1 Timothy: A Strong Man Is CourageousEsimerkki

No Shame

Back in the first century AD, Timothy served as pastor in the metropolis of Ephesus, where Paul had planted a church years before. Due to unbiblical ideologies and practices that had infiltrated the church, this congregation was now in doctrinal and organizational disrepair. Paul, who could not travel there in person, wanted Timothy to get the church back on track. This meant that Timothy would need to ask powerful people to step down, ask new leaders to step up, and compel the congregation to dispel bad doctrine and return to the sound teaching of Jesus.

This was an unbelievable challenge for a young leader. But Paul pushed Timothy to stay strong—not in Timothy’s own strength but in the strength of who he was in Jesus Christ.

One of the great challenges Christian men encounter is knowing how to live out their identity in Christ. It was true in Paul’s time, and it’s just as true in ours. But as Paul said in another letter: “I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16).

This was an important declaration by Paul regarding what he believed about himself and why he was doing it. He opened 1 Timothy with a similar declaration—not just a casual salutation but a statement about who Paul was as declared by God himself. Paul stated he was a messenger of Jesus “by command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope” (1 Timothy 1:1).

Remember that God finds no shame in you. Jesus bore your shame on the cross. It makes no difference what others say about you, what you say about yourself, or even what your past says about you. The only thing that matters is what God says about you. He is the one who makes men and remakes their identity.

Live in this identity today regardless of what comes your way, because the only identity that matters is the one God has given you.

God, I believe you bore all my shame, and I choose to be confident in the work and identity you have given me.