Photo: Dietrich Bonhoeffer

I enjoy reading Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s books. I have several of them in my library and I consult them often. My favorite book is The Cost of Discipleship, a classical book on discipleship that has influenced many people in their Christian pilgrimage. Below are two of my favorite quotes from the book:

Cheap grace is the deadly enemy of our Church. We are fighting today for costly grace. 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.

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.

If you have never read the writings of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Bible Gateway offers you an opportunity to become acquainted with his writings. Bible Gateway offers “40 Day Journey with Dietrich Bonhoeffer.”

The 40 Day Journey consists of quotes from Bonhoeffer’s writings that can be used as a devotional guide for daily fellowship with God.

Each devotional reading includes a quote from Bonhoeffer’s writings, a biblical text, questions for meditation, a Psalm reading, an opportunity for journaling, a time for intercession, and a prayer for the day.

The following quote from Bonhoeffer will introduce you to Day 1:

Day 1

Those who follow Jesus’ commandment entirely, who let Jesus’ yoke rest on them without resistance, will find the burden they must bear to be light. In the gentle pressure of this yoke they will receive the strength to walk the right path without becoming weary.…Where will the call to discipleship lead those who follow it? What decisions and painful separations will it entail? We must take this question to him who alone knows the answer. Only Jesus Christ, who bids us follow him, knows where the path will lead. But we know that it will be a path full of mercy beyond measure. Discipleship is joy.

I encourage you to spend a “40 Day Journey with Dietrich Bonhoeffer.”

Click here to visit Bible Gateway online.

Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary

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