In Bonhoeffer’s book, The Cost of Discipleship, he contrasts cheap grace with costly grace.

What does this mean?

“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, living and incarnate.”

In contrast, costly grace is described as follows: “Costly grace is the treasure hidden in the field; for the sake of it, a man will 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 that must be sought again and again, the gift that must be asked for, the door at which a man must knock.”

Grace is unmerited favor, but it changes everything! It is the call to those who would hear, “Come as you are, but do not stay where you are.” For the one who hears and believes, there is a compulsion of love to follow Jesus, regardless of the cost (2 Corinthians 5:14-15). Jesus calls us to pick up our cross and follow Him. If we are following Christ with a cross, there is only one destination: it leads us to our death with Christ Jesus on the mount of Golgotha, and to our burial with Him in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. But it also means we will rise again with Him (Matthew 16:24-26, Luke 14:27).

We are called to follow Jesus and to be changed forever. It is by this grace, through faith, that we recognize our need for salvation. We become undone by the truth of our state, broken and contrite (Psalm 51:17). We hear the good news that there is salvation in Christ alone, and we lay down this life of sin, broken and blemished as it is. We trust that Christ covers our blemishes and presents us as Himself, the unblemished sacrifice on our behalf. We identify with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection. This is true spiritual worship (Romans 12:1).

This worship signifies a change in our identity—from one shaped by sin (Romans 5:12) to an identity that resembles Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2, Galatians 2:20). It is an identity that no longer says, “My will be done,” but rather, “God’s will be done.” It is a life that recognizes the cost of grace and is compelled by its love.

Lord, help us to lay down our lives. Search us and see if there is any offensive way in us. Grant us the strength, compelled by Your love, to leave our offensive ways in the tomb and to live a new life in You.