Through the Bible: RomansSample

Shamed but Not Ashamed

For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile. This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.

Romans 1:16-17 (NLT)

What makes a person feel ashamed? Someone laughing at your accent, your lack of knowledge, your fashion sense? What would keep you from feeling ashamed in such situations? Maybe if people would just accept you for who you are.

Paul says he is “not ashamed of the gospel.” Did he face no shame? No. Exactly the opposite! Believing and preaching the gospel constantly stirred up others to shame him. We see in 2 Corinthians 11:23-26 – Paul was imprisoned multiple times, flogged severely, beaten with rods, pelted with stones, shipwrecked, and constantly in danger.

Consider Jesus bringing the gospel. He was abandoned by friends, falsely accused of blasphemy, beaten with rods, ridiculed, stripped of His clothes, scourged with the whip, publicly tortured, and made to look like a fool on the cross. What did Jesus do with all this shame? He endured the cross and despised the shame for the joy set before Him – promised eternity with His Father and for all who believe in Him.

Truly, the gospel brings out shaming behaviour from those who do not believe. But it gives freedom from shame to those who do believe.

Prayer

Father God, it is the most loving thing to tell the truth about the gospel. Empower us to not feel ashamed even when we are shamed, so that we can endure for the joy set before us – to be eternally with You and to bring others to You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.