I usually shy away from things that are really cheap, because I've come to the conclusion that you usually get what you pay for. In many ways I operate by the adage: “You don't get anything for nothing.”

It seems as though most people work under this same philosophy. I recall an incident that would support this assumption. I once borrowed a neighbour's rotary-hoe to work the soil in our vegie garden. But the thing rattled and shook so vehemently that I was convinced that it was ready to fall to pieces. I quickly turned the machine off for fear that I would have to repair it if it blew to bits. I waited for an appropriate amount of time to pass, and returned it to my neighbour without a hearty “Thank you.” A few weeks later my neighbour had a garage sale. There stood the rotary-hoe, appropriately marked with a low price that matched the worth of the machine. People looked at the price tag, but nobody bought it. The next day of the garage sale, my neighbour increased the price of the machine substantially, and it sold quickly. My neighbour said, “If it's too cheap, people think there must be something wrong with it.” This goes to prove that more people operate by the adage, “You don't get anything for nothing.” If something is too cheap, people pass it by thinking to themselves that it's too good to be true. It's got to cost something if it's any good.

Is this perhaps why so many people bypass the free grace of God which is offered to them in the gospel? Are they skeptical about God's offer of free grace, thinking that it's too good to be true – that it's got to cost something if it is really worthwhile? Would God be in a booming business if He put a price on forgiveness and eternal life?

Through the history of the church there have been those who have put a price tag on forgiveness and eternal life. The Jews of old thought that they could earn God's blessings by offering sacrificial gifts to God (cf. Psalm 50:7-12). Later the Jews believed that they could earn God's favour by means of good works (Romans 9:32-10:4). Pelagius followed in the footsteps of the Jews, and the Church of Rome adopted in part the teaching of Pelagius. Rome taught that forgiveness came in part through acts of penance. Rome taught that good works could contribute towards salvation. Rome still teaches the same, and there are many who embrace the teaching of Rome.

Through the Reformers, God proclaimed the truth again: forgiveness of sins and eternal life are given freely by God to all those who repent from their sins and accept God's grace in faith. And even repentance and faith are gifts which God gives to those whom He has chosen, and are not man's own doing (cf. Acts 5:31, Ephesians 2:8). But it didn't take long before one Reformed minister, Jacob Arminius, denied that God's grace was free. He taught that as a result of Christ's work, God reduced the price of salvation to an amount that man could pay. That payment consisted of repentance and faith, both of which Arminius taught were man's own doing. The greater part of Protestant Christianity embraces this teaching of Arminius.

As Reformed people, we hold fast to the truth of free grace. What God offers, He offers freely.

Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the Waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.Isaiah 55:1

To be sure, Christ has paid an exceedingly great price. He suffered hellish agony and shed His precious blood in order to purchase forgiveness of sins and eternal life for us (cf. 1 Peter 1:18-19). Yet it is given to us freely.

What does God give? Everything! Everything for nothing.

He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?Romans 8:32

We did not love God first, neither did we do anything to earn God's love. To the contrary, we deserved God's wrath. Yet He loves us freely.

I will love them freely, for My anger has turned away from him.Hosea 14:4

We could never come to Christ in faith. But “to [us] it has been granted on behalf of Christ, to believe in Him” (Philippians 1:29), “and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8). We are guilty of sin-grievous sin. We have nothing with which to repay our debt, yet God forgives.

And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them.Luke 7:42

We are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.Romans 3:24

Here is the jewel of the Great Reformation: God gives us everything in Christ, and all that God gives He gives freely! Everything for nothing! Everything in Christ! This is not an idea which is too good to be true. It is a fact that is too good not to be true. Because if God put a price tag on His gifts, not one of us could afford them.

Grace couldn't be cheaper. It's absolutely free! But let no one despise God's grace because of its price tag, for it couldn't be of greater value and worth.