Costly versus Cheap grace: Part 2

The first entry in this series served as an introduction to the concept of cost in a relationship with Christ. This series is inspired by "The Cost of Discipleship" by Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Please remember that this post and entire series is given in love. However, if it sounds preachy in parts, remember my name...
I recently watched some of the interaction and banter about the supposed and downright fallacious Jesus family ossuary - here's a great link in regards to this complete and utter archaeological travesty - http://benwitherington.blogspot.com/ - anyway, what I latched onto was a man expressing that he was indeed a Christian but that he wasn't going to "bore us" with his "private beliefs". That statement fired me up. Since when is it acceptable for Christians to literally "hide it under a bushel" to steal a line from an apropos Sunday School song? If we, as confessing Christians are afraid to express our beliefs when given the opportunity, then I really believe that there must be some form of spiritual deficiency existing within that person.
Let me explain. America has long claimed to be a Christian nation. Yet, on program after another we continue to see a type of vilification towards active and vocal Christians, who are viewed as hateful bigots and exaltation of just about any other lifestyle or religion. If you want any type of confirmation of this, look no further than this year's Oscar program or many of the myriad talk show entries on CNN, Fox News, MSNBC and the like. Tolerance towards all except Christ! The cross of Christ is foolishness to those who are perishing (I Cor. 1:18), never forget.

If we claim to be a Christian but then have nothing in our lives to evidence that change, then according to Bonhoeffer, cheap grace is on display. "But those who try to use (cheap grace) as a dispensation from following Christ are simply deceiving themselves" (Bonhoeffer, 1937, p.51). Christianity then becomes a term that is both socially acceptable and safe. This is the point at which many claim to be Christians. As in folks that attend church twice a year and think Jesus had some good ideas while trying to listen to "the man upstairs". At what point would Peter, Paul, Stephen and countless others have considered Christianity safe?
"(If) the Christian life comes to mean nothing more than living in the world and as the world, in being no different than the world...the upshot of it all is that my only duty as a Christian is to leave the world for an hour or so on a Sunday morning and go to church to be assured that my sins are all forgiven. I need no longer try to follow Christ, for cheap grace, the bitterest foe of discipleship, has freed me from that" (Bonhoeffer, 1937, p.51). Bonhoeffer was speaking about one who says that they are Christian. That person may go to church, may be considered a good person and may even help little old ladies across the street. However, none of those things are what Christianity is really about. Now understand, my intention isn't to sling rocks around, it is to differentiate between the cheap grace mentality and that of costly grace. I'm not saying that those who live with costly grace can't change with the intervention of the Holy Spirit, but what I am saying is that those who live under cheap grace may very well die and come before a God that they don't know. What a tragedy that would be, to live a life under the delusion that one was saved, but really either never understood or was never really told that so much more is required.
Cheap grace revels in a life lived as they want rather than as they might be called. Now, as I have stated before, I am not talking about living a life of legalism and rules. Church is wonderful and well-needed for both the spiritual health of the individual and community. Love is the essence of life and relationships. Missions, altruistic acts and giving of self and finances to church and charity are all hallmarks of the Christian life. I am not discounting these things in and of themselves.
I am talking about a life that is characterized by grace. Look, the fact of the matter is that even Christians are capable of sin. They might not HAVE to, but they still can. Costly grace enters into this equation when that same imperfect person longs to overcome that sin nature and live a life that is characterized by devotion to Christ. Cheap grace in this case would be akin to a thought of "I am imperfect. Therefore, I sin. We all do. Since I am "saved" it will all be worked out in heaven." While there is some truth in that statement, cheapness enters in when we experience complacency and even acceptance of sin in our lives.

Once again, being a Christian has less to do about steps, rituals and self and more to do about devotion, change and altruism. It has more to do with a desire for Christ and less to do with a desire for the things of this world. I'll address this concept more in the future, but suffice it to say that costly grace, transformative grace is what we are called to seek, promote and possess. We'll begin to take a look at what costly grace looks like in a changed life in later posts. In the meantime, try to find a copy of Bonhoeffer, but more importantly, take a look at faith in Hebrews 11 and the call to discipleship that Christ gives throughout the Gospel of John.