Costly Grace: Genesis 45:16-24
God wants us to be in relationship with Him, and He wants that relationship to be as profound as possible. In contrast to the kind of relationship limited human beings can make, we should desire the kind of relationship the God who created the universe can make. We should look to God and ask Him to bring us into a relationship with Him that is better than we could ever imagine.
Joseph’s identity has been revealed. God’s plan has been demonstrated. Repentance has been offered. Forgiveness has been extended. We’ve seen preimages of God’s plan of salvation – which will ultimately come through His Messiah – all throughout this story.
Before moving on, though, there is a tiny detail I’ve not done a good enough job detailing. To get here in the story, certain checkpoints needed to be met. Joseph needed to work past his anger and become ready to forgive. The brothers needed to understand their transgression and vocalize their repentance.
These checkpoints are measures designed to prevent cheap grace from being handed out. In his book, The Cost of Discipleship, Dietrich Bonhoeffer identifies cheap grace as
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.
The danger of cheap grace is telling people God loves them and extending forgiveness but asking nothing from them. Cheap grace is not the same as earning our forgiveness or earning our salvation. It is asserting the idea that forgiveness and salvation are worth changing for. Bonhoeffer then asserts costly grace
is costly because it compels a man to submit to the yoke of Christ and follow him; it is grace because Jesus says: My yoke is easy and my burden is light.
Costly grace implies a person submits to the will of God as a part of the relationship. As Genesis ends, we see the principles of costly grace applied. Repentance leads to forgiveness; forgiveness leads to grace.
As Joseph applies grace, Pharoah steps in and generously applies gifts. Pharoah approves of Joseph’s plan. Pharoah invites Joseph’s family to come and live in the fertile area of Egypt. He gives them wagons to make their load lighter. He gives them animals to share the burden of moving. He gives them goods so they can survive the journey.
The brothers take these things and head home. They also receive a change in clothes: an outward symbol of an inner change. This is why costly grace is worth pursuing. Cheap grace gives love while leaving people unchanged; the power of God to change people’s lives is neutered as we lower our standards. Costly grace touches people’s lives and allows them to emerge a different person; the power of God to change lives is put boldly on display. God wants us to be in relationship with Him, and He wants that relationship to be as profound as possible.
