QUOTE (voice @ Nov 22 2008, 11:11 PM)
"Cheap Grace vs. Costly Grace" Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a very exceptional person, a Christian clergyman who challenged Hitler publicly (even returning to Germany after having escaped for a time first to England and then to America). The Nazis arrested him in 1943 and Himmler himself ordered him hanged in April, 1945, just a few weeks before the allied liberation of his concentration camp. Thank God, however, his insightful book, "
The Cost of Discipleship", survived the Nazi book burnings. I believe that his idea of "cheap grace" explains not only the hollowness of German Christianity, but that of American Christianity as well. Why has Christianity in America's Bible Belt been so unable and/or unwilling to recognize the evils of slavery, segregation, black terrorism and white supremacy, if not because of its embrace of the very same concept of "Cheap Grace" ?
How could the unholy alliance of the wealthiest and most bigotted people in America, those who almost worship guns for personal use and can't spend enough of our nation's resources on weapons of mass destruction, those who despise the least fortunate among us, and the political party which best represents all those sentiments, get away with calling themselves a "Christian Coalition", if not because of the prevalence of the notion of "cheap grace" here in America?
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Cheap grace means grace sold on the market like a cheapjack's wares. The sacraments, the forgiveness of sin, and the consolations of religion are thrown away at cut-rate prices....
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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 buy which the merchant will sell all his goods. It is the kingly rule of Christ, for whose sake of one 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....
The Lutheran Church & Germany
(as illustrations of the harm done by
Cheap Grace)
" We Lutherans have gathered like the eagles around the carcass of cheap grace, and there we have drunk of the poison which has killed the life of following Christ. It is true, of course, that we have paid the doctrine of pure grace divine honours unparalleled in Christendom; in fact we have exalted that doctrine to the position of God himself...
continued ...
http://www.liberalslikechrist.org/about/cheapgrace.html
All of the links below will take you to consecutive chapters of a book by David Servant titled
The Great Gospel Deception. This book examines the modern gospel that is so popular in America and around the globe, but that is often lacking when compared to the gospel of the Bible. The primary difference is that the modern gospel portrays a grace that is foreign to Scripture, a grace that is actually a license to sin. Whereas the gospel of the Bible reveals a grace from God that offers people a limited time to repent and a promise of freedom from sin. Jesus told the woman caught in adultery, "I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more" (John 8:11). You can be certain that if that woman continued in her sin, when she stood at Christ's judgment seat after her death, she did not hear the same words again. Likewise, God is graciously giving every person a limited opportunity to repent, so that each person will stand before Him forgiven and striving to follow Him to "enter though the narrow gate" (Matt. 7:13).
You are welcome to download, print, copy, distribute or transmit these documents by any means, as long as the documents are unaltered and kept their entirety, and are not sold for profit. © David Servant The Unrighteous Shall Not Inherit This introduction and first chapter lay a biblical foundation that proves that heaven is only for obedient followers of Christ, no matter how much faith they may claim to have. True saving faith is followed by works of obedience. Truly born-again people are set free from sin's dominion.
The Immoral "Christian" This chapter shows that no immoral person, even if he claims to be a Christian, will enter heaven. This chapter also exposes the hypocrisy of many professing Christians who appear outwardly pure but inwardly are lustful and thus heading for hell.
The Greedy "Christian" This chapter defines what greed is (you may be surprised) and shows that no greedy person will enter heaven. Jesus warned that many who think they are His sheep really are goats, and their true nature is revealed by what they do with their money. Greedy people are actually idolaters. This chapter also outlines practical steps for better stewardship.
The Uncommitted "Christian" This fourth chapter exposes the false belief that one can be a believer in Christ without being a disciple of Christ. True Christians are committed to Jesus and deny themselves for His sake and the sake of the gospel. This chapter also considers modern teaching regarding so-called "carnal Christians."
The Antinomian "Christian" Many professing Christians unfortunately think that because salvation is received by faith, keeping God's laws has nothing to do with salvation. Scripture teaches, however, that faith and works cannot be separated. What many today call legalism, God calls "the holiness without which no one will see the Lord" (Heb. 12:14).
Jesus' Greatest Salvation Sermon The Sermon on the Mount is Jesus' longest sermon of record, in which Jesus makes it very clear that only those who do the will of His Father will enter the kingdom of heaven. He warned that our righteousness must exceed that of the Scribes and Pharisees or hell is our destiny. In this important sermon, Jesus revealed that His followers must possess an inward holiness that manifests itself outward actions.
Jesus' Greatest Salvation Sermon Continues Christians are not "under the law of Moses," but they are definitely "under the law of Christ." Jesus continues to expound upon His law in the Sermon on the Mount.
Sanctification: Perfecting Holiness Salvation begins with repentance and continues with on-going repentance, the process known as progressive sanctification. True believers "hunger and thirst for righteousness," and this hunger is evident by their disciplining themselves for the purpose of godliness. This chapter lists every commandment Jesus has given us to obey.
Striving Against Sin We grow in holiness as we cooperate, as an act of our will, with the indwelling Holy Spirit.
Beware of False Teachers Jesus warned us that the outstanding characteristic of false teachers is their diminishing the importance of holiness. We are told by Jesus to look at the example that spiritual leaders are setting before us and know if they are wolves in sheep's clothing.
The Assurance of Salvation It is possible to be assured right now
if we are truly saved, and in his first epistle, John tells us three tests by which we can make that determination. He makes it clear that there is definitely a link between obedience to the Lord and possession assurance of our salvation.
Revival When? This final chapter is an impassioned cry for the church's return to a biblical gospel that calls people to a living faith that actually saves. Only when the church does embrace the gospel of Jesus and His apostles will there be any hope of true revival.
http://www.heavensfamily.org/ss/false_grace_gospel