Reality check

“Human beings yield in many situations, even important and spiritual and central ones, as long as it prolongs one's well-being.” ~ Alexander Solzhenitsyn

“For more than a generation, American civilization has been prepossessed with the notion that one is entitled to have one’s own way simply because one demands it.” ~ Kevin T. Bauder

One of my favorite childhood memories from my pre-teen years is church movie night. Periodically the independent Baptist church I attended would show movies that included titles like “The Cross and the Switchblade”, “The Gospel Blimp” and “Run Nicky Run.”

Back in the early 70’s long before Tim LaHaye wrote the Left Behind series there was a film called “A Thief in the Night.” The film was written and directed by Donald W. Thompson who co-produced the classic B-movie “The Blob” starting Steve McQueen. Thompson played a small but pivotal role as a liberal pastor, Matthew Turner. This film was released in 1972 and I remember watching it as a nine year old. It left a lasting impression on me and it is probably best remembered for its theme song by Larry Norman titled “I Wish We’d All Been Ready.”

In the film the main character’s name is Patty, a young married girl who has attended a revival rally and for the first time she hears the Gospel message preached. She considers what the preacher has to say, but dismisses the message because she is content in her lifestyle and thinks she is basically a good person. In her mind she believes that by living a good life, doing good works, regularly attending church and trying to live by the ten commandments she will be saved. Her home church led by Pastor Matthew Turner preaches that people do not have to give their lives to Jesus Christ, and Patty trusts this man and chooses her own preferences over what the Bible clearly states.

Patty and her husband attended the same revival, but with different results. He heard the Gospel message and acknowledged that he was a sinner and recognized that he needed to place his faith and trust in the finished work of Jesus Christ. A few days later Patty wakes up one morning to find her husband missing and she hears on the radio that millions are missing world-wide. She realizes that this is the Rapture of the church and that she has been left behind. She makes her way to her social gospel church and Pastor Turner is inconsolable and wails with the realization; “No, not another one.” As a 9 year old I had a hard time grasping why someone with the title of Pastor would be left behind.

Over a year has gone by since my Uncle passed away and rarely does a week go by when I don’t think about him. I had the distinct honor and privilege of sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with him, and he accepted Christ as his savior only a few weeks before he died. This was an answer to years of prayer and a precious memory that I grasp tightly, praising God that I had the chance to participate in God’s gift of grace being revealed in someone I loved. I also had the scary task of speaking at my Uncle’s funeral and I knew that not only did I want to celebrate my Uncle’s life, but also the share with those in attendance the message that gave my Uncle such peace and joy in his final weeks on this earth.

After the funeral we all got together at my Uncle’s favorite restaurant and valiantly attempted to smile in our grief. One conversation during this gathering still haunts me to this day. A very lovely and kind lady was making conversation with me and the topic turned to the Gospel message shared during the funeral. I could sense that she was uncomfortable with the idea that we will all have to give an account one day before a holy and righteous God, that there is a penalty for sin, and that we cannot possibly live a life that is good enough to merit God’s favor. The heart of the Gospel that salvation only comes through placing our faith and trust in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ seemed to trouble her and I will never forget what she said. She stated that her minister told the congregation one Sunday that even though he could not find this anywhere in the Bible, he believed that after we die God will give us one last chance to accept him. She kindly but adamantly told me that she believed this herself which I admit left me stunned and speechless.

What is astonishing to me is that even though both this sweet lady and this so-called Pastor could not find any hint of this “last chance” in the Bible, they both were grasping at this straw because they could not accept that God would punish anyone who met their personal standard of “goodness”. They both chose to believe what they wanted to rather than the clear and unmistakable message of the Bible. But the fallacy of their logic didn’t just end there. If we think that God is love and therefore would grant us clemency at the last second, then why would Jesus Christ have needed to die to pay the penalty for our sins? If there was any other way to accomplish our salvation then God is not loving at all, but cruel and devoid of compassion. Why would Jesus have to have suffered the humiliation and agony of the crucifixion at all if we simply could live any way we saw fit and receive a last second get out of jail free card? Some people make a conscious decision to put off wrestling with this dilemma, thinking they have more time. But there is a sobering truth in the anonymous quote; “Many who plan to seek God at the eleventh hour…die at 10:30.”

It truly surprises me to find what people choose to believe despite evidence to the contrary. If we believe God exists and have the Bible, His revealed Word then it seems counterintuitive to ignore what it says. If the Bible clearly states what one must do to be redeemed, born again, and regenerated it is quite perplexing why someone would roll the cosmic dice or cross their fingers and hope for the best. What if how we define “good” differs from how God defines it? Do we really think it will come down to a game of rock-paper-scissors at the pearly gates or that if we strenuously object long and loud enough that the Creator of the Universe and the Moral Law is just going to cave in like a mother of four in the super market candy aisle? I am not trying to be irreverent but the idea of hoping the heavenly scales will balance in our favor seems like a mighty big chance to take. There are no do-overs or the best two out of three. It is appointed unto man once to die and then judgment. Game over.

But before any professing Christians get too smug, are we at times guilty of the same thing? We say we believe that God’s Word is truth and that the Bible is inspired and inerrant but then we tend to pick and choose what commands and exhortations we like or feel comfortable following, and ignore the hard sayings of Jesus Christ. We live a kind of dualistic “Christian” life where we pick and choose the type of discipleship we want versus what Jesus demands. We want cheap grace rather than the costly grace that Jesus Christ provides.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a German theologian who was executed by the Nazi’s for his involvement in the plot to assassinate Hitler. Christians can debate whether or not he was a theological liberal, but I believe his life and writings are worthy of examination and meditation for the simple fact that he felt compelled to live out the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7, and while all around him watched idly as a mad man killed millions, he stood up for what he believed. In his book “The Cost of Discipleship” he penned these challenging thoughts.

“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 cheapjacks’ wares. The sacraments, the forgiveness of sin, and the consolations of religion are thrown away at cut prices. Grace is represented as the Church’s inexhaustible treasury, from which she showers blessings with generous hands, without asking questions or fixing limits. Grace without price; grace without cost! The essence of grace, we suppose, is that the account has been paid in advance; and, because it has been paid, everything can be had for nothing....”

Cheap grace means grace as a doctrine, a principle, a system. It means forgiveness of sins proclaimed as a general truth, the love of God taught as the Christian 'conception' of God. An intellectual assent to that idea is held to be of itself sufficient to secure remission of sins.... In such a Church the world finds a cheap covering for its sins; no contrition is required, still less any real desire to be delivered from sin. Cheap grace therefore amounts to a denial of the living Word of God, in fact, a denial of the Incarnation of the Word of God.

Cheap grace means the justification of sin without the justification of the sinner. Grace alone does everything they say, and so everything can remain as it was before. 'All for sin could not atone.' Well, then, let the Christian live like the rest of the world, let him model himself on the world’s standards in every sphere of life, and not presumptuously aspire to live a different life under grace from his old life under sin....

Cheap grace is the grace we bestow on ourselves. Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession.... Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.

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 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 which must be sought again and again and again, the gift which must be asked for, the door at which a man must knock. Such grace is costly because it calls us to follow, and it is grace because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ. It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life. It is costly because it condemns sin, and grace because it justifies the sinner. Above all, it is costly because it cost God the life of his Son: “ye were bought at a price,” and what has cost God much cannot be cheap for us. Above all, it is grace because God did not reckon his Son too dear a price to pay for our life, but delivered him up for us. Costly grace is the Incarnation of God.

Costly grace is the sanctuary of God; it has to be protected from the world, and not thrown to the dogs. It is therefore the living word, the Word of God, which he speaks as it pleases him. Costly grace confronts us as a gracious call to follow Jesus. It comes as a word of forgiveness to the broken spirit and the contrite heart. Grace is costly because it compels a man to submit to the yoke of Christ and follow him; it is grace because Jesus says: “My yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Don’t reject God’s reality and substitute your own…