In his book called The Cost of Discipleship, published in 1937, Dietrich Bonhoeffer defined “cheap grace,”
*As preaching forgiveness without requiring repentance,
*As baptism without church discipline.
*As Communion without confession.
*As grace without discipleship,
*As grace without the cross,
*As grace without Jesus Christ.”
Notice what is emphasized in Bonhoeffer’s definition of cheap grace and what is de-emphasized. The emphasis is on the BENEFITS of Christianity without the costs involved; hence, the adjective “cheap” to describe this presumptuous caricature of grace.
Or, even more clearly, it is to hear the gospel preached as follows: “Of course you have sinned, but now everything is forgiven, so you can stay as you are and enjoy the consolations of forgiveness.” The main defect of such a proclamation is that it contains no demand for repentance nor discipleship. In contrast to this, is costly grace:
“Costly grace confronts us as a gracious call to follow Jesus. It comes as a word of forgiveness to the broken spirit and the humble, non arrogant, contrite heart. It is costly because it compels a man to submit to the yoke of Christ and follow him.”
“Just as I am without one plea” is just as true for sanctification as it is for justification.”
Think about it.
Just as you are – no spiritual growth or maturity, no increased knowledge of Jesus Christ or God’s Word is needed. According to Tchividjian, none of that is necessary. It’s all grace, baby. Once you’re in Christ, you don’t need to do a thing. Cruise through life ‘just as you are.’ That’s what the man is teaching.
If what this man is saying is true, was Jesus Christ wrong in commanding us the Great Commission? Of course not. Is God wrong when He tells us to put off anger, malice, jealousy, immorality and perversions such as sodomy and lesbianism, etc? Of course not. Or were these merely suggestions for us to consider as options?
This man is a heretic, and the new Calvinism that he espouses is heresy of the worst sort. Tullian doesn’t want you to mature in Christ. He doesn’t want you to do anything, just continue ‘just as you are’ – and he calls that sanctification! being made holy!
Now, before you swallow this antinomian lie from Hell, be aware of what God has said:
Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God – Hebrews 6:1 (NASB)
When we were born again, we were born again as infants, babes in Christ. It’s perfectly natural for a babe to grow up and become an adult, but Tullian wants you to remain a babe. Why?
Brethren, this is contrary to all things Christian.
Grace alone and gospel contemplation will not cut the mustard when it comes to your sanctification.
Sanctification is about growth in the knowledge of the Christ and God’s Word, of prayer and of fighting, mortifying sin in our lives, of becoming holy in word and deed, increasingly set apart from the world, it’s lusts and its culture – sticking out like a sore thumb. It is not about remaining ‘just as you are’. Indeed, the only way to grow in grace is to grow, increase, in your knowledge of Christ. 2 Peter 3:18
Prayer and no action against sin is an abject failure and a rejection of God’s will. So then, at best, listening to and believing Tullian Tchividjian will keep you in spiritual infancy contrary to God’s plan while you reject God’s clearly communicated will. At worst, Tullian is leading people to Hell and damnation with an antinomian lie.
This ‘pastor’ is not a mere miscreant muttering in some dark corner. No. The Gospel Coalition has given him a platform from which he reaches untold numbers with this new Calvinist lie. He is one of many babblers masquerading in effulgence and with much alacrity. With his own words he combines sanctification with justification, and therefore this is no calumny on my part.
This is not a knee-jerk, snarling petulance on my part. I have, with great interest on behalf of the Church, attempted to warn readers of this dangerous new Calvinist fusion of justification with sanctification, often times, seemingly, with little success. It can be frustrating
.
Yet the brutish stupidity of this man’s theology needs to be made public, and indeed he has done that for us. Any believer who has spent serious study in God’s word can see the folly of this man’s teaching.
In his book called The Cost of Discipleship, published in 1937, Dietrich Bonhoeffer defined “cheap grace,”
*As preaching forgiveness without requiring repentance,
*As baptism without church discipline.
*As Communion without confession.
*As grace without discipleship,
*As grace without the cross,
*As grace without Jesus Christ.”
Notice what is emphasized in Bonhoeffer’s definition of cheap grace and what is de-emphasized. The emphasis is on the BENEFITS of Christianity without the costs involved; hence, the adjective “cheap” to describe this presumptuous caricature of grace.
Or, even more clearly, it is to hear the gospel preached as follows: “Of course you have sinned, but now everything is forgiven, so you can stay as you are and enjoy the consolations of forgiveness.” The main defect of such a proclamation is that it contains no demand for repentance nor discipleship. In contrast to this, is costly grace:
“Costly grace confronts us as a gracious call to follow Jesus. It comes as a word of forgiveness to the broken spirit and the humble, non arrogant, contrite heart. It is costly because it compels a man to submit to the yoke of Christ and follow him.”
A TWENTY FIRST CENTURY PARAPHRASE OF DANIEL 3: 8-16
The U.S. Has legitimized two gold statues Called Sodomy and Lesbianism.” They have been inscribed in our textbooks, fiction books, discussed in our universities, and showed them on our screens, been accepted in our liberal so called churches, and finally passed into law to by our Supreme Court to legitimize them.
The U.S. sent word to assemble the politicians, pastors, culture-makers, critics, business people, judges, and law enforcers, and all the influencers of the different spheres of culture to attend the dedication of the statues that society had set up.
So the politicians, pastors, culture-makers, critics, businesspeople, judges, law enforcers, and all the influencers of the different spheres of culture assembled for the dedication of the statues.
The news media and courts loudly proclaimed:
“People of every state and region, race and religion, you are no matter where or when or how, or whether or not you agree to clap your hands and celebrate theses gold statues that the United States of America has set up. But whoever does not clap their hands and celebrate will immediately be marginalized, cast aside, and silenced.”
Therefore, when all the people saw anyone practicing male or female homosexuality, people of every state and region, race and religion, clapped their hands and celebrated the gold statue that the U.S. had set up.
Some took this occasion to come forward and maliciously accuse the Christians. They said to American citizens:
Long live your country! Our society has issued a decree that anyone who encounters our statues must clap their hands and celebrate their bold stand. Whoever does not clap their hands and celebrate will be marginalized, cast aside, and silenced.
There are some Christians however, who manage businesses, hospitals, pharmacies, and adoption agencies. They are bakers, photographers, and florists. These people have ignored you, America. They do not serve your gods or celebrate the gold statues you have set up.”
Then in a furious rage the U.S. citizenry gave orders to bring in the offenders. So these people were brought before the cultural gatekeepers. Society asked them:
“Is it true that you don’t serve our gods or celebrate the gold statues of lesbianism and homosexuality we have set up?
Now if you’re ready, when you see these: sodomites, lesbians, bi sexual and Trans -gendered paraded in front of you, clap your hands and celebrate their coming out! But if you don’t celebrate them you will immediately be marginalized, cast aside, and silenced — and who will be able to rescue you from our penalties and fines?”
The Christians replied to their fellow citizens,
“Beloved countrymen, we don’t need to give an answer to this question. If the God we serve exists, then He can sustain us in the event we are being marginalized, cast aside, and silenced, and He can rescue us from craving approval from the rest of our society.”
” But even if He does not protect us from your penalties and fines, we want you as a society to know that we will not serve your gods or celebrate the gold statues you set up.”
Trevin wax – life way modified by Brian Henry
Cher ami, j’aimerais vous poser une question, en fait, la plus importante de votre vie. Votre bonheur ou votre perte, pour toute l’éternité, dépend de votre réponse.
Voici la question: “ Etes-vous sauvé ? Etes-vous sûr d’aller au ciel à votre mort ? ” Je ne vous demande pas si vous êtes membre d’église, mais si vous êtes sauvé. Il ne s’agit pas non plus de savoir si vous êtes bon, mais si vous êtes sauvé. En effet, personne ne peut obtenir les bénédictions de Dieu ou même aller au ciel sans être préalablement sauvé. Jésus a dit à Nicodème dans l’évangile selon Jean, au chapitre 3 et au verset 7 : “ Il faut que vous naissiez de nouveau ”. Dieu nous donne dans sa parole, la Bible, le SEUL plan de salut qui ait jamais existé; ce plan est simple et vous pouvez être sauvé dès aujourd’hui.
En premier lieu, vous devez prendre conscience du fait que vous êtes pécheur. Dans l’épître de Paul aux Romains, nous lisons : “ Il n’y a point de juste, pas même un seul ” (Romains 3. 10). Un peu plus loin, nous lisons : “ Il n’y a point de distinction, car tous ont péché et sont privés de la gloire de Dieu ” (Romains 3. 22,23).
Vous n’avez aucune chance d’être sauvé, à moins de reconnaître que vous êtes pécheur. Et parce que vous êtes pécheur, vous êtes condamné à mort, “ car le salaire du péché, c’est la mort ” (Romains 6. 23). Et le “ péché enfante la mort ” (épître de Jacques 1. 15). Le mot “ mort ” signifiant ici “ séparation ”, il s’agit d’une séparation d’avec Dieu, en enfer, pour l’éternité. C’est terrible ! Mais pourtant, c’est vrai.
Malgré cela, Dieu vous a tant aimé, qu’il a donné son fils unique, Jésus-Christ, comme substitut. Ce dernier a porté vos péchés ; il est mort à votre place. “ Celui qui n’a point connu le péché, il l’a fait devenir péché pour nous, afin que nous devenions en lui justice de Dieu ” (2ème épître aux Corinthiens 5. 21). “ Lui qui a porté lui-même nos péchés en son corps sur le bois, afin que morts aux péchés nous vivions pour la justice ; lui par les meurtrissures duquel vous avez été guéris ” (1ère épître de Pierre 2. 24). Il fallait que Jésus meure et qu’il verse son sang, afin que vous obteniez le pardon de vos péchés, “ car la vie de tout de qui est vivant est dans le sang ” (Lévitique 17. 11). “ Sans effusion de sang, il n’y a pas de pardon ” (épître aux Hébreux 9. 22). Nous ne pouvons pas comprendre comment Jésus a pu porter nos péchés, mais Dieu nous dit en sa parole qu’il en est ainsi. Ainsi donc, mon ami, Jésus a porté votre péché et il est mort à votre place sur la croix. Tout ceci est vrai. Dieu ne peut pas mentir.
A Philippes (en Macédoine), le geôlier de la prison demanda à ses prisonniers, Paul et Silas : “ Que faut-il que je fasse pour être sauvé ? ” (Actes des apôtres 16. 31). Croyez tout simplement en Christ, sachant que c’est lui qui a porté votre péché et qui est mort à votre place. Il a été enseveli, il est ressuscité et il est monté au ciel pour votre justification. Invoquez-le ! “ Quiconque invoquera le nom du Seigneur sera sauvé ” (épître aux Romains 10. 13).
Si vous regrettez vos péchés et cherchez sincèrement à en être délivré, vous pourriez dire à l’instar du pécheur repentant de l’évangile selon Luc : “ Aie pitié de moi qui suis un pécheur ” (Luc 18. 13). Quel que soit l’endroit où vous vous trouvez, élevez à l’instant votre cœur à Dieu dans la prière. Il n’est ni nécessaire de prier longuement ni de la faire à haute voix, car Dieu veut vraiment vous sauver. Il suffit de lui ouvrir votre cœur en n’oubliant pas que Dieu est impatient de vous sauver.
Dites simplement : “ Seigneur, je suis pécheur et je me repens. Pardonne-moi et sauve-moi grâce au sacrifice de Jésus ! ” A présent, prenez donc Dieu au mot ! “ Quiconque (cela peut donc être vous) invoquera le nom du Seigneur sera sauvé ” (épître aux Romains 10. 13). Le verset dit “ sera ”, et non “ pourrait être ” ou “ sera peut-être sauvé ” ; il dit bel et bien « sera sauvé », n’est-ce pas ? Aucune église, ni bonne œuvre, ni aucun homme ne peuvent vous sauver. Jésus est le seul qui puisse vous sauver. “ Il n’y a de salut en aucun autre, car il n’y a sous le ciel aucun autre nom qui ait été donné parmi les hommes, par lequel nous devions être sauvés ” (Actes des apôtres 4. 12).
Le simple plan du salut est le suivant : vous êtes pécheur et à cause de cela, vous devez mourir. A moins de croire que Jésus s’est substitué à vous sur la croix, qu’il a été enseveli, qu’il est ressuscité des morts et qu’il est monté au ciel pour votre justification, vous êtes encore perdu pour l’éternité. Prenant enfin conscience de votre état de pécheur, demandez à Dieu de vous pardonner et de vous sauver pour l’amour de Jésus ! Puis, prenez-le simplement au mot et, par la foi, acceptez le salut !
Vous me dites que cela ne peut certainement pas suffire pour être sauvé. Il n’y a pourtant rien d’autre à faire. Nombreux sont ceux qui ont été sauvés et gagnés à Christ par ce simple salut de Dieu. C’est celui de la parole de Dieu, celui de la Bible. C’est le plan divin. Cher ami, croyez-le et suivez-le aujourd’hui même ! “ Voici maintenant le temps favorable, voici maintenant le jour du salut ” (2ème épître aux Corinthiens 6. 2). “ Ne te vante pas du lendemain, car tu ne sais pas ce qu’un jour peut enfanter ” (Proverbes 27. 1). Si tout ceci n’est pas parfaitement clair, lisez et relisez ce texte. Ne le mettez pas de côté avant de l’avoir bien compris. Votre âme a bien trop de valeur pour négliger un tel salut comme le rappelle Jésus : “ Que sert-il à un homme de gagner tout le monde, s’il perd son âme ? Que donnerait un homme en échange de son âme ? ” (évangile selon Marc 8. 36,37).
Assurez-vous de la chose ! Rien n’est plus important que votre salut. Si vous perdiez votre âme, vous auriez vraiment tout perdu. Et vous perdriez votre âme en choisissant l’éternité en enfer. Que Dieu vous aide à être sauvé aujourd’hui même !
Dieu vous sauvera et vous gardera. “ Aucune tentation ne vous est survenue qui n’ait été humaine, et Dieu, qui est fidèle, ne permettra pas que vous soyez tentés au-delà de vos forces ; mais avec la tentation, il préparera aussi le moyen d’en sortir, afin que vous puissiez la supporter ” (1ère épître aux Corinthiens 10. 13).
Ne vous fiez pas à vos sentiments – ils peuvent varier. Accrochez-vous plutôt aux promesses de Dieu ! Elles ne changent jamais. Une fois sauvé, il y a trois choses importantes à faire, et cela chaque jour, afin de grandir spirituellement : PRIEZ : vous parlez à Dieu. LISEZ LA BIBLE : Dieu vous parle. TEMOIGNEZ : vous parlez de Dieu et pour Dieu.
“ C’est pourquoi, quiconque me confessera devant les hommes, je le confesserai aussi devant mon Père qui est dans les cieux ” (évangile selon Matthieu 10. 32).
Et si vous voulez être disciple à fond, faitesvous baptiser selon son commandement (Actes des apôtres 2. 41) !
Joignez-vous à une église locale qui aime la Bible et l’enseigne droitement !
Many years ago whilst reading in the Douay Rheims Catholic Bible I came across
Luke 13:3 “Unless you do penance, you shall not inherit the kingdom of heaven.
I was quite shocked that in the original Koine Greek it does not say that! The word is μετάνοια and signifies a “change of mind,” and should read:
“Unless you REPENT, you shall not inherit the kingdom of heaven”
I learned that “Penance” is a Catholic term, meaning us going to confession and then doing what the priest tells us to do to “make up for” our sins. ” Repentance” on the other hand, is an internal change that happens when we turn away from our sins and turn back to God.
“Repentance” had been substituted by “doing penance” – a punishment inflicted on oneself to atone (make satisfaction) for sin.
To be fair, Catholicism also speaks of penance as an inner attitude in which we detest and bewail our sins because they are offensive to God. True repentance is expressed by sorrow, and such acts as prayer and fasting, and that repentance results in “fruit” – good works that grow out of a changed mind.
Although modern official versions of the catholic bible have changed the word “penance” to now read “repentance” they have not changed their erroneous doctrine that is reflected in their official sources of doctrine. The big problem I have with “penance” is the intended purpose of such acts: penance is performed to make satisfaction for sin, as you can see can be from the following official sources:
* “Raised up from sin, the sinner must still recover his full spiritual health by doing something more to make amends for the sin: he must ‘make satisfaction’ for or ‘expiate’ his sins. This satisfaction is called ‘penance.'” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1459).
* Penance “is meant not merely as a safeguard for the new life and as a remedy to weakness, but also as a vindicatory punishment for former sins” (Council of Trent, 14:8).
* “Satisfaction or penance is that prayer or other good work which the confessor enjoins on the penitent in expiation of his sins” (Catechism of Pius X, Sacrament of Penance).
Consequently, even though we are a genuinely contrite and having confessed our sins, we are still required to atone for sin by performing various works of penance in this world and by suffering in purgatory after death. We are not fit to enter heaven until we have made complete satisfaction. I see the following as the practical effects of “penance”!
Faith -is substituted by personal efforts and suffering.
Love – is mutated into a punishment! (Almsgiving is a principal form of penance).
Hope – is changed into fear and dread in anticipation of the torments of purgatory.
No one likes confrontation. Even those who like to confront others don’t like being confronted themselves. It’s awkward, unpleasant, and nerve-racking. The proud can feel attacked and the humble discouraged. Only self-righteous confronters feel good about it.
That’s why us Christians who confront those entrapped in Catholicism, the religious lost, and pagan lost with biblical truth, are regularly labelled as unloving. Since the popular notion of love is whatever feels good, confrontation cannot be loving. Too often when churches claim the motto, “Love God, Love People,” what they mean is they go out of their way to avoid making people feel bad about their sin.
John affirmed that love for Christ is authenticated by obedience to Christ (John14:14-23). He also pointed out that love for fellow Christians is the defining mark of true Christianity (John 13:34-37), and the dividing line between God’s children and Satan’s children (1John 3:4-10). But John’s theology of love never softened his zeal for truth—it actually brought balance into the life of this Son of Thunder.
John seems to have been committed to truth very early in life. From the beginning we see him as a spiritually aware man who sought to know and follow the truth. When we first encounter John (John1:35-37), both he and Andrew are disciples of John the Baptist. But like Andrew, John without hesitation began following Jesus as soon as John the Baptist singled Him out as the true Messiah.
John’s love of truth is evident in all his writings. He uses the Greek word for truth twenty-five times in his gospel and twenty more times in his epistles. He wrote, “I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in truth” (3John 4) His strongest epithet for someone who claimed to be a believer while walking in darkness was to describe the person as “a liar, and the truth is not in him” (1john2:4). No one in all of Scripture, except the Lord Himself, had more to say extolling the very concept of truth.
Many of us place too much emphasis on the love side of the fulcrum whilst ignoring the truth. Some are merely ignorant; others are deceived; still others simply do not care about what is true. In each case, truth is missing, and all they are left with is error, clothed in a shallow, tolerant sentimentality which is a poor substitute for genuine love.
They talk a lot about love and tolerance, but they utterly lack any concern for the truth. Therefore even the “love” they speak of is a tainted love. Real love “does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth(1corinthians13:6).
The truly godly person must cultivate both virtues in equal proportions. If you could wish for anything in your sanctification, wish for that. If you pursue anything in the spiritual realm, pursue a perfect balance of truth and love. Know the truth, and uphold it in love.
Finally, love and truth must be maintained in perfect balance. Truth is never to be abandoned in the name of love. But love is not to be deposed in the name of truth. That is what John learned from Christ, and it provides for us the balance we so desperately need as we approach, those entrapped in Catholicism, the religious lost, and the pagan lost!
In Adam and Eve mankind rebelled against God. All are born into the world in sin and under condemnation. Sin separates from God. The consequence of sin is physical and spiritual death. An eternal hell awaits those who remain in a state of sin and rebellion.
God in His grace has made a way for man to be reconciled to Him. By dying on the cross as a substitute for sinners, Jesus Christ provided the only way for those who repent to be forgiven for their sins. Heaven is the destination for those who receive Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour.
Jesus is alive and in His gospel offers spiritual life and a new relationship with God. To receive this life the sinner must do two basic things:
Turn from his sin and self-centered life and follow Jesus as Lord.
Trust that Jesus has done everything needed for our acceptance by God.
Acts16:31 declares: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.”
Here are the steps one must take in order to experience salvation.
Admit that you are a sinner – Romans 3:23
Realize that the penalty of sin is eternal death – Romans 6:23a
Acknowledge that there is nothing you can do to save yourself – Romans 3:20
Realize that Christ has paid the penalty for sin – Romans 5:8-9
Repent (turn from) of your sin – Luke 13:3
Believe in (turn to) Jesus Christ alone for salvation – Romans 10:9
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Romans 3:23
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
Romans 6:23a
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 3:20
“Therefore no one will be declared righteous in His sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.”
Romans 5:8-9
“But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through Him!”
Luke 13:3
“I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”
Romans 10:9-10
“If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.”
Illustration: I often use the ABC’s of the gospel:
1. Admit that you are sinner and repent.
2. Believe in Christ as your Savior and the Lord who forgives all sin.
3. Confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord and ask Him to come into your life as the only one who can give you the gift of eternal life. (Rom. 10:9,10)
Кто такой Иисус? Who is Jesus – Russian
Qui est Jésus-Christ (French)
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