Cheap Christianity
J.C. Ryle (1816 – 1900) said “There is a common, worldly kind of “Christianity” in this day, which many have – a cheap Christianity which offends nobody, and requires no sacrifice – which costs nothing and is worth nothing.”
It is shameful to say, but those words, written in the 1800’s, describe the vast majority of American churches today, in the 2000’s. If the “church” looks like, acts like, and sounds like the unsaved world, there is no impetus for the unsaved to even consider Jesus or their sin. God has chosen his church to be the light and salt in this dark and rotting world.
What does it say about our Christianity if we don’t stand for the Word of God? God’s word is offensive to sin. The Law exposes sin; the Gospel rejects sin. We tend to cling onto our favorite sins. Therein lies the sacrifice – we are to sacrifice our sinful desires, sinful thoughts, sinful habits – because they are offensive to God. True Christianity is not cheap. It costs us our sinful ways. It cost Jesus his life.
He died for our sins – it was the most He could do. I will live for Him – it’s the least I can do.
Frank.