"The bane of American church is consumer Christianity, comfortable Christianity, easy-cheesy-cotton candy Christianity, the low grade Christianity of what's in it for me?" I love this! Bumper sticker theology! Ugh.
The author goes on - This diluted Christianity offers a certain solace to the individual but is anemic before the principalities and powers of entrenched evil.
Cheap Grace is the deadly enemy of the church.
Cheap grace seems to exemplify the big box church that wants to make us comfortable. If church is comfortable, and feeds our perception that, I'm not perfect, just forgiven, then we might "Comfortably" open our wallets to pay for that grace. I have seen these easy churches absolutely explode in size and budget. I have also felt empty when associated with those churches. If to be Christian means to radically Forgive, to REALLY forgive similar to the AMISH forgiveness, THEN I have some work to do. I like the idea of Church being a bit uncomfortable, this is not a new concept, but to be radically forgiven means I must begin to radically forgive.
This book has really opened my mind to some tough concepts on where I need to be, where I need to go. This isn't just a bit uncomfortable. This isn't an acknowledging nod when Pastor Walt leads the corporate prayer and says help me to forgive my enemies. This is a full out assault on my sensibilities. To fully forgive enemies, people who hurt me, people who I do not want to be around or associated with, this will take an exhaustive effort on my part. This is not Cheap Grace. This is not bumper sticker theology. This not becoming Christian, this IS BEING Christian. Can I pick up my cross and follow Jesus? I can try. Can i forgive my enemies? I can try. Can I follow the example of Amish Grace? Whew, I can try.
God, Please help this imperfect knucklehead transform into a loving, forgiving christian who is willing to love and forgive my enemies, to take up my cross, to not just go the extra mile, but take my enemy on my back and walk an extra ten, to not forgive seven times but seven times seven. As i work on improving my daily spiritual life, to ask for God's will be done, for an intuitive thought when I am scatter brained, for clarity when the world is muck, now I realize, an integral part of this puzzle is Forgiveness.
If I can completely Forgive my worst enemy, where will fear be?
This Radical Forgiveness take fear out of the equation. Without that fear, many other issues and emotions are moot. For me, anger is an over reaction to cover up fear. This forgiveness is a stone I must through in the pond and watch the ripples flow from it.
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