You’ve undoubtedly heard the story of a hen and a pig that approached a church and read the advertised sermon topic: “What can we do to help the poor?” Immediately the hen suggested they feed them bacon and eggs. The pig thought for a moment and said, “There is only one thing wrong with feeding bacon and eggs to the poor. For you, it requires only a contribution, but for me, it requires total commitment!”
The term “cheap grace” can be traced back to a book by German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer called The Cost of Discipleship, published in 1937. In that book, Bonhoeffer defined “cheap grace” as “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.” Notice what is emphasized in Bonhoeffer’s definition of cheap grace and what is de-emphasized. The emphasis is on the benefits of Christianity without the costs involved; hence, the adjective is cheap to describe it. When we take a look at the cost of the kingdom, we will quickly be overwhelmed. The tally of dreams abandoned, fortunes sacrificed, and lives lost is overwhelming. For so many the gospel we enjoy today cost them everything in this life. Their example of total commitment is not only inspiring but challenging to us as well. We are recipients of a very costly kingdom indeed.
