Michael Reeves

In the 20th century, surrounded by a people and a church that had so easily capitulated to Hitler, the Lutheran pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer felt it was a wrong attitude towards grace that was partly to blame. And on the eve of the Second World War, Bonhoeffer wrote a scolding attack on what he called cheap grace.

In the 20th century, surrounded by a people and a church that had so easily capitulated to Hitler, the Lutheran pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer felt it was a wrong attitude towards grace that was partly to blame. And on the eve of the Second World War, Bonhoeffer wrote a scolding attack on what he called cheap grace.

The cheap grace he believed had allowed such moral spinelessness on the part of the church in facing the Nazi regime. Now Bonhoeffer defined this cheap grace and called it grace without Jesus Christ alone. For grace without Jesus Christ was the problem in Bonhoeffer's day. But grace without Jesus Christ was precisely what the Reformers were stepping away from.

The cheap grace he believed had allowed such moral spinelessness on the part of the church in facing the Nazi regime. Now Bonhoeffer defined this cheap grace and called it grace without Jesus Christ alone. For grace without Jesus Christ was the problem in Bonhoeffer's day. But grace without Jesus Christ was precisely what the Reformers were stepping away from.

With the Reformers' message of grace alone, they were not offering more of grace as stuff, as spiritual fuel. They were offering Christ. In other words, salvation by grace alone is just another way of saying salvation by Christ alone. Luther wrote, Through faith in Christ, Christ's righteousness becomes our righteousness. All he has becomes ours, or rather, he himself becomes ours.

With the Reformers' message of grace alone, they were not offering more of grace as stuff, as spiritual fuel. They were offering Christ. In other words, salvation by grace alone is just another way of saying salvation by Christ alone. Luther wrote, Through faith in Christ, Christ's righteousness becomes our righteousness. All he has becomes ours, or rather, he himself becomes ours.

And that puts a world of difference between the message of grace alone and cheap grace. It remains simple. Nobody can receive the Christ who justifies without receiving the Christ who makes us holy. That means holy living is not an awkward small print of the gospel, the catch hiding behind the good news of grace alone. Now, this is wonderful good news.

And that puts a world of difference between the message of grace alone and cheap grace. It remains simple. Nobody can receive the Christ who justifies without receiving the Christ who makes us holy. That means holy living is not an awkward small print of the gospel, the catch hiding behind the good news of grace alone. Now, this is wonderful good news.

Through this gospel, God acts to free us not only from the horrifying future penalty of sin, but also from its present enslaving power. Grace alone is the most potent message of liberations. Total and absolute liberation from hell. And gradual liberation even from its foul but addictive foretastes.

Through this gospel, God acts to free us not only from the horrifying future penalty of sin, but also from its present enslaving power. Grace alone is the most potent message of liberations. Total and absolute liberation from hell. And gradual liberation even from its foul but addictive foretastes.

which is why Paul can write in Titus 2, the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, to live self-controlled, upright, godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of

which is why Paul can write in Titus 2, the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, to live self-controlled, upright, godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of

of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. Because true grace is never grace without Jesus Christ, It means the apostle has no intellectual difficulty in putting free salvation alongside good works.

of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. Because true grace is never grace without Jesus Christ, It means the apostle has no intellectual difficulty in putting free salvation alongside good works.

Ephesians 2, he writes, For by grace you've been saved through faith. This is not your own doing. It's the gift of God, not a result of works so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works. which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them, there's no difficulty. For that is the only true life.

Ephesians 2, he writes, For by grace you've been saved through faith. This is not your own doing. It's the gift of God, not a result of works so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works. which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them, there's no difficulty. For that is the only true life.

The life for which believers are freely saved to be freed from the captivity of sin, to know God and share his good, pure life. and holy life. And there is a consistent testimony down through the centuries. Those who have accepted that God saves by His grace alone have found the message to be one of unutterably sweet liberation.

The life for which believers are freely saved to be freed from the captivity of sin, to know God and share his good, pure life. and holy life. And there is a consistent testimony down through the centuries. Those who have accepted that God saves by His grace alone have found the message to be one of unutterably sweet liberation.

Martin Luther wrote, I felt I was altogether born again, then to paradise itself through open gates. And so it remains today. The reformers tenacious insistence on grace alone is no relic of the history books. to be looked on with embarrassment as the sorry squabble of pernickety theologians. It remains as the only message of ultimate liberation.

Martin Luther wrote, I felt I was altogether born again, then to paradise itself through open gates. And so it remains today. The reformers tenacious insistence on grace alone is no relic of the history books. to be looked on with embarrassment as the sorry squabble of pernickety theologians. It remains as the only message of ultimate liberation.