GRACE ISN’T CHEAP: IT’S FREE!

Thursday 16 January

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German theologian defines the term cheap grace as “the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline. Communion without confession.”

This has been the ‘status quo’ since 1937. Many still hold to these ideals. The problem with that is NONE of Dietrich’s statements are relevant to grace. I think 88 years of empty intellectualism is long enough, don’t you? Let’s see how it looks in light of the gospel. Here are his 3 points. Cheap grace is:

1. “the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance’

There is no scripture that says anything about having to repent from sin in regards to receiving salvation. Not one. Therefore there is no point preaching it. Strike one.

2. ‘Baptised without church discipline.’

Baptised into the Body of Christ means to be saved. Therefore salvation without church discipline makes no sense at all. It is in no way a prerequisite. Strike two.

3. ‘Communion without confession’.

There is no such thing as holy communion anywhere in the Bible. Period! We now eat and drink by the Spirit. Eternal Salvation is not predicated on the confession of sins but the confession of Christ. Strike three.

Here’s the point. It does not matter what man thinks one iota about anything, only what God says in His word.

So why is grace free? Because it is a gift. Have you ever heard of someone purchasing a gift and giving the receipt of the price of said gift to the recipient?

Saying grace is free is in no way cheapening the gift. In fact it is the complete opposite. When you know the innumerable price that was paid for salvation, yet it was freely given, it only amplifies the character and generosity of the giver.

James 1:5 AMPC calls Him the giving God. Then He describes His grace ‘[Who gives] to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or faultfinding…’

Ephesians 2:8-9 AMPC says it best:

‘For it is by FREE grace (God’s unmerited favour) that you are saved (delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ’s salvation) through [your] faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [of your own doing, it came not through your own striving], but it is the gift of God; Not because of works [not the fulfillment of the Law’s demands], lest any man should boast. [It is not the result of what anyone can possibly do, so no one can pride himself in it or take glory to himself.’

APPLICATION

Meditate on this: He who did not withhold or spare [even] His own Son but gave Him up for us all, will He not also with Him FREELY and GRACIOUSLY give us all [other] things? Romans 8:32 AMPC