What's Wrong With the Modern Church?

“How can something be possible today that the church regarded as impossible for the first 1,700 years and that is till today regarded by most of Christendom as impossible?” -Herman Sasse

“The whole system of penance was faulty, yes, a denial of the Gospel. Yet the observation of Claus Harms remains true: At that time people at least still felt sin and let forgiveness cost them something, and therefore, the Middle Ages stood higher than the modern world.” -Herman Sasse

Some like to talk about "Cheap Grace", but no matter how cheap it is, we still can't afford it. Only free Grace will do.

The Eastern Church must remember that it is not enough to venerate the church fathers’ icons, but that their example must be followed and their teachings believed. – Paraphrasing Pastor Brian Wolfmuller, paraphrasing Herman Sasse.

“Liberalism makes the reason of the pious individual the final judge over the doctrine of the church.” -Herman Sasse

Almost every church takes major doctrine and turns it backwards like some kind of theological bizarro world. However, there is an explanation for this:
 

“It is the secret pride of man who cannot bear that he is dependent only on grace, only on the sacrifice that another offers for him, only on an “alien righteousness.” This is the terrible tragedy of church history.” -Herman Sasse