The Cost

Costly Grace Vs. Cheap Grace

"Cheap grace is the enemy of our church. We are fighting today for costly grace."

I can probably guess the immediate question that pops up: What is costly grace? For that matter, what is cheap grace?

In Chapter 1 of "Cost of Discipleship," Bonhoeffer describes cheap grace in a very interesting fashion. He says, "Grace is represented as the Church's inexhaustible treasury, from which she showers blessings with generous hands, without asking questions or fixing limits." He describes this as grace without a price--grace without a cost. 

Basically, cheap grace is the forgiveness of sins by the Church, without requiring any real devotion or willingness to follow God in one's life. Cheap grace justifies the sin without justifying the sinner. 

From what I gather, Bonhoeffer is saying that cheap grace is not the kind of forgiveness of sin which frees us from the imprisonment of said sin. Cheap grace is the grace we give ourselves. 

Now the question is again asked: Well then, what is costly grace?

Costly grace, Bonhoeffer says, is the grace that a man must work for, which he will seek again and again. It is "the gift that must be asked for, the door at which a man must knock." Costly grace is only bestowed when a person is devoted to finding it and receiving it. Costly grace requires effort and change on the part of the person. 

So, why does Bonhoeffer focus on this, you may ask. 

I find it quite likely that he is seeing it as a problem in his own Church system, and that he believes the idea of cheap grace is being highlighted on. He talks about the old Church of Rome, and how they gradually lost sight of the idea of costly grace, after Christianity spread through the Roman empire. However, there were still several fringe churches and believers who kept the idea of costly grace alive. During Bonhoeffer's time, and the years before it, several famous figures in Christian history (one being Martin Luther) had stated that "grace alone can save." His followers took up his doctrine, and upheld it word for word. However, they managed to neglect it's inseparable addition--the obligation of discipleship. 

Just as Bonhoeffer struggled to oppose this idea of cheap grace in his time, so we must be on watch to keep any notions of "cheap grace" out of our Christian communities. This is not an uncommon issue in the world we live in today. In fact, Paul addresses the issue in his letter to the Romans. Romans 6:1 says this: "What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?" 

The Romans were wondering, and figured that if grace forgave them every time they sinned, couldn't they then just keep sinning, so that grace would be abundant? In this way, they were asking for something like a "license to sin." Paul shuts down the idea immediately. He is of the opinion that costly grace must be sought with the correct heart: one willing to serve God and follow him as a disciple. Costly grace requires effort and change on the part of the man seeking grace. Christians, having accepted God as their savior, are dead to sin and alive to Christ. God gives us grace only when we seek it willingly at his feet. And living in sin does not show an attitude of repentance. It shows that we are not really willing to put ourselves on the line for him and discover what the true cost of discipleship is. 

Ephesians 2:8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast.