“The Cost of Discipleship” by Dietrich Bonhoeffer—edited by Shanelle Robertson—is an enduring and challenging manifesto that calls Christians not to cheap grace but to costly, courageous, authentic following of Christ. Bonhoeffer’s voice, written in the crucible of Nazi Germany and eventually sealed by his martyrdom, still rings today as a defiant trumpet blast against complacency and compromise. Through 32 compelling chapters, organized into four parts, he diagnoses the state of modern faith and delivers a step-by-step, Gospel-centered roadmap to a life of true discipleship.
Introduction: Why “The Cost of Discipleship” Endures
The heart of Bonhoeffer’s book is the demand for total obedience—discipleship that answers Jesus’ call no matter the cost, no matter the consequences. Addressing a church culture addicted to “cheap grace,” Bonhoeffer’s voice is at once prophetic and pastoral: discipleship is not just accepting an idea, but a way of life that is cross-shaped, communal, and joyful—even when it’s costly.
Part 1: Grace and Discipleship (Chapters 1–4)
1. Costly Grace vs. Cheap Grace
Bonhoeffer opens with his most famous theme: the contrast between “cheap” and “costly” grace. Cheap grace is “preaching forgiveness without repentance… grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ.” Costly grace, by contrast, is the “treasure hidden in the field,” which costs everything but brings the only life worth living. He insists that genuine faith always issues in obedience.
2. The Call to Discipleship
Bonhoeffer attacks the notion that faith can exist without radically following Christ. Christ bids every disciple, “Come and die”—not just in the next life, but to comforts, possessions, self-interest, and status in this one. The disciple is called into a new life, formed by God’s command and empowered by grace.
3. Simple Obedience
Faith, for Bonhoeffer, is not mental assent or feeling, but concrete obedience to the living Christ. He uses biblical examples—the calling of Peter, Matthew, and the rich young ruler—to argue that discipleship is actual, visible, and personal. Each follower is called by name and to obedience in their unique circumstances.
4. The Cross and the Christian
John’s Gospel and Pauline theology are brought together to remind believers: the cross is not an accident but the central symbol of the Christian life. True discipleship means suffering—voluntarily bearing shame, loss, and even persecution for Christ’s sake.
Part 2: The Sermon on the Mount (Chapters 5–19)
5–13. The Beatitudes and Jesus’ Ethics
These nine chapters study the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7) verse by verse. Bonhoeffer interprets each Beatitude—poverty of spirit, mourning, meekness, hunger after righteousness, mercy, purity, peacemaking, persecution—not as ideals to admire but concrete realities for the church. He insists the Sermon on the Mount is not an impossible ideal but the actual pattern for Christian life.
14–19. Radical Demands of Christ
This section covers Jesus’ teaching on salt and light, anger and reconciliation, truth-telling, non-retaliation, love for enemies, prayer, fasting, wealth and anxiety, and judging others. Bonhoeffer presses that these are not suggestions, but commands—demanding a transformed inner life and social practice.
Notable teachings:
- Love for enemies is the evidence of new birth.
- Nonresistance and peacemaking mirror the character of Christ.
- Christian righteousness must surpass that of the scribes and Pharisees.
Part 3: The Messengers (Chapters 20–28)
20. The Commissioning of the Twelve
Bonhoeffer now turns to the disciples’ mission: they are sent not just to learn but to share Christ, facing risk, poverty, and vulnerability. He draws parallels between the apostles’ mission and the calling of every Christian to live publicly and sacrificially.
21–24. Discipleship in Mission
Here, Bonhoeffer dives deep into what missionary living means:
- Willingness to embrace insecurity and persecution.
- Detachment from material goods and familial expectations.
- Unwavering commitment, powered by the Spirit.
25–28. Suffering, Rejection, and Witness
The apostle’s lifestyle will result in suffering and even betrayal, but “the disciple is not above the master.” Bonhoeffer’s theology of suffering rejects both triumphalism and victimhood: the cross is not merely to be endured, but is a source of joy and solidarity with Christ.
Part 4: The Church of Jesus Christ and the Life of Discipleship (Chapters 29–32)
29. Discipleship and the Church
Bonhoeffer moves from individual obedience to communal living. Church is not a voluntary association of friends, but the people called by Christ, living under his lordship. Discipleship is always lived together, in visible community and mutual accountability.
30. The Visible Community
The church is called to be a “city on a hill,” manifesting Christ’s kingdom values in the world. Bonhoeffer pushes beyond privatized piety—the church is the “light of the world,” the salt that preserves, even when misunderstood or persecuted.
31. The Saints and the World
True discipleship inevitably collides with the world’s values. Bonhoeffer insists the church must serve the world, but not compromise with it. This means advocacy for justice, sacrificial service, and humble, suffering witness.
32. The Call to Costly Grace… Again
In a powerful conclusion, Bonhoeffer circles back to where he began, challenging readers never to settle for comfort but to risk everything for Jesus. The reward, he argues, is far more than acceptance or heaven later—it is participation in the very life and victory of Christ now, and the transformation of all things.
Core Message: Bonhoeffer’s Challenge for Today
At the book’s heart is a radical, holistic discipleship—one defined not by cheap grace or mere belief, but by concrete, daily obedience in the footsteps of Jesus. Some of Bonhoeffer’s most essential messages include:
- Discipleship is costly: True grace cost God everything and will cost the disciple as well. It is not transactional, but transformative.
- No compromise: Faith is not abstract or “private,” but must be lived in visible community, marked by humility, sacrifice, and courage.
- Obedience is the test of faith: We meet Christ in real acts of trust—serving, forgiving, loving enemies, and witnessing honestly in all we do.
- The cross is central: Suffering for the right is not optional, but inevitable for the church that follows a crucified Lord.
- Grace is strength, not license: Living for Christ is the way to true community, justice, and hope in a fallen world. Only costly grace has the power to renew hearts and societies.
Practical Applications and Reflections
- Daily surrender: Ask, “Where am I settling for cheap grace in my life? What radical obedience is Christ calling me to today?”
- Community obedience: Find or build Christian community that actively practices mutual care, service, reconciliation, and public witness.
- Embrace suffering: Do not fear loss or opposition for faithfulness to Jesus—embrace it as the path to deeper life.
- Live generosity and humility: Reject accumulation, pride, and status—choose to love and serve, especially those on the margins.
- Read the Sermon on the Mount: Regularly meditate on Jesus’ teachings in Matthew 5–7, using Bonhoeffer’s commentary as a guide for practice, not theory.
Why “The Cost of Discipleship” Matters Now
- Timeless challenge: As comfortable faith grows in many places, Bonhoeffer’s summons—“When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die”—demands a return to transformative Christianity.
- Empowering courage: In an age of cultural compromise, activism, or apathy, Bonhoeffer’s example and words equip believers for real resistance, costly love, and eternal hope.
- Heart for justice: Bonhoeffer’s discipleship is inseparable from acts of justice, enemy-love, and self-sacrifice, making it deeply relevant in every time of crisis.
Conclusion: Take Up Your Cross and Follow
“The Cost of Discipleship” is not meant to be read, but lived. Every chapter, parable, and principle invites us to walk the narrow way after Jesus, forsaking cheap comfort and casual belief for the adventure, joy, and struggle of true discipleship. Bonhoeffer, with both severity and hope, assures us: The path of costly grace is the only way to experience the full abundant, resurrected life of Christ now—and in the world to come.
Let Bonhoeffer’s challenge unsettle you: embrace the cross, pursue justice, love radically, and enter the dance of costly grace. That is the life worthy of the One who calls.
FAQs
Q1 What is the main theme of The Cost of Discipleship?
The struggle between cheap grace and costly grace, and the true meaning of following Christ.
Q2 Is this book easy to read for beginners?
It can be dense but is worth the effort. Beginners may need to take it slowly.
Q3 How does Bonhoeffer define cheap grace?
Grace without repentance, discipleship, or obedience—faith without cost.
Q4 Why is this book still relevant today?
Because modern Christianity often leans toward convenience rather than true discipleship.
Q5 What can modern Christians learn from it?
To live counter-culturally, embrace obedience, and carry the cross daily.