Cheap Grace: Only for the Indoctrinated

Dietrich Bonhoeffer describes Cheap grace. “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.”

 

Cheap grace or the half-gospel is the primary message given at the pulpit. It has been there for many years. It is vigorously held by most in the Protestant Church. The carnally hearted defend their dogma forcefully. Blinded by desire, they hate the cross but love its benefits.

Interestingly the half –gospel message is rejected by the Elect, Mormons, Catholics, Secularists and others but not the indoctrinated. It is rejected because it is non-sense, not because they are hardened by sin. They can accept the gospel of the cross, while they may not have faith to live it. This bankrupt philosophy advocates impurity with its allowance for sin. They believe God is more Holy than this gospel promotes. It is self-evident that man must change-in all his imperfections-to His standard of “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

The Cheap grace gospel “Believe in Jesus and go to heaven.” is rightfully discarded.  There is no obligation to the cross in this, starkly contradicting the Bible. Sin is accepted as normal, love optional, and sacrificial Christ like living is rarely seen. Actually, many contend, attempting sacrificial love may indicate self-righteousness. In their twisted view you would damned. Of course this is ludicrous.

Who would love like Christ without trusting Him? Who thinks they could rise to Heaven on their own?

At best the Cheap grace gospel produces nice middle class families whose righteousness rises to the best moral people of our culture: Don’t smoke, don’t cuss, take the kids to a ball games, clean your yard, add for the quasi-Christian a Bible and church service chachacha… This a low bar! Dietrich states “Being a Christian is less about cautiously avoiding sin than about courageously and actively doing God's will.”

The rejection or acceptance of the Gospel should be after clearly understanding its promises and ramifications. If you believe, you will obey Christ’s command to love sacrificially. One may not have faith to do this but are convicted by their unreasonable resistance to active love. This should be the basis of decision.

Spurning the gospel shouldn’t be due to a crude, incomplete rendition, diminished to an acceptance prayer absolving sin. Rejection should be because of the absence of faith in Jesus with all its effects. The Cheap grace gospel is unbelievable, false and damning. The indoctrinated can’t see this even with a Bible in hand.

Mormons, Catholics and Secularists are right to reject this disgusting misdirection. This message has blocked the way of forgiveness and liberty for many. In addition, this nightmare has given a dreamy false consolation- an interlude-eventually to be awakened in Hell. It is just one more manmade religion.

I’ve found a real openness to the message of the cross. There is no objection, only the problem of faith. This faith would lead to obedience to the cross; the forgiveness of sin through faith in Jesus leading to the life of sacrificial love and eternal life in Christ. 

Paul states to the Church that there are false gospels, many spins on the truth that endanger the Church:

Gal 1:8-9 

“But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!” 

 “Cheap grace is the deadly enemy of our church. We are fighting today for costly grace.” Bonhoeffer