The concept of “cheap grace” comes from the writings of German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer. In his classic 1937 book The Cost of Discipleship, Bonhoeffer contrasts “cheap grace” with “costly grace.” Here is a 9000 word examination of what the Bible says about grace, and how the idea of “cheap grace” relates to living out one’s faith.
Grace is a central concept in Christianity. The word “grace” translates the Greek word charis, which occurs over 150 times in the New Testament. In the Bible, grace refers to the undeserved favor and blessing of God towards humankind. By grace, sinful human beings are forgiven and brought into right relationship with God.
The apostle Paul perhaps writes more than any other biblical author about the grace of God. In Ephesians 2:8-9, Paul declares, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Salvation comes not through human effort or merit, but by the gracious and undeserved gift of God.
In contrast to earning salvation through works, Paul stresses that righteousness comes through faith in Christ: “For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law” (Romans 3:28). Paul argues extensively in Galatians that observance of the Mosaic Law cannot bring justification. “I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose” (Galatians 2:21). Rather, “We know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ” (Galatians 2:16).
Paul emphasizes that salvation comes through faith in order to exalt the grace of God. In Romans 4:4-5 he writes, “Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness.” Eternal life is not something owed as a payment for good behavior, but rather is a free gift received by faith.
Romans 5:15-17 further highlights the contrast between grace and works: “But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. And the free gift is not like the result of that one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.”
God’s grace abounds beyond the impact of Adam’s sin. Whereas condemnation and death came through Adam, justification and life come through Christ. This happens not through Law-keeping, but by grace – the generous free gift given to those who have faith.
In Titus 3:5-7 Paul again contrasts salvation by works and salvation by grace: “He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” Salvation comes through the mercy and grace of God, not human effort.
Ephesians 2:1-9 provides one of the most definitive statements in Scripture about salvation by grace: “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience – among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ – by grace you have been saved – and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
This passage teaches several key truths about salvation by grace: (1) All were dead in sin and under God’s wrath; (2) God showed His love and mercy by making people alive and saving them while still in sin; (3) This happened not by human effort but by grace alone; (4) Grace comes through faith in Christ; (5) Salvation is the gift of God to remove boasting.
What then is “cheap grace”? Dietrich Bonhoeffer uses this phrase to criticize substitutes for true Christianity. Mere intellectual assent or affiliation with a church are not enough. Cheap grace is “grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.”
Cheap grace means enjoying the comforts and benefits of the Christian faith while avoiding the costs of following Jesus. Bonhoeffer writes, “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.”
Bonhoeffer argues that God’s grace should produce changed lives: “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 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.”
Cheap grace requires little sacrifice or commitment. It is an attitude of “take it but don’t change.” Costly grace transforms lives from the inside out. Cheap grace claims justification without sanctified living. Costly grace embraces both.
How is this distinction reflected in Scripture? The New Testament clearly teaches that God’s grace leads to changed lives. Here are several examples:
Romans 6:1-2 highlights that grace is not a license to sin: “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?” Although salvation is by grace, it results in walking in newness of life (Romans 6:4).
In Romans 6:15-18, Paul again emphasizes this truth: “What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey…But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.” Grace leads to obedience and righteousness.
Ephesians 2:10 states, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” The intention of God’s grace is not just salvation, but also a new way of life.
In Titus 2:11-14, Paul writes, “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.” God’s grace trains followers in godliness and good works.
James teaches that good works demonstrate the authenticity of faith. “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works?…Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead…I will show you my faith by my works…You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone” (James 2:14, 17, 18, 24). Good works confirm the presence of genuine faith and grace.
Peter exhorts his readers to obedience and holiness as the proper response to grace: “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy’…Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart” (1 Peter 1:14-15, 22).
These and many other passages reveal that costly grace – grace that changes lives and leads to obedience – is the biblical portrayal of the grace of God. Yes, salvation is a free gift received by faith alone. But saving faith transforms the recipient. God’s grace is a gift that keeps on giving. It makes individuals into new creations who walk in new life (see 2 Corinthians 5:17).
Cheap grace promotes a false dichotomy between justification by faith and obedience. It suggests they are opposites. In fact, the New Testament presents them as inseparable companions. Justification happens at a point in time; sanctification – being set apart to God – is an ongoing process. Salvation happens immediately; transformation occurs over a lifetime.
The doctrine of justification by faith should never be twisted into antinomianism – the heretical view that behavior doesn’t matter for Christians since they are already forgiven. Paul anticipates and rejects this distortion in Romans 6: “Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means!” (Romans 6:1-2). He sees no disconnect between grace and godly living.
Cheap grace also tends to assume once a person makes a profession of faith they are guaranteed eternal security no matter how they live. But the New Testament contains many warnings that apostasy is possible for those who fail to persevere (Hebrews 6:4-6; 10:26-31; 1 Corinthians 10:1-12; 2 Peter 2:20-22). Salvation is secure not because of a one-time decision, but those who trust and follow Christ to the end (Matthew 10:22; Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 26; 3:5, 12, 21). Initial saving faith must continue in ongoing believing obedience (Colossians 1:21-23; James 1:22-25).
The biblical solution to cheap grace is embracing costly grace – accepting the gift of salvation by faith alone while also persevering in good works empowered by God’s grace. Paul says God’s grace teaches us “to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in this present age” (Titus 2:12). Peter urges believers to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18). Embracing costly grace means growing in obedient surrender to Jesus.
Onearea where cheap grace still pervades is in prayer. God invites His followers to ask boldly and persistently in prayer (Matthew 7:7-11). Yet statistics show a great disconnect between claiming faith in God and actually spending time seeking Him diligently in prayer. Cheap grace presumes God’s blessings are automatic, with no expectation of intimacy with Him. Yet costly grace leads those who have received God’s infinite gift of salvation to come before His throne of grace regularly (Hebrews 4:16).
When James writes “You do not have because you do not ask” (James 4:2), he implies God has infinite grace to give His children. But it is only received by those who seek it in dependent, persistent prayer. Jesus taught the same truth through parables equating prayer with receiving from God (Luke 11:5-13; 18:1-8). Cheap grace says God gives automatically; costly grace joyfully receives from God’s infinite reserves through prayer.
Another sign of cheap grace is lack of service. The hallmark of costly grace is joining God’s mission of seeking and saving the lost. Jesus came “to seek and save the lost” (Luke 19:10) and calls His followers to do the same in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20). Sitting in comfort is not the lifestyle of kingdom workers who heed this call. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote, “Costly grace is the gospel which must be sought 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 Jesus Christ.”
Cheap grace settles for addition; costly grace pursues multiplication. Cheap grace seeks to add activities to life; costly grace lays down life for Christ’s sake to multiply disciples. Jesus said, “unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” (John 12:24-25). Dying to self is the only way to live for Christ and reap a harvest of righteousness.
This applies in every sphere of life. In marriage, cheap grace takes the other for granted; costly grace loves by laying down self-interest to serve. In parenting, cheap grace avoids intentional investment; costly grace gives the gift of time. At work, cheap grace does the minimum; costly grace works with excellence “as if serving the Lord” (Colossians 3:23). In every domain, cheap grace takes it easy; costly grace lives on mission.
In Bonhoeffer’s words, “To be conformed to the image of Christ is not an ideal of realizing some kind of similarity with Christ which we are asked to attain. It is not we who change ourselves into the image of God. Rather, it is the very image of God, the form of Christ, which seeks to take shape within us.” Salvation is not attaining some external standard, but Christ being formed in us – a lifelong process of transformation into His likeness.
This happens through practicing spiritual disciplines empowered by grace. Reading Scripture, memorizing Scripture, prayer, fasting, worship, fellowship, service, solitude – these time-tested disciplines draw us closer to Christ. They position us before God to keep receiving His transformative grace. The practices are lifeless apart from grace; grace is resisted apart from the practices. Together they result in costly grace – inner change by God’s power.
Legalism is another enemy of costly grace. The Galatians fell into legalism by trying to attain growth through human effort (Galatians 3:3). But no amount of discipline or devotion merits the blessings of God’s kingdom. Filthy rags of self-righteousness can never earn the robe of Christ’s righteousness. The disciplines only have value as means of repeatedly exposing ourselves to God’s gracious presence. He works in those moments to renew us into the image of Jesus.
In summary, cheap grace claims forgiveness without repentance and obedience. It focuses only on the blessings of salvation without the costs of discipleship. It wants God’s gifts without relationship with the Giver. It indulges in permissiveness that denies God’s power to change lives. It is an attitude of entitlement to blessing.
Costly grace joyfully accepts Christ’s call to follow Him in daily life. It receives forgiveness and seeks holiness. It embraces the free gift of salvation and pursues spiritual transformation. It sees justification and sanctification as inseparable works of God’s grace. It believes His grace is amazing not only because it pardons but because it empowers. It finds infinite joy in growing in intimacy with Jesus.
Costly grace is the grace that saves. It comes through faith in the crucified and risen Savior. It bears good fruit in obedience. It results in a new creation. It flows from an ongoing relationship with the King who gave His all. It reveals itself through kingdom service. It reaches for the prize of Christlikeness. It rests fully in God’s power while working tirelessly by God’s grace. It is the only grace that brings eternal reward. May our lives be rooted in the rich soil of this costly grace!