choose righteouness over sin..its heart thing..true conversion..until the heart attitute towards sin is changed..its all futile..until you stop looking at sin like a piece of choclate cake, and start looking at it as a piece of dong!

[seeking.IAM]

I've long been a fan of what Bonhoffer has to say about grace and discipleship. I believe lots of Christians want the easy road and count on grace without regard to any need to examine their lives and change. Discipleship is costly. When Jesus called the 12, they immediately had a decision to make. The request was simple, "Follow Me." The choice was not so simple: they could choose to be obedient or to continue with their lives as they had known them. I believe we are given the same invitation, and saying "yes" means living obediently to the will of God as we best understand it. To not repent and turn away from sin is to go on with our lives as we have known them. I believe that grace is costly, not cheap. It is available to all, but not freely given to all regardless of circumstances.

seeking.IAM

[Treasure the Questions]

How does that apply to sins unknown & unrepented? Is the notion of being forgiving of them a "cheap grace"?
Kris, you quoted Bonhoeffer as saying, [It] 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.{1}"
Therefore, I think Bonhoeffer was suggesting that Jesus requires the opposite: so, in my own words, which may be slightly different from what Bonhoeffer would have said, that forgiveness must result in repentance (changing from being self-centred to Christ-centred), that baptism should mean belonging to a church in which we are taught the Way of Christ, that we should not take Communion for granted but take that opportunity to ask God to search us and show us if there is anything he's not happy with so that we can confess our sins and ask his forgiveness beforehand. When we understand God's "amazing grace" it should result in a changed life, living as one of Christ's disciples, taking our faith seriously enough to make some serious changes in our lives and quite possibly taking steps towards incarnational living.

If God hasn't made you aware of your sins I don't think you should get too hung up about it, and I don't think what Bonhoeffer said was referring to that. However, you can always say sorry for the things you did that were wrong and the right things you failed to do and anything God's not happy with that you aren't aware of. You can ask God to help you see the things he most wants you to change. There's no point worrying about all your sins at once. You need to work on those that bother God most and, with his help, change in those areas. Later you can work on another batch. :)

Karin

[McCravey]

Grace is very expensive....we act as if it was cheap, or better yet, worthless.

It should make a difference in us. It should change us so completely that others can see the difference...

I think that is what he means.

[Toney]

This quote is from the piece quoted in the OP (emphasis added):

"Discipleship for Bonhoeffer was not limited to what we can comprehend--it must transcend all comprehension. The believer must plunge into the deep waters beyond the comprehension and everyday teaching of the church, and this must be done individually and collectively."

I like to think that that is being accomplished here at LC. There is a huge difference between "intellectual assent" and "plunging into deep waters." The latter is an inference to the mytical relationship with God that we are ALL called to; it is the meaning of "be holy because I am holy." (Lev 11:45)

To put that thought into context with Levitical injunction, "plunging into deep waters" is like being brought out of Egypt. It is the 'eternal return' (Eliade) from exile and everyman's journey on the road to holiness.