Grace

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a powerful preacher who defended truth in the heart of Germany during the Nazi era and second world war, wrote the following in his book The Cost of Discipleship.

Cheap grace is the deadly enemy of our Church. We are fighting to-day for costly grace.

Cheap grace means grace sold on the market… Cheap grace means grace as a doctrine, a principle, a system…. Cheap grace means the justification of sin without the justification of the sinner…. Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline…. Costly grace is the treasure hidden in the field…

Costly grace is the gospel that must be sought repeatedly, the gift that must be asked for, the door 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…. 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.