Being Ashamed
I remember my first car accident. I was driving down I-20 in Dallas headed home from school in my Champagne colored '97 Nissan Pathfinder. All of a sudden the car in front of me swerved to the right to avoid something and I didn't have time to react and follow suit in time. It happened so quick it's hard to remember exactly how it went down, but what I do remember is a old mattress falling from the air and landing a few feet in front of me.
The next thing I knew, it was under my wheels and the mattress springs were tightly tangled to everything on the bottom side of my car. My car slowed, sparks flew, and the fire department had to come. Did I just run over a old mattress on the freeway son? When I arrived at the dealership the next day to get my car after they towed it and untangled it, every single dude who worked there was outside laughing at me. I couldn't believe they were heckling me, "Are you the dude with the mattress?” It was a real long walk to the check out desk.
I say all that to say that there are some things that we should be ashamed of. The Gospel is not one of them.
The Power of Shame
Often people feel ashamed when they are exposed as doing something (or being associated with something) that is viewed negatively by others. They know that the association will be detrimental to the way they are viewed, and of course none of us want that. All of us have felt shame at one point or another, whether we should have or not.
But do not be fooled. Shame is a powerful feeling. In many cases shame can cause fakeness and dishonesty, and it can keep people from standing by things that they value. Especially when the people you rub shoulders with everyday don't share your values. Although our society doesn't value the Gospel, I am not ashamed of it in the least bit. And I don't think any of us should be. Here is why.
The Power of God
In his letters, Paul the Apostle always had to defend himself and he was aware that some thought he was ashamed to bring his strange new message to the big city. But this is what he said to the Romans:
"I am not ashamed of the Gospel for it is the power of God for the salvation of all who believe, first to the Jew then to the Greek."
Romans 1:16
The reason Paul was unashamed is because his "strange new message" happened to also be the power of God for salvation. If I was going to be ashamed of a message it would be because it was weak, but the Gospel is powerful!
The Power of the Gospel Alone
The Bible is clear that God saves people by grace through faith in the Gospel. Jesus is the object of our faith; and the Gospel is the means God uses to bring about our faith. Many have been deceived into thinking we are saved by persuasive messages, altar calls, or sinners prayers, but the Bible makes no mention of these things as God's power to save. Only the Gospel.
Conclusion
So if I was asked why I am unashamed, I would probably respond with my own question. How could I be ashamed of the most powerful news in the universe? God uses these words to bring life from death, to bring light from darkness, to make new creatures. With them He calls men to repentance, calls women from the grave, and calls souls to God. I am anything but ashamed. And when I have a lapse of judgement, I simply remind myself why I should remain so confident in this news. My words have never created life, but God's have- and they do. Being unashamed of the Gospel isn't a cool slogan, it's being in touch with reality.
"...you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God."
1 Peter 1:23
"So faith comes through hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ."
Romans 10:18
Further reading:
James 1:18, Ephesians 1:13, Acts 10:44
Comments
Lord please instill that boldness in each of our hearts
Cheers
Evah from Wahington,Seattle.
***Jessica Harden***
J.B. got faith in JC/so by grace im HIS baby boi
Amen Hallelujah fo dat real true Love
JESUS on da cross givin up HIS Blood!
MuchLove Lee *14 24 34 TWWID*
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