Cheap Grace

It was Dietrich Bonhoeffer who coined the phrase, “cheap grace” and by it he meant a grace that was taken for granted by its recipients.  Of course, the word “grace” means “unmerited favor”, something you get whether you deserve it or not.  Bonhoeffer was, of course, concerned that people viewed grace as an excuse to sin.  Free things are often not as valued and too many have cheapened God’s grace at the cross by not living as a disciple of Jesus; they’ll have Him as their Savior, yet not as their Lord.  

I would add one thing to that - it is also cheapened when we do not extend this grace to others; when we hoard God’s grace to ourselves, and fail to offer it as a gift to someone who makes things tough for us.  Giving grace to the easy-people only is hardly grace.  

Grace—free, no-strings-attached, favor to those who make things difficult—is not cheap at all!  And it is precious in God’s sight.