Author: Anne Marie Miller

i wrote about this several months ago, but i read this again today and decided to repost it.? I think it fits in with some of the stuff we’ve been discussing, and to be quite honest, my mind has been completely empty the last few days.

Cheap grace is the deadly enemy of our Church. We are fighting today for costly grace.

Cheap grace means grace sold on the market like cheapjack?s wares. The sacraments, the forgiveness of sin, and the consolations of religion are thrown away at cut prices?

Cheap grace means the justification of sin without the justification of the sinner?

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?

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 kingly rule of Christ, for whose sake a man will pluck out the eye which causes him to stumble.

Costly grace is the gospel which must be sought again and again, the gift that must be asked for, the door at which one must knock.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

if you haven’t read the most recent comments on being the body (part 1), i recommend you do so before continuing onward. there are a lot of good thoughts, examples, and truths shared by so many of you.

two common themes which showed up and i’d like to discuss further are:

1. we live in a consumeristic culture, so it’s difficult for the church to reach people in ways where they don’t feel comfortable or justified in “going” to church. some questions brought up in the book: since when is the gospel of christ comfortable? since when is confronting sin comfortable? grace is all encompassing and forgiveness covers all sin, as well as the fact we serve and worship a loving god, but the truth is god cannot stand to look at us if it weren’t for the cross. does this message get watered down? not necessarily from the pulpit or platform, but from the layers the church (local) adds in order to “bring people in” so they may be reached?
2. the church’s call is to go and make disciples. in what ways do you see local churches obeying this call? is there too much emphasis placed on “saving people” and as RobP said in the comments, once any sort of commitment is asked or sacrifice is required, people bail out because they have been conditioned by society to get something out of every investment. do we also condition them by the bells and whistles and programs and not communicate the necessary sacrifice in being a christ-follower?

thanks for all your thoughts & prayers. i am in my layover and KCI and enjoying a very slow but free wifi connection. i thought i’d take this chance to start a discussion on here. i hope you’ll participate.

our teaching pastor, wes hamilton, let me borrow a book by chuck colson called “being the body.” if you have even the smallest bit of your heart that you love the church with, i strongly recommend you getting this book. it is almost 500 pages long and a very deep read, but it has been one of the most intriguing books i’ve tackled in a while (I’m only on page 130 287).

i have been taking notes throughout, and thought i’d post a little bit about what i’m learning and hopefully open up some discussion. the first part of the book is about how the current church is in the midst of an identity crisis. here are some bullet points i took out that i’d love for you to think about and discuss.

Misconceptions of the Church/Identity Crisis

-The Church is a building

1. The word church is from the Greek word Ekklesia, which means gathering of people. It really was used more in a political sense in the New Testament times but believers began using it to describe their gatherings
2. Instead of an abundance of “go and tell” it has become “come and see”

-The Church goer is a consumer

1. What’s in it for me?
2. Go where you “feel” good – where you feel “led”
3. Many churches aim to provide support over salvation
4. Help…over holiness
5. And convey the sense of “spiritual equality” and not God-ordained authority
6. Many churches also unintentionally encourage spectators instead of participators
7. People are invited to “discover themselves” in churches — and self realization and God realization are diametrically opposed
8. Consumerism works against the unity of the universal Church. You know you have heard conversations about people church hopping because of better programs, and I know it may not be the heart of any particular church to “steal” these people away, but let’s not be stupid here. It happens. And unity is the single greatest evangelical tool the church has — It shows that Jesus is who he claimed to be.

-Ending Thoughts

It’s no surprise people who aren’t religious or don’t go to church don’t understand its identity and mission. In fact, I am sitting in front of several ladies who are talking about the fact they have no clue about anything religious (They also think Kwanzaa is an Asian holiday). But when Christians don’t know what the church is…it’s a CRISIS.

your thoughts?

(next topic: fellowship)