1. He recognized the importance of intense study but knew the greater importance of relationship with God. He said that merely studying Bible passages resulted in “rubble and fragments”. What exhilarated Bonhoeffer was that these texts were God-breathed. If anyone were to know anything about God it had to be revealed to him by God (62). He said, “Theological work and real pastoral fellowship can only grow in a life which is governed by gathering round the Word morning and evening and by fixed times of prayer.”
2. He knew the importance of discipling younger men in the faith. He was always mentoring,teaching, instructing and modeling to younger men the principles of the Bible. While teaching a Sunday school class he developed the Thursday Circle- a time for young men he had picked to come into his house and study God’s Word (64).
3. His aristocratic upbringing did not keep him from relational living. While beginning his first pastoral job he moved into a poor part of town to be closer to the people he was pastoring (132).
4. He was faithful in the small things. While in London he poured himself out in ministry while being a pastor of two churches, both of which numbered no more than 100 people total. He crafted his sermons as if he was preaching to thousands (202).
5. He was vigilant and uncompromising in his defense of the Jews. As Hitler grew to power, the German church tepidly went along with his demands. Even during the 1930’s Bonhoeffer saw the evil potential of Hitler and was vocal in standing up for those who were being wronged. He said, “Things do exist that are worth standing up for without compromise. To me it seems that peace and social justice are such things, as is Christ himself.”
6. For Bonhoeffer, Christ was supreme in everything and was to be treasured. Metaxas describes Bonhoeffer’s faith in this way: “Christ must be brought into every square inch of the world and the culture, but one’s faith must be shining and bright and pure and robust. It must be free of cant and phraseology and mere religiosity, or the Christ whom one was bringing into the world and the culture was not Christ at all, but a tawdry man-made counterfeit (248).”
7. He loved God’s Word. Each day he would meditate on a small portion of it for a length of time. He encouraged his seminary students to do this as well and demonstrated to them the importance of chewing on God’s Word, not just reading it. He stressed the importance of not defending the Bible but testifying to it (272).
7. He loved prayer. He said it was the strongest possible activity one could do.
8. He did not sit on the sidelines during World War II but helped battle for the soul of Germany. He was actively involved in the plot to assassinate Hitler, a decision he did not come to lightly. He suffered greatly for this decision and it eventually led to his martyrdom.
9. He wanted to make others happy in God. “If human beings have passed on to loved ones and to may the blessing they have themselves received then they have surly fulfilled the most important thing in life; then they have surely themselves become persons happy in God and have made others happy in God (410).”
10. He finished well. The last chapter of the book, On The Road to Freedom, is a testament to Bonhoeffer’s steadfastness in Christ; to the end. He suffered greatly and yet was always lifting others up around him through generosity and comforting.
Justice The Line 