Bonhoeffer defined “cheap grace” as “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.”
How do I interpret “cheap grace”?
I see it as manifested in the way we handle the most precious grace freely given to us by Jesus Christ through his atonement on the cross.
I see it in practice by the mundane, irreverent way we partake of the Lord’s supper—the handling of his body and blood,
I see it in the attitude of “everyone sins every day” so what’s the big deal.
I see it in ignoring God Almighty most every hour of the week but doing our “part” by worshiping one hour on Sunday.
Where is the attitude of selling all we have in order to buy the Pearl of great price?
For the last twenty years or so, the invitation in many churches is for everyone to close their eyes while the sinner is invited to lift his hand if he wants to be a Christian, with no other acknowledgement of salvation. The Bible teaches to believe in your heart, repent of your sins, and confess with your mouth and you will be saved. At the very least he should be invited to come forward for a welcome and greeting from the audience.
That’s sad. I believe many are deceived. Not only is he encouraged to be a “secret” Christian, he is also denied the community of believers who would help in his struggle to walk with Christ. We are commanded to “make disciples..” That is certainly not discipling the new Christian.
That kind of cheap grace, is not grace at all. The result will be as Jesus said in Matthew 7:23 “Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'”
Sweet aroma 
A timely post, Oneta. 🙂
Glad it fits. Wouldn’t it be tragic to find out on the judgment day that your good works only counted for that – good works, not salvation.
Oneta, I believe God used this post to confirm what He told me early this morning. A couple of days ago I realized a brother had lied to me. I was angry and hurt, and was trying to just forgive and avoid talking to him in the future. “Forgiveness without repentance” wasn’t working, though, and this morning I had a “duh” moment when the Lord brought back the process described in Matthew 18, where I need to confront him privately and hope he repents. I do not like confrontation, but it’s pretty clear in Scripture. I’m going to try to meet with him today.
I’m glad this seemed to fit a need for you. The Lord does use many kinds of ways to direct his children. A blog will do it sometimes. Good day to you.
The concerns you raise remind me of David Pawson’s lectures on the “normal Christian birth”. I will have to listen to them again, because I have forgotten much of it. However, Bonhoeffer’s objection to forgiveness without repentance and baptism without church discipline seems close to what I remember Pawson saying. Pawson told a story of how he refused to baptize someone until that person repented of something and changed.
Good for Pawson to teach accountability. I do not know Pawson. Sounds like a good teacher. Thanks for the info.
you had me at Bonhoeffer 🙂
He was a gift from God for his generation and those of us who follow.
Great post. A brilliant reminder. The story of Bonhoeffer is in itself very inspirational.
Amen. He was a gift from God for his time – and ours.