"Cheap grace is the grace we bestow on ourselves. Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession.... Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate."
— Dietrich Bonhoeffer (The Cost of Discipleship)
It is impossible to understand grace without the devastating realization that we are sinners. What do we need to do to communicate unconditional love and grace to a culture that believes there is no such thing as sin?
I like this blog. It really makes me think. This post brought to mind the one you did on the law and made me wish once again that there were more answers than questions.
ReplyDeleteIt is hard to witness to friends about their NEED for forgiveness and a relationship with Jesus when they honestly don't see anything wrong with the way they are living. :( They'll listen to messages of unconditional love and grace but close their ears to messages about the need for confession.
I can only pray for the Holy Spirit to convict their hearts and set an example with my own.
Truly inspiring words by Dietrich.
ReplyDeleteIts so easy sometimes just to want to chuck all my relationships with my non-saved family and friends. I get so frustrated and fed up. But God must feel the same about me too sometimes. I mean geez, I keep making the same dumb mistakes. If he's not giving up on me, then I have no right to give up on people who are blind. Grace. Its an excellent focal point for the week {forever}.