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ROMANS 1:16 “FOR I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST; FOR IT IS THE POWER OF GOD UNTO SALVATION TO EVERY ONE THAT BELIEVETH, TO THE JEW FIRST AND ALSO TO THE GREEK.” (KJV, NKJV)
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.” (NIV, NASU, ASV, NASB)
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel: it is the power of God for salvation to every one who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” (RSV)
“For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is God’s powerful method of bringing all who believe it to heaven. This message was preached first the Jews alone, but now everyone is invited to come to God in this same way.” (TLB)
Ashamed. I reckon this is a word every person alive becomes familiar with in their life. It is one of the earliest motivations we learn.
Think of the new parent who desperately searches for some method to mold the behavior of their first child. Without any experience in parenting, shame is a motivator we all rely on to, hopefully, change our child’s behavior when they act out or make that inevitable mistake and make a mess.
Like the photo above, we use shame to motivate the errant pet who just shredded something or made a mess in the house. How many times do we have to repeat this motivator to achieve success? Some pets never learn. Sometimes, we think we can mold others’ attitudes and behaviors if we can just discover the right motivation to make them think the way we want them to think. How often is shame used to get the results we want?
Of course, society and its moral rules are strong motivators when we act in a way that “everyone” disapproves of. Just look at our recent experiences with DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) initiatives. To be "woke" politically means that someone is informed, educated and conscious of social injustice and racial inequality. Many of these issues resulted in no less than shame being placed upon any individual who disagreed with the chosen belief or behavior that some groups deemed inappropriate. After all, who gets to be the educator?
Social motivation theory posits that individuals are intrinsically driven to engage with others, seeking acceptance, connection, and belonging, and that this drive influences their behavior and overall well-being. It suggests that social factors, like social support and recognition, significantly impact motivation alongside internal factors like needs and desires. Is it any wonder, then, why a Christian might be driven to shame by sharing a faith that most people reject?
Paul understood this motivation better than anyone. He was moving into a world that had largely turned its back on God, let alone any belief in Jesus as their Redeemer, with a Gospel that most people would most assuredly reject. How easy it would be for each of the sent Apostles to respond with shame when they proposed a way of life that the world so soundly rejected. Yet without exception, even at the cost of torture, punishment and their own lives, every one of them echoed Paul’s testimony, “we are NOT ASHAMED of this Gospel of Jesus Christ.”
My wife and I had just arrived in England and were, with a group of Christians from our new family of mostly-British believers, on a corner near London preparing to have a meeting proclaiming Jesus to the public. This was pretty unusual in that culture. Brits in those days were not outspoken about their faith, especially in public. But this group was.
I was comfortable as long as I was in the group. But out of the clear blue, without any warning or preparation, the pastor asked me if I would step out and give a short message/sermon about my faith to the people gathered on that corner.
It has been said that “confession is good for the soul (but bad for the reputation).” I have to confess, being caught off guard like that, I reluctantly declined what I perceived would be a very difficult task for me. I’m not sure I have to confess “shame” for the Gospel in that instant. But all too late for me, the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart and said, “David, Romans 1:16 would have been a good text for you to speak from.” I had previously memorized Romans 1:16.
Whether I was ashamed of the Gospel or not, I certainly felt shame at not demonstrating the courage to publicly speak out in a foreign land, even on short notice, for the Gospel that I so strongly believe and base my life on. I was quickly reminded of the verse in 1 Peter 3:15. “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.”
Are you ashamed of the Gospel? Maybe, like I was, you might not be ashamed, but rather timid in your approach toward proclaiming the Good News to a dying world for fear of being ridiculed or rejected. I am convinced that “Holy boldness” looks different in every one of us. Find out what that looks like in you. Take a chance. Step out in faith and proclaim the wonderful news that Jesus saves all who call on Him every chance you get.
Questions to ponder: What are some reasons you have for not sharing your faith? Have you had a similar experience as the one described above, where you had opportunity to share but rejected or resisted the opportunity? How does fear prevent us from sharing our faith? Have there been other opportunities where you successfully shared your faith? Is it important to know that we have successfully led others to Jesus? Is it possible to share our faith without gentleness and respect? How do you develop the “Holy Boldness” necessary to share?
Other Scriptures to study: Eph 6:19 “…that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel.” Col 4:3-6 “…that God may open a door for our message…Pray that I may proclaim it clearly…Make the most of every opportunity…that you may know how to answer everyone.” Mark 8:38 “If any man is ashamed of me and my words…the Son of Man will be ashamed of him.” 2 Timothy 4:2 “Preach the Word; be instant in season and out of season.”
 
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