I Am Not Ashamed
In the beginning of Paul’s letter to the Romans, which is the most theological book of the New Testament, he declares: “I am not ashamed of the Gospel…” (Rom. 1.16) This statement is crucial to understanding the conviction of his apologetics. The Gospel is the power of God for all who believe. The message of the God’s saving work in Christ Jesus is the only message of hope that this world has. Paul felt under obligation to preach the Gospel, (v.14). He wasn’t trying to be politically correct so as to please the crowds. He was willing suffer persecution, be misunderstood, slandered and shamed, but was not ashamed.
Shame is a harmful, social emotion. It is a state of intense, emotional discomfort with oneself, after having experienced a socially unacceptable act or condition that is witnessed by others. Usually there is some loss of dignity and honor involved. In some cultures, members of the community are often murdered by their own families when the family “honor” has been shamed by the deviant behavior of the victim. One can feel shame at different levels. It can vary from the shame felt when a sin is revealed to the embarrassment of forgetting your lines in a theatrical production. To avoid shame, many adjust their behavior to fit into the expectations of their social context. For example, some express openly their faith around those of like belief, but when in the company of unbelievers, they remain silent and their faith is hidden.
The root of the word, shame, has to do with covering. When Adam and Eve sinned, they felt fear and shame and tried to cover themselves. Before they sinned, they felt no shame in being “uncovered” or transparent, but afterward they tried to hide themselves. To shame someone means to assign or communicate a state of shame to another. It is in the exposing or uncovering of socially unacceptable behavior. Jesus was publically shamed as He was hung naked on the cross. Paul lists the many ways he was shamed in his zeal to preach the Gospel. (II Cor. 11.23-26) His dedication to message of the Gospel put him constantly in a bad light. People were stirred up against him in every place he traveled to, yet he was willing to suffer shame and abuse so that people could have an opportunity to receive salvation.
How did Jesus handle the shame He endured? The Bible says that He endured the cross, despising the shame. (Heb. 12.2) What does that mean? It means that when shame began to tempt Jesus to abandon His obedience to the Father, to take the easy way out by pleasing the crowds and to avoid the cross, He said to shame: “Shame, I despise you. You may do whatever you like to me, but I will not yield to your control.” Jesus set his sights on the joy set before Him. He longed for the salvation of all who were shaming Him and so was willing to suffering, at their hands, in the short run to win in the long run.
One becomes ashamed of the Gospel, when the status quo, others opinions, and personal reputation become more important than the message of the Gospel. Paul would say: “I am willing to suffer, to lose my friends and family, to be of no reputation and to be misunderstood, but I will not be ashamed. The Gospel is the Power of God for salvation for everyone who believes. The Gospel is a message of mercy and forgiveness. It brings hope and salvation. There is nothing to be ashamed of. It is Good News.
Scriptures to meditate on:
Romans 1.16; II Tim. 1.8-11; 2.11-13, 15; I Peter 4.16; Heb. 12.2;