"The only man who has the right to say that he is justified by grace alone is the man who has left all to follow Christ. Such a man knows that the call to discipleship is a gift of grace, and that the call is inseparable from the grace. But those who try to use this grace as a dispensation from following Christ as simply deceiving themselves." Deitrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost Of Discipleship. From chapter 1.
The first chapter of this book is a brilliant call to repentance. I wonder if in some of the songs I've written I've been guilty of cheapening God's grace but not linking it closely enough with discipleship. Andrew preached on this on the weekend and spoke of grace being like a university course that you are undeservedly given a place in. While the gift of the place in the course might be given to you for free, it is a very expensive gift. It will cost you hours and hours of study time each week. Like his first disciples, we become christians when we turn from our old lives and follow Jesus. Not just when we pray some magical prayer.
The prayer is not magical, but it is the beginning of a life of sacrificial discipleship. Important to remember.
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