WISDOM FROM BONHOEFFER FOR TODAY’S CHURCH
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WISDOM FROM BONHOEFFER FOR TODAY’S CHURCH
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Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the great German pastor, theologian, martyr, spy was asked in 1943 how it was possible for the Church to sit back and let Hitler seize absolute power. His firm answer: “It was the teaching of cheap grace.”
“Cheap grace is 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.” – Dietrich Bonhoeffer
We live in a time and culture that not only teaches cheap grace but praises it.
(Excerpted from TheistThugLife)
How can we as the Church learn from this? Share how we can value God’s grace and not cheapen it? Comment below!
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Cheap grace is like a drug that puts people into sleep, unaware of what’s really going on around them and unable to respond to the enlightenment from God’s Word and the Holy Spirit. To respond to Carolyn Stanphill’s comment above that her church folks think to be involved in government/politics is getting off the track of the gospel, I’d say they have compartmentalized Jesus’ gospel. They’ve put Jesus’ gospel in a tiny little box called church. If it’s off the track of the gospel like they say, then what about Jesus’ teaching of His followers to be the salt and light of the world? According to their understanding of the gospel, Nehemiah, Esther were all off the track, not to mention king David who’s called a man after God’s own heart by God Himself.
Humbly agreeing with the above prayers
‘ that we should seek the old paths an the faith of our fathers ‘ Amazing grace how sweet the sound ‘
May the true meaning of The Old Rugged Cross ring across our nation this Easter
Amen Thankyou JESUS
We must live in the Word of God daily. We must yearn to follow Christ and love Him supremely . We must purpose to live out intentionally our faith. Jesus came to rescue mankind . Sin was the boulder in the road. It still is. He went to a Cross and died a brutal death so that we might have our sin obliterated, forgiven, pardoned! It was this act which allowed us to breathe in God’s Grace! It cost His life.. It is not cheap . It is eternal . He was buried but the grave could not hold Him! We can live this life in Him only by grace! Bonhoeffer did . What glorious love is this!!!! Acts 17:28
Thank you Billie. I pray that the Church will awaken and realize the price that was paid for our salvation and eternal life. You said it perfectly.
I agree Billie said it perfectly
Christ’s TRUTH and AUTHORITY is over everything in the world: economics, science, medicine, culture, education, government, politics, media, military, social systems, law, sexuality, family, and entertainment. We are not to be passive but active in demonstrating through our words, hands and feet in planting His TRUTH over all and smashing the head of the serpent, who also, through deception tries to own and steal it all.
Amen!
It is such an encouragement to read Hebrews 11 that shares examples of obedient servants of the Lord Jesus and followers of Jehovah God in the Old and New Testaments. Chapter 12 highlights this in referring to these examples as surrounding us by a “great cloud of witnesses.” The author exhorts us to lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us with endurance the race that is set before us,fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. …consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against such sinners acainst Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. paraphrased Hebrews 12:1-3
Regarding Bonhoffer’s quote: “Cheap grace is 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.” – as the answer for sitting back while Hitler rose to absolute power.
I would have to say it may be something else. My church is all about repentance, discipline, confession, discipleship, the cross and a focus on Jesus Christ ~ and yet, these wonderful folks feel that getting involved in government/politics is getting off the track of the gospel. Many don’t even pray for world and national events, much less do something or even discuss anything. This is a huge and troubling enigma to me. But I press on praying and doing what I can. I’m glad IFA is out there!
Carolyn,
I praise God that you see truth and that you continue to press on toward th goal. May our Sovereign God use your understanding of truth to reach those who walk in darkness. Praise our Mighty Lord!
Get back to the teaching of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ the Lord.
Weimar Germany had plenty of religion. Cheap grace is a feel good
religion. Grace requires confession and repentance, otherwise where is the glory of God? Where is the overcoming? How else are we to be conformed to the image of the Lord Jesus Christ? First Germans allowed cheap grace to feel good, then they were ruled by it unawares; then they were ruled by the monster from Thule Gesellschaft (satanic society). The idol of cheap grace was smashed at the price of prostration before dictator Hitler.
This breaks my heart. I am 88 and remember a church of people who appreciated that grace. We sang from our hearts….Marvelous grace of our loving Lord! Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt. Yonder on Calvary’s mount outpoured, there where the blood of the Lamb was spilt. Grace, grace, God’s grace, grace that will pardon and CLEANSE within.The Book of Jude was preached. Now, as then, false teachers crept into the church turning God’s grace into license to sin….to do as they please.but we are to contend, to fight, to battle…when God’s truth is attacked. It is God’s grace that gives us the desire and the power to do God’s will Grace is God’s enablement to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world. I am so thankful for IFA making us aware to….PRAY and for the well known -true to the Word pastors on t.v. II Tim 3 and II Pet 3 make us aware that it will be hard to be a CHRISTIAN in the last days.
Yes I remember that song and it and others, old and humble, theologically sound are sung in our Nazarene church still. Thank you for sharing. I am 20 some odd years younger than you, but I praise God for prayer warriors of your age, I know many. Be encouraged.
Thank you dear. Stay true to the old paths and the precious hymns that are such an encouragement and challenge for these days. It Will Be Worth it All….WHEN WE SEE JESUS! Be a sweet aroma of Jesus!
Yes, Merilee, thank you for your prayers. You speak of the old hymns, which are generally rejected today. “Trust and Obey, for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.” We are in a covenant with the Lord which requires obedience to His Word, but this present generation is the most ignorant of the Bible than all generations in Christian American history. Also, books about the 1800’s and early 1900’s speak of churches holding prayer meetings twice a week that lasted into the early hours of the morning. John Wesley required his ministers to fast every Wednesday and Friday until 3 p.m., and the laity of the Methodist Church practiced this faithfully through the early 1900’s. As Derek Prince said, “The Church is God’s governing body on earth, restraining evil in the world. But if the compromising church apostatizes, (as Bonhoefer said) there remains no restraint of the evil.” This is what we are experiencing today. Sin, evil, satanism have come upon us like a flood because the church has become like the world. But we are in the last days, which the Bible says are “perilous times.” We must set our faces like flint to walk in the narrow way, and ask God’s mercy and strength to help us be part of the remnant, as Wise Virgins, so the Light of Jesus will shine through us even brighter in an ever-increasing dark world.