I AM NOT ASHAMED

In Romans 1, Paul addresses the believers in Rome who were Gentiles and presents his mission, to preach the gospel to everyone. He concludes by saying, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.". For in the gospel, the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: 'The righteous will live by faith'" (Romans 1:16–17; cf. Habakkuk 2:4)

The word translated as "ashamed" means "disgraced" or "personally humiliated." A person "ashamed" in this way is likened to one being singled out for misplacing his confidence – he trusts in something, and that something lets him down. The word can refer to being dishonored because of forming the wrong alliances. So, when Paul says he is not ashamed of the gospel, he is saying his confidence in the gospel is not misplaced. There is no shame in making the declaration. Paul had given his life to proclaiming the truths that Jesus Himself had revealed to him (Acts 9:3–6; 2 Corinthians 12:2–4). He explained to the Romans why he did not believe he had wrongly identified with Jesus and why proclaiming Jesus' message was his life's work. Do you feel that you have wrongly identified with Jesus?

We have the same reason as Paul to be confident in the gospel of Christ. We can proclaim with boldness the truths that God has revealed in His Word, with no fear that our confidence is misplaced. "Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame" (Romans 10:11; cf. Isaiah 28:16). We can be confident that the Holy Spirit who moved men to write Scripture does not change, as 2 Peter 1:21, Malachi 3:6, and Hebrews 13:8 declare. What was true several thousand years ago is still true today. The offer of salvation extended to first-century individuals is still available to us, as Acts 2:39 and John 17:20 indicate.

To live unashamed of the gospel means we proclaim it, but it also means we apply it to our lives and demonstrate we believe it. Paul's life choices supported his message. Our lifestyle and choices must support our beliefs. Paul did not preach one thing and live another. We are "ashamed of the gospel" when we allow sin in our lives to go unchecked (Matthew 3:8). When we indulge in worldliness and carnal desires or blatantly disobey scriptural standards, we indicate that we lack confidence in our message (1 Corinthians 3:3; 1 Peter 2:11). When we "walk in the counsel of the ungodly, stand in the path of sinners, and sit in the seat of scoffers" (Psalm 1:1), we are being ashamed of the gospel. We are not allowing its truth to penetrate our lives so that others see its changing power. To live unashamed of the gospel means that we, like Paul, let it dominate our lives to the extent that everyone within our sphere of influence can see that we have "been with Jesus" (Acts 4:13). GRACE, I AM NOT ASHAMED.