“Show me the money!”
You probably can name that film already.
The 1995 sports-romance movie Jerry Maguire starring Tom Cruise, Cuba Gooding, Jr, and Renee Zellweger spawned several other famous one-liners:
“Help me help you.” “You had me at hello.”
And “You complete me.”
The latter quote has the same message in the first letter from the Apostle John!
The second verse that has haunted me is also from Jesus:
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’
Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
(Matthew 7: 21-23)
Cheap grace means grace sold on the market like cheapjacks’ wares.
The sacraments, the forgiveness of sin, and the consolations of religion are thrown away at cut prices.
Grace is represented as the Church’s inexhaustible treasury, from which she showers blessings with generous hands, without asking questions or fixing limits.
Grace without price; grace without cost!
Let’s be honest.
Many Christians stink.
Figuratively speaking, of course.
And I’m part of that company.
I’m already in the running for being the The Least Christian. So, it’s fair to say I’m not winning any special aroma awards.
Consider what the Apostle Paul said to the Corinthians…
Throughout my life, two of the most interchangeable words in my vocabulary were faith and hope.
For example, I am faithful I will have the strength I need this week. Or, I am hopeful I will have the strength I need this week.
In my perpetual effort to be a good Christian, I would drop the word “faith” as much as I could.
After all, Christians should be integrating their faithfulness about the future into conversations and prayers, right?
I’ve discovered the answer is yes and no.
