In his book THE COST OF DISCIPLESHIP, Bonhoeffer wrote:
"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."
Jesus challenges His followers with these words: “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it." - Matthew 10:37-39.
Neil Postman remarked, "I believe I am not mistaken in saying Christianity is a demanding and serious religion. When it is delivered as easy and amusing, it is another kind of religion altogether."
Let's consider Bonhoeffer's comment.
PREACHING WITHOUT REQUIRING REPENTANCE?
The Apostle Paul, in rebuking a carnal church at Corinth in his first letter to them, later, in a second communication, rejoiced because they changed their way. They changed their way of thinking, having been so very blithe concerning the sin among them. They (the Christians) had repented. And so, he rejoiced with them saying, "Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing. For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death" (2 Corinthians 7:9,10). The need to repent when confronted with the Word is thereby made clear.
BAPTISM WITHOUT CHURCH DISCIPLINE?
Again, to the same Corinthians, when in his first letter to them, Paul, in bringing a condoned sin to their attention and regarding the erring brother, said, "In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus" (1 Corinthians 5:4,5). These are very harsh words, but, apparently, in the Apostle's mind, necessary for cleansing the church from all known sin. The Word does say believers are to be holy even as God is holy. Thankfully, we are IN Christ Jesus but must ever strive to be holy in practice, or BY Jesus Christ.
COMMUNION WITHOUT CONFESSION?
Again, the same Apostle, when addressing the Lord's Supper (Communion), requires a worthy approach to the table. He says, "Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord" (1 Corinthings 11:27). And, as if this isn't strong enough, in the next two verses, he further declares, "But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body." Again, pretty serious approach to communion, yes? Non confession of sin is to be taken very seriously. These verses address Bonhoeffer's next phrase, namely:
ABSOLUTION WITHOUT CONFESSION?
At salvation we ARE forgiven all our sins, judicially speaking. When truly saved a believer will never, ever be condemned for his or her sin. In the court of heaven we are cleared once and for all time and eternity. But, for the sake of daily warm and growing fellowship with our dear Father in heaven, we must regularly mount His lap and acknowledge our sin(s) for the sake of closeness to Him, and for the sake of the abiding life (John 15).
Such behavior as thus described constitutes true dicipleship and keeps the cross of Jesus central.
Yes, such directives make for a "demanding and serious" Christian faith but is not the Word of God very clear about it? The fact is, it costs to follow Jesus Christ, but it costs much more not to.
A disciple is someone who not only learns about the life of Christ but also desires to live it. Salvation itself is free. Jesus paid the price fully at Calvary. It is all of grace. It saves completely, once and forever. But the price of disciple- ship (following Jesus) is excruciatingly high, but BY His promised and persistent sanctifying grace divinely at work in us, true believers press on. They WILL do so. Concerning the Philippian Christians the Apostle Paul said, "There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears" (Philippians 1:6, MSG).
Coming to Christ and being saved is all by grace apart from any merit by the believing one. It is the positioning of the sinner "IN Christ Jesus" fully clothed with God's righteousness and thereby fully accepted by the thrice holy God. But all such are saved "unto good works" which are made a reality BY Christ Jesus. Thereby discipleship proceeds.
- dick christen
