Dietrich Bonhoeffer sacrificed his life to show his obedience to God. He is also known for giving the world the concept of “cheap grace“:
“Cheap grace is the grace we bestow on ourselves. Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession…. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.”
― Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship
Our churches today serve cheap grace and bow at the altar of the government for tax exempt status instead of costly grace. This concept can be extended to other facets of our lives but this article will concentrate on “cheap patriotism“.
“Cheap patriotism is the patriotism we bestow on ourselves. Cheap patriotism is the preaching of freedom without sacrificing our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor. Cheap patriotism is patriotism without discipline, morality, virtue, historical knowledge and faith.”
Salvation is a gift which cannot be earned but what is faith without works?
For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
James 2:26
Freedom is a gift that was earned at a high price by our forefathers. What is freedom without the ability to recognize the work needed to keep it? Freedom is the essence of our nation and is the basis of “costly patriotism”. Allegiance to a political party, supporting and voting for candidates who represent the lesser of two evils and the inability to take up arms to support freedom are all examples of “cheap patriotism”.
We have entered a time where we must decide: Freedom or Slavery. Choosing freedom is only the first step. Now you must stand up and show your neighbors what “costly patriotism” means. Although a few principles and examples are outlined here, we know the price associated with costly patriotism. As a reminder, here is the statement made at the signing of the Declaration of Independence by Ben Franklin outlining the price of costly patriotism:
We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately.
The price of costly patriotism is not the ability to fight against a tyrannical government which is dividing the United States in order to enslave us and our children.
The price of costly patriotism is fighting a tyrannical government to keep our freedom.
The alternative is to remain inside like “cheap patriotic” sheep as the occupiers surrounding the building shout “this is what Democracy looks like” with the tacit approval of the government.
David DeGerolamo
Related Article:
Cheap Grace and Cheap Patriotism
I tell you what that video totally disgusts me. We never thought I would see this in my lifetime but it is happening. We have pledged everything in our life for our fight for freedom and God and we have lost friends, family and business because of it but we will not stop.
We also never thought I would see the churches bow down to the government to keep their tax exempt status. This also disgusts me and is the reason why we do not belong to a church right now. I worship God in my own way because the churches have turned into nothing more than sheeple.
Good post thank you for sharing it with us.
Thank you for getting this out there.
Wonder if the AFP Foundation meeting was up that staircase. Without those horrible liberal commie regulations enforcing the Americans With Disability Act, she probably would have missed the entire conference.
This is the kind of comment from an “Occupier”. 48 hours.