Not Ashamed
The apostle Paul said in Romans 1:16, “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation; to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” In Acts 3 there is the story of a lame man who was asking for alms. Peter and John said, “silver and gold have I none, but such as I have I give unto you. In the name of Jesus of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” A huge crowd gathered around since they knew the lame man who had been healed. Peter delivered a message of salvation. The crowd was in awe of Peter’s message. Then they took note that he had been with Jesus.
Our culture says that it’s foolishness to proclaim the name of Jesus… that to identify as a born again Christian is considered foolishness. This is the theme of 1 Corinthians chapter 1. Where is the wise, and where is the scholar? We preach Jesus Christ and him crucified, to the Greeks foolishness, and to the Jews a stumbling block.
According to 1 Corinthians 1:24-31, “But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. 25. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 26. For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: 27. But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28. And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 29. That no flesh should glory in his presence. 30. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: 31. That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.”
Only a few weeks before Peter healed the lame man in Acts 3, Peter had denied Jesus. He said when he was confronted by a maiden, “I am not one of his…I never knew the man.” How did Peter get to the point that he was convinced that the gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation? Peter had to be delivered from himself. As one military commander said, “I have found the enemy and he is me.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, “when Jesus bids a man, “come,” he bids him, “come and die.” In order to live for him we must die to self.
The point of repentance unto salvation is when we come to realize that we can’t make it on our own…that apart from Christ, I’m not wise enough, strong enough, rich enough…that I’m just not good enough to approach a holy God. What changed Peter? Peter received a new nature when he was born again of God’s Holy Spirit at the day of Pentecost. Having received Christ’s righteousness in the spirit, when we sin in the flesh by breaking fellowship, 1 John 1:9 says, “if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and forgive us from all unrighteousness.”
Our challenge is to grow into maturity in Christ…to grow up into Him who gave his live on our behalf. For he who was without sin was made the perfect sacrifice for sin on our behalf that we may be made the righteousness of God in him.
We were all born with a sin nature that we inherited from Adam. Brother Lawrence said, “I’m not surprised when I sin, I’m surprised when I don’t.” Paul said, you who have been born again of God’s spirit need to wean yourself from the milk of salvation and feed yourself on the deeper things of the spirit of truth.
Other religions say that there are many roads that lead to God. However Jesus said, I am the way, the truth and the life. No man cometh unto the Father except by me. He said that there is a broad way that leads to destruction but I am the narrow way through the narrow gate that leads to eternal life.
The greatest disappointment in life is not to succeed in something, but to discover that you’ve succeeded in something that is not worthwhile….that after having climbed the ladder of success and arrive at the top, you realize that the ladder was leaning against the wrong wall.
Our challenge is to join the ranks of the unashamed. We don’t identify with what we’re against. Rather we identify with what we stand for: Stand up, stand up for Jesus. Stand in his strength alone. The arm of flesh will fail you, you dare not trust your own. Oswald Chambers said, God expects extreme obedience with no questioning or complaining on my part and no explanation on his.
Most men fear the sneer. However, Jesus said, blessed are they when men shall revile you and persecute you and say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake, for great is your reward in heaven.
The devil uses our sin nature to accuse us of hypocrisy, of being unworthy of claiming our righteousness. In Galatians 5:17 Paul said, “the flesh lusts against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that you cannot do the things that ye would.”
How do we stand up for our faith? How do you respond when someone puts you on trial for being a Christian? Will there be enough evidence that they will be able to convict you of being a follower of Christ? As one man’s t-shirt said, “Live your life in such a way that your pastor won’t need to lie at your funeral.”
The devil’s job is to rob you of your testimony…to relegate men of God to a place of irrevelance and insignificance. If the devil shuts your mouth then he will prevent you from your calling. For Jesus said, the works that I do shall they do and greater works shall they do because I go unto my Father. The greater works is to let your “conversation,” your behavior, your manner of living be as it becometh the gospel of Christ. The greater works is to lead others to salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.
God has made us able ministers of the New Testament. He has given us each a testimony of his salvation. 2 Corinthians 5 says that he has given us the ministry of reconciliation and committed unto us the word of reconciliation. For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. We have been called to introduce them to our Lord Jesus Christ.
We’re challenged to “study to show thyself approved unto God as a workman who needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth.” We grow up into him according to Romans 12:1-2: I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that you present yourselves a living sacrifice, holy (and wholly) acceptable unto him who is your reasonable act of worship. And be not conformed to this world but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. For If we walk in the light as he is in the light, the love of God will cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Therefore, I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ…for it is the power of God unto salvation. For by grace are ye saved through faith and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, his masterpiece, created in Christ Jesus unto good works which he hath foreordained that we should walk in it.
The scripture says that whosoever believeth in him shall not be ashamed. Therefore, may we ever live to the praise of the glory of His grace!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael