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Cheap Grace

Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Dietrich Bonhoeffer provided a great description of the difference between Cheap Grace and Costly Grace:

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…
    It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life.

    –Dietrich Bonhoeffer

    Have you embraced the costly grace that gives true life?
    Give up all that you are and all that you have to Him. It costs a great deal, but you receive even more in return from Jesus… His Abundant Life. It is worth the cost!

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    How to Refrain from Judging Others

    We must not rely too much upon ourselves, for grace and understanding are often lacking in us. We have but little inborn light, and this we quickly lose through negligence. Often we are not aware that we are so blind in heart. Meanwhile we do wrong, and then do worse in excusing it. At times we are moved by passion, and we think it zeal. We take others to task for small mistakes, and overlook greater ones in ourselves. We are quick enough to feel and brood over the things we suffer from others, but we think nothing of how much others suffer from us. If a man would weigh his own deeds fully and rightly, he would find little cause to pass severe judgment on others.
    –Thomas à Kempis

    How to refrain from harsh judgmental attitudes and thoughts toward others… take an honest look at yourself.

    Doing so produces much humility in ourselves and much compassion toward others.

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    Obedience. How to Know and Do God’s Will for Your Life Each Day.

        All of God’s revealed truths are sealed until they are opened to us through obedience. You will never open them through philosophy or thinking. But once you obey, a flash of light comes immediately.
        …If you obey God in the first thing He shows you, then He instantly opens up the next truth to you. You could read volumes on the work of the Holy Spirit, when five minutes of total, uncompromising obedience would make things as clear as sunlight. Don’t say, “I suppose I will understand these things someday!” You can understand them now. And it is not study that brings understanding to you, but obedience.
        Even the smallest bit of obedience opens heaven, and the deepest truths of God immediately become yours. Yet God will never reveal more truth about Himself to you, until you have obeyed what you know already.

    –Oswald Chambers

    Don’t ask God what He wants you to do next, until you have obeyed Him in all you know He wants you to do now.
    Obey each newly revealed truth, so that God continues to open new truths to you day-by-day.

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    The Offensive Symbols of Jesus

    As Elton Trueblood has observed, all the major symbols that Jesus used had a severe, even offensive quality:

  • the yoke of burden,
  • the cup of suffering,
  • the towel of servanthood, and finally
  • the cross of execution.
  • “Count the cost,” Jesus said, giving fair warning to any who dared follow him.
    –Philip Yancey

    Jesus makes it clear – to follow Him will cost you dearly.
    It requires a change in how you think, how you speak, and how you act.
    But it is worth it.
    Give all of you over to all of Him!
    You won’t be disappointed.
    Instead you will discover abundant life.

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    Place All Your Trust In God

    Do not place much confidence in weak and mortal man, helpful and friendly though he be; and do not grieve too much if he sometimes opposes and contradicts you. Those who are with us today may be against us tomorrow, and vice versa, for men change with the wind. Place all your trust in God; let Him be your fear and your love. He will answer for you; He will do what is best for you.
    –Thomas à Kempis

    Amen. So Be It Truth!