LiveBooking: Cheap Grace

Reading through chapter 1 of The Cost of Discipleship

by Sam O'Neal

Today we'll look at Chapter 1 of The Cost of Discipleship, by Dietrich Bonheoffer. As a reminder, you can get a free audio download of the book this month at ChristianAudio.com. The coupon code is MAR2010.

Cheap Grace, Costly Grace
One of my favorite themes from this book comes out right at the beginning—it's the idea of cheap grace versus costly grace. The first line of the book says, "Cheap grace is the deadly enemy of the church. We are fighting today for costly grace.".

Here's what Bonheofffer says about the first type of grace: "Cheap grace means grace sold on the market like Cheap Jack's wares. The sacraments, the forgiveness of sin, and the consolations of religion are thrown away at cut prices. Grace is represented as the church's inexhaustible treasury, from which she showers blessings with generous hands—without asking questions or fixing limits. It is grace without price; grace without cost."

Man, that hits home. I know that kind of grace fits very well with the type of casual Christianity that is prevalent in the church of our culture. But I wish it didn't also describe the way I so often try to wheedle my way into feeling spiritual or "close to God."

On the other side of the coin, here is how Bonheoffer describes costly grace: "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 a man 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. Costly grace is the gospel which must be sought again and again, the gift which must be asked for, the door at which a man must knock.

"Such grace is costly because it calls us to follow, and it is grace because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ. It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life. It is costly because it condemns sin, and grace because it justifies the sinner. Above all, it is costly because it cost God the life of his son. "Ye were born at a price."
And what has cost God much cannot be cheap for us."

Now that's the kind of relationship with God that we are all called to!

Grace and Small Groups
So as we think about the idea of costly grace versus cheap grace, I wonder where small groups come in? Below are a series of questions that I've been thinking for the past day or so, and unfortunately I don't have many answers. But maybe we can help each other figure some out?

1. Are there ways in which small groups contribute to the notion of cheap grace? How?
2. What role can small groups play in helping people make the sacrifice for costly grace?
3. How does the struggle between cheap and costly grace play into the process of discipleship?