Costly Grace

Romans 6:1–7 NKJV

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin.

The Dilemma of Grace

Grace is amazing

Grace is offered free, but it is not cheap!

Grace was paid by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the Cross. Grace i EXPENSIVE!

Dietrich Bonhoeffer: “Cheap grace is the deadly enemy of our Church (Lutheran). We are fighting today for costly grace. Cheap grace means grace sold on the marketplace 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. Grace without price; grace without cost!”

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Born in Breslau, Germany (now Poland) into a large family.

At age 14 he pursued an education in theology and eventually earned his Doctor of Theology.

Dietrich deeply loved God and his countrymen, yet he had a real concern for the German Church.

Liberal humanism had done its damage to prepare the Church of Germany to be one of Hitler's most influential supporters.

Hitler needed the hearts of the religious on his side, and this he accomplished.

Many of the Christians within Germany had adopted Hitler's National Socialism as part of their creed.

The spokesman of these "German Christians", Hermann Gruner, made it clear where they stood: "The time is fulfilled for the German people in Hitler. It is because of Hitler that Christ, God the helper and redeemer, has become effective among us. Therefore National Socialism is positive Christianity in action . . . Hitler is the way of the Spirit and the will of God for the German people to enter the Church of Christ."

During the early 1930's Bonhoeffer and his group of "Young Reformers" tried unsuccessfully to persuade church representatives not to vote for pro-Hitler church leaders.

He knew the Church was selling itself and truth for another "christ".

In a sermon just before the elections in July 1933, Bonhoeffer pleaded: "Church, remain a church! Confess, confess, confess!"

The Church would not take heed. In an August letter to his grandmother, he stated, "The conflict is really Germanism or Christianity, and the sooner the conflict comes out in the open, the better."

Sure enough, within a month the "Brown Synod" (so named because men of the clergy wore brown Nazi uniforms and gave the Nazi salute), adopted the "Aryan Clause" which forbid ministers with Jewish blood from ministering in its pulpits.

Pastors who opposed the Aryan Clause and other Nazi policies organized the "Confessing Church".

In 1935 Bonhoeffer became the director of an illegal seminary for “Confessing Church” seminary students.

Bonhoeffer's continued criticism of the German government and the pressure on the German Reich Church caused his arrest for conspiracy in April 1943 and his ultimate execution by hanging on April 9, 1945, less than four weeks before the war in Europe was over.

“The Cost of Discipleship”

A book written by Dietrich Bonhoeffer and first published in 1937. (not translated into English until 1951).

Its German title was Nachfolge (knock-fal-guh) (“the following”).

It centered on the Sermon on the Mount and expressed what he believed it meant to follow Jesus.

He argued that as Christianity spread, the church became more “secularized”, conforming to the culture. God’s grace became a common defense for sin by both the Church and the world.

He contrasted the difference between “cheap grace” vs “costly grace”.

Cheap Grace (As defined by Dietrich Bonhoeffer)

“In such a Church the world finds a cheap covering for its sins; no contrition is required, still less any real desire to be delivered from sin. Cheap grace therefore amounts to a denial of the living Word of God, in fact, a denial of the Incarnation of the Word of God”. (i.e., Jesus Christ)

“Grace alone does everything, they say, and so everything can remain as it was before…the world goes on in the same old way, and we are still sinners…Well, then let the Christian live like the rest of the world, let him model himself on the world’s standards in every sphere of life, and not presumptuously aspire to live a different life under grace from his old life under sin.”

“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 a cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.”

Costly Grace (As defined by Dietrich Bonhoeffer)

“Costly grace is the treasure hidden in the field; for the sake of it a man will gladly go and sell all that he has. It is the pearl of great price to by which the merchant will sell all of 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, the gift which must be asked for, the door at which a man must knock.”

Why is Grace Free yet Costly?

“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.”

“Grace is costly because it compels a man to submit to the yoke of Christ and follow Him; it is grace because Jesus said: ‘My yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

“Above all, it is costly because it cost God the life of His Son: ‘ye were bought with 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” (i.e., Jesus Christ).

Matthew 13:44 NKJV

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

Matthew 13:45–46 NKJV

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

What is the Cost of Receiving God’s Grace?

A lifestyle of repentance.

Mark 1:14–15 NKJV

Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”

A lifestyle of self-denial.

Matthew 16:24 NKJV

Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

Titus 2:11–13 NKJV

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,

Prioritizing a relationship with Jesus above all others.

Luke 14:26 NKJV

“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.

Disconnecting from unhealthy and non-kingdom relationships.

Enduring suffering for Christ’s sake.

Identification with Christ and His teachings.

John 15:18–19 NKJV

“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

Hebrews 11:24–26 NKJV

By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward.

Forsaking all for the gain and glory of Christ.

Luke 14:33 NKJV

So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.

Philippians 3:7–11 NKJV

But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

The High Cost of Cheap Grace

How could the church become so deceived as to receive a "devil" (Hitler) as God's servant?

How could the church raise up leaders who could betray truth?

How could so-called Christians defend deplorable acts of cruelty against the Jews?

Did a message of cheap grace produce such a generation? Has it?

Could a message of cheap grace produce another such generation?

Thank you, Jesus, for costly grace!

Thank you, Dietrich, for showing us an example of costly grace. You found your Treasure in the field!

Response to the Word

Have you substituted cheap grace for costly grace? You will know it by the excuses you make and the life you are living.

Is it time to embrace costly grace which is saving grace?

It is time to forsake all for the true Treasure which is Jesus Christ?