Have you ever felt ashamed of something that you have done? I guess to fully understand what that means we need to define the word “ashamed.” Ashamed means to have a feeling or sense of guilt, or to be embarrassed because of something or someone.
There are times when I will come back home after work and as I enter the door my dog will sometimes be nowhere to be found. I will call out her name, but she simply won’t appear from her hiding spot, which is usually under my bed. On the days that she does this, nearly always it is because she has done something that she knew she should not have done, either steal some food that she shouldn’t have had, or ruined something in the house by chewing on it. I can hold up an empty chip bag in front of her and she will lower her head in shame and slowly walk away. Just one look at her expression and you just know, she feels ashamed of what she has done.
But as we will read in a moment, Paul was not ashamed to be associated with the gospel of Christ, but instead was very bold, preaching to people everywhere about Jesus
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.”
Paul wasn’t ashamed of the gospel of Christ. He wasn’t 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.
When someone has true faith it 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 differently. 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.”
Don’t be like my dog in her hiding spot when it comes to your faith in Jesus. Let people know your faith!
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