Not Ashamed

Good Morning!

My post for yesterday actually was started with a quick review of the lesson we studied in the Sunday morning Bible study … but I got off on another subject. I don’t know if that’s a character trait … or the Lord wanting to say something else at the time. I noticed after publication that I forgot to put in the Daily Bible Study passages. So I have included both today.

We began a study in the book of Romans Sunday night. A couple of verses that deserve consideration by all are:

Romans 1:16-17 (New International Version, ©2011)
16 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. 17 For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last,[a] just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”[b]
Footnotes:
a. Romans 1:17 Or is from faith to faith
b. Romans 1:17 Hab. 2:4

One has to ask why anyone would be ashamed of the gospel. Well, consider the makeup of the church(es) in Rome in the first century. There would be a combination of people … Jews, “Greeks”, and barbarians. How am I classifying these folks … or better yet “why”? Well, I think you would understand the “Jews” classification … these are folks who are Jewish and have a vague understanding of righteousness from the perspective of the teachings of the Torah and the prophets. The “Greeks” really are the “educated” … people who have been exposed to some level of training. And the barbarians are those who do not have any education but just trust in God.

Paul understood his audience even though he had never been to Rome. He knew the Jews might be ashamed of the gospel because it pointed to their guilt in crucifying the Messiah. Just imagine being a Christian and having participated in the character assassination of Jesus Christ – and then having your guilt exposed. Paul knew the Greeks might be ashamed because of the impact it might have on their position in a society that had beliefs that were quite disgusting. And the barbarians might be ashamed because they had not recognized God at all until Christ.

Let’s fast forward to the 21st century. Can we say there are those who are ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ? I think we can and for many of the same reasons we find in the body at Rome. And, folks, when it comes to describing the society of the 1st century to the 21st century, there really isn’t a whole lot of difference. The fact is that mankind still exhibits the base sin problem it had from the time of the Garden of Eden until today. And it will remain until God wipes it off the face of humanity at His great judgment. But God has made provision for you and for me in Christ Jesus.

The gospel of Jesus Christ tells us of how God became man to atone for the sin of mankind by choosing to forfeit His life. And by that, I mean His LIFE … not just His earthly life but also all that encompasses life for the Godhead. And He willingly gave this up for you and for me. This thought is so hard to understand. The gospel is about trusting in the finished work of that life that was offered for you and for me. The gospel is about believing that God raised from the dead … the stumbling block for the Greeks. And, as Paul states, ultimately the gospel is about faith. We either trust that God used this to establish in us His righteousness … or we don’t. We either live our lives in this faith … or we don’t. Understand that the righteousness of God can only come from God through Jesus Christ our Lord. We cannot produce it in our lives … no matter how “good” we are; no matter how “giving” we are; no matter how much we deny ourselves. The righteousness of God can only come from Him.

I am looking forward to a powerful day today because I am not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Agape’


Mr. Jim