Catch the Light Christian & Spiritual Readings

Currently Viewing all readings

Cheap Grace - July 27, 2010
SFU -- The University of Prayer - January 06, 2010
Greater Things - April 29, 2010
The Birth - December 12, 2009
Flame Jumpers - March 30, 2010
Worshiping Gad - February 08, 2010
Worshiping Gad - February 08, 2010
Bible Burners - March 30, 2010
Set Your House in Order - October 18, 2009
Who Is Jesus? - February 05, 2009
The Truly Saved - December 31, 2007
The Blessing - February 04, 2009
God's People and Plan - February 16, 2009
Can I Say That? - February 16, 2009
The Wolves are Gone - September 16, 2008
Jesus, Hold My Hand - April 27, 2009

Reading of the Week

Cheap Grace

Some of the ways Dietrich Bonhoeffer identifies cheap grace are as follows: grace without Jesus, without the Cross, forgiveness without repentance, without confession, without discipleship, and so forth.

Imagine receiving an awesome salary without having an employer or having to appreciate the source, without having to labour for it, without having to feel you don’t deserve it, without having to report to the provider of the income periodically, without having to learn a thing or train yourself to do anything.

Believers in “cheap grace” (essentially non believers) understand that they are heirs to the same Biblical promises as those who actually do believe in Christ. Somebody promised them eternal life without having to believe in Jesus, without the Cross, without His blood having been the purchase price of their redemption, without having to follow His teachings, without having to become regenerated (born again), without having to worship Him, without having to associate with anybody who does, without having to have attributes comparable to His, and so on.

These same thinkers may very well expect to be beneficiaries of the same rewards as those on the team that wins the Stanley Cup: to appear in uniform for the winning team picture, to be interviewed for their contribution toward each hard-won victory, to be congratulated similarly for their efforts, to receive lucrative contracts relative to product promotions, and more.

Inasmuch as the owner of any professional team would know who his deserving players are, the Bible says that the Lord likewise knows those who are His (2 Tim. 2:19).

His would have acknowledged Him (Mt. 10:32). His would have become born again (John 3:3). His would have followed Him (Mt. 4:19). As well, Luke 9:23 states that His would have picked up their crosses daily.

Furthermore, God’s own would constantly remain in touch with Him on a regular basis (1 Thess. 5:17). They would have been in the practice of associating with one another prior to going to heaven (Heb. 10:25). Not only that but all will have endured some form of persecution for His name (1 Pet. 2:19-21).

Salvation without Jesus knowing about it remains quite impossible. Salvation without one’s knowing Christ as Saviour and serving Him as Lord is likewise impossible (Acts 4:12). In the same way that a baseball player picks up his bat to play ball, the follower of Christ picks up his cross and gives his all. Any thing cheaper than that goes up in smoke.

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