Romans 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”
To be ashamed of something is to have a feeling of shame or guilt. It is to be embarrassed because of something or someone.
One specific moment in my life I was reminded by when I think of the word “ashamed” was back when I was seven or eight years old. As I was walking down an aisle in a store one day I must have been rather careless as I somehow managed to knock something made of glass, maybe a vase or something similar, off of the shelf and onto the floor. Of course it broke instantly, and the seven or eight year old me did what I think many kids would have done, and that is run away from the area. I distanced myself from my mistake because I was embarrassed and didn’t want to get into trouble. I was ashamed.
But as we read from Paul, he wasn’t ashamed of the gospel of Christ. He wasn’t ashamed or embarrassed to let other people know that he was a man who believed in the teachings of Christ. Instead of trying to distance himself from the name of Jesus, he wanted everyone to clearly see his faith.
Faith, if it is truly faith, will not be hidden, or disguised from the view of others. Jesus likened faith to a candle, which when lit is not put “under a bushel” or out of sight where no one can see it, but is instead put into a candlestick out in the open for everyone to see. And it is our faith in Jesus and His Word that will cause us to be filled with hope.
Romans 5:1-5 “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”
Too often people are more concerned with the opinions of others and because they don’t want to be viewed by others as “weird” or “strange” because they believe in Jesus, they try to hide it. They distance themselves from Christ. But not Paul.
Philippians 1:19-21 “For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.
For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
Whether Paul was alive, or if he had posted away, he wanted to have Christ glorified in his life. If people wanted to kill him for his faith, he was ready, unafraid, unashamed. Paul’s love for the Lord was so great that whatever he came up against there would be no one who could change him to believe different. He wanted to hear those words, Well done, thou good and faithful servant.
We need to be filled with that same faith, so that we may hear those words as well. We need to be unashamed of Christ, so that we can enter into His kingdom.
Mark 8:38 “Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”
Be like Paul. Be unashamed of Christ.
In Christ
Andrew
Teufer Lake King James Bible Church 