Following Jesus is costly

 In my theology reading group this month we are discussing, The Cost of Discipleship, by Dietrich Bonhoeffer. I now realise that I am reading the book the "wrong" way. It is not like a "typical" theology book that can be read over a couple of weeks and digested. Although there is much profound theology the book is more suited as a "devotional" book that should only be read in short segments and returned to often.

I find the book profoundly challenging. In some ways, the message is simple: if you want to be a disciple of Jesus that means you have to take the followings of Jesus seriously and obey them! The middle third of the book is an exposition of The Sermon on the Mount. As much as we may want to it is very hard to perform the hermeneutical gymnastics needed to wheedle out of Jesus' commands. Love your enemies, forgive your enemies, do not love money, hating someone is akin to murder, a lustful thought is akin to adultery, do not draw attention to yourself, fast and pray, deny yourself and its desires, ... the list goes on and on... Later, I give some choice quotes. 

First, I want to discuss something about the book I find increases its significance and power. Bonhoeffer identified as a Lutheran and embraced Luther's theology, including sola fide (justification by faith alone) and sola gratia (salvation by grace alone, not by good works). Ephesians 2:8-9 is a central text to this theology. However, in Chapter One, Bonhoeffer contrasts "cheap grace" and "costly grace."

Cheap grace means grace sold on the market like cheapjacks' wares... 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! ...What would grace be if it were not cheap?...

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.

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.

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.

In Chapter 2, "The Call to Discipleship", begins with Jesus calling Levi, the tax collector, to follow him. Bonhoeffer then claims

the following two propositions hold good and are equally true: only he who believes is obedient, and only he who is obedient believes. 

This is illustrated by the interactions of Jesus with two men who avoided obedience by asking Jesus about moral dilemmas: The rich young ruler  (Matthew 19) and the Pharisee whose question, "Who is my neighbour?" led to Jesus telling the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10).

Heinrich Hofmann, "Christ and the Rich Young Ruler", 1889 

[Aside: it is ironic that this painting was purchased by John D Rockefeller Jr, and donated to Riverside Church, New York.]

In Chapter 3, "Single-minded obedience," Bonhoeffer states some of the hermeneutic that he uses.

the whole Word of the Scriptures summons us to follow Jesus. We must not do violence to the Scriptures by interpreting them in terms of an abstract principle, even if that principle be a doctrine of grace. Otherwise we shall end up in legalism.

We must therefore maintain that the paradoxical interpretation of the commandments does always includes the literal interpretation... 

 Here are some the reflections on the Sermon on the Mount that this leads to. First, on the danger of materialism.

Earthly goods are given to be used, not to be collected. In the wilderness God gave Israel the manna every day, and they had no need to worry about food and drink... Where our treasure is, there is our trust, our security, our consolation and our God. Hoarding is idolatry.

On loving your enemies. 

Christian love draws no distinction between one enemy and another, except that the more bitter our enemy's hatred, the greater his need of love. Be his enmity political or religious, he has nothing to expect from a follower of Jesus but unqualified love. In such love there is not inner discord between the private person and official capacity. In both we are disciples of Christ, or we are not Christians at all. 

Disciples of Jesus are to be distinctly different from other people. This is a narrow way that few will choose.

To be called to a life of extraordinary quality, to live up to it, and yet to be unconscious of it is indeed a narrow way. To confess and testify to the truth as it is in Jesus, and at the same time to love the enemies of that truth, his enemies and ours, and to love them with the infinite love of Jesus Christ, is indeed a narrow way.

Jesus told his disciples "when you fast ...". It was a given that they would fast. Ascetism is an important part of discipleship. 

If there is no element of asceticism in our lives, if we give free rein to the desires of the flesh (taking care of course to keep within the limits of what seems permissible to the world), we shall find it hard to train for the service of Christ. When the flesh is satisfied it is hard to pray with cheerfulness or to devote oneself to a life of service which calls for much self-renunciation.

I found the book very challenging, particularly as it cuts to matters of the heart: what do I love? what do I value? what are my motives? what are my private thoughts?