Customer Reviews
The price to be paid... - By: Kurt Messick, 04 Nov 2004 
Dietrich Bonhoeffer was one who knew of that which he spoke when dealing with the issue of cheap grace versus costly grace. Bonhoeffer's commitment to the principles of his vocation & being cost him his life - executedin the closing days of World War II, Bonhoeffer walked a dangerous path through exercising his vocation faithfullyin the midst of the twin evils of warfare & Nazi domination of Germany.
Bonhoeffer's life, from the earliest days, probably seemed like it was set on an idyllic path - the son of a professional family with strong rootsin a prosperous & civilised culture, Bonhoeffer would seem to have `had it made'. His early daysin school showed him to be a minister & academic of great promise. However, his experiences at Union Seminaryin New York City, an academic environment very different from the German academy, & at the Abyssian Baptist Church, an African-American congregation, vastly different from his Germanic Lutheran background, prepared a way for Bonhoeffer to expand beyond his upbringing & learning to become someone striving to find Godin all people, & the will of Godin all that he did.
The subject of this book is grace - too often,in Bonhoeffer's day & our own, people seem to look at grace as something free, instead of something freely offered. Bonhoeffer points out that the call of God & the gift of God's grace is not to be taken lightly - `the call to follow Jesus always leads to death'. This may seem an unusual callin our day; after all, the more prosperous of our churches would seem to espouse a conventionally respectable lifestyle (far from the `death' Bonhoeffer speaks about) as the reward for following God. However, Bonhoeffer uses the example of the disciples, each of whom faced martyrdom, as did many early Christian leaders, as a touchstone for the vocation.
Bonhoeffer also gives a great deal of attentionin this text to the Sermon on the Mount, providing interpretations that still speak to congregations today, but also with warnings. Bonhoeffer admonishes those who would pick & choose the parts of scripture, or indeed the parts of the Sermon on the Mount, that fit what they want to hear, disregarding the rest. Bonhoeffer writes that we are not called to interpret, but to obey, giving ourselves up to God, as the disciples did, as martyrs did, & as Bonhoeffer himself would doin the fullness of his lifetime.
This edition of Bonhoeffer's great work is prefaced by his friend, Bishop G.K.A. Bell of Chichester, a friend & admirer of Bonhoeffer, who states that, `Dietrich himself was a martyr many times before he died'. There is also a memoir provided by G. Leibholz, which puts the textin historical context. However, the real substance of the book isin Bonhoeffer's own words. Cheap grace was the deadly enemy of the church then, & it remains a dangerous foe to this day.
Simple faith conquers all - By: jason.mccann@mentec.ie, 12 Jun 2002 
This short book can easily double over as a christian devotional. Written with Nazi Germany & the holocaustin the background it points the christian on the road that may cost us our very lives. From the writing of this book we can clearly see the true cost of being a christian & the true gloryin lifting our own cross of grief & pain.
read it if you dare, live it if you have the guts! - By: alanramsey@yahoo.com, 01 Jul 2000 This book is not theory or personal speculation. It has Truth at it's very heart.It is about living out the words of Jesusin a totally uncompromising way. It is about daring to live & speak truth. Bonhoeffer presents the real picture of what it means to carry the cross on a daily basis. Yet inspite of his somewhat 'black & whiteness'of true discipleship he encourages us that it all possible through God's grace. If you want to be a 'different Christian who dares to live out a different life'this book is for you. Absoulutely wonderful.
Life changing! - By: ruthyanny@yahoo.com, 31 Mar 2000 Every page of this book has me reaching for my Bible or praying - this book will challenge you to shake off all complacency & start taking up the cross to follow Christ. If you're comfortable where you are with God, forget it, if you really want God, then this book is a mustread!
In light of Jesus, nothing else matters! - By: , 16 Jun 1999 Bonhoeffer explains clearly what I knew to be true better than I could ever comprehend myself. I felt that someone was explaining to me why I believed what I did for the first time. Ceaselessly, Bonhoeffer speaks of absolute adherance to Jesus & the grace it is that we can experience that. This book is amazing.
