22 September 2006

More notes on Luther and grace (costly and cheap) in "Discipleship" by Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

Luther's deed cannot be misunderstood more grievously than by thinking that through discovering the gospel of pure grace, Luther proclaimed a dispensation from obeying Jesus' commandments in the world. The Reformation's main discovery would then be the sanctification and justification of the world by grace's forgiving power. For Luther, on the contrary, a Christian's secular vocation is justified only in that one's protest against the world is thereby most sharply expressed. A Christian's secular vocation receives new recognition from the gospel only to the extent that it is carried on while following Jesus...
Costly grace was given as a gift to Luther. It was grace because it was water onto thirsty land, comfort for anxiety, liberation from the servitude of a self-chosen path, forgiveness of all sins. The grace was costly because it did not excuse one from the works. Instead, it endlessly sharpened the call to discipleship. But just wherein it was costly, that was wherein it was grace. And where it was grace, that was where it was costly. That was the secret of the Reformation gospel, and the secret of the justification of the sinner.

"...a Christian's secular vocation is justified only in that one's protest against the world is thereby most sharply expressed." This can sound like we work to be justified. It is quite the opposite. We follow Jesus - the one who justifies. We live out our lives in their many shapes and forms but we live them out as ones who follow Jesus - who has handed us a new life. We need to look at how we go on living within our secular vocation. This is all a part of this costly grace as we come to the realization that the way of Jesus is not quite appreciated in the world. We will go about the ordinary work of our lives as through we have been called into a new dimension of our lives that will now be a part of everything we do and all that we are. I wonder if where Bonhoeffer calls this the "secret of the Reformation gospel" and "the secret of the justification of the sinner" he is also referring to what is known as the "mystery of God" or the "mystery of Christ." It is an utter mystery to those who have not been grasped by and have not taken the leap into a life that is utterly free and yet, free for rather than free from. In a world in which we long to be free from this rule and that rule or this responsibility and that responsibility, we are free to take them on...and we take them on for the sake of others. Grace that is costly.

Connection: Sometimes, what we do in the everyday events of our lives as followers of Jesus may cause another person to take note or even ask "Why did you do that, you didn't have to do that?" Following Jesus will draw attention because so often, when we live for others, it is so contrary to the "normal" pattern of the day people will notice - some with a sense of respect - some with shock - some with disapproval - some with disgust. Keep following.

The life you give to us, O God, shines within this day as your Spirit touches and us pulls us into the very heart of your love so that we, in that place, will find it a part of the fabric of our day as we encounter others. We give you thanks for acting for us before we asked and we pray that we will walk into this day within that image of love and grace as we touch those around us. Amen.