We have entered into the Advent Season. It's the time of year when we celebrate Jesus coming into the earth as a baby and we look forward to His return to earth as the Coming King. Matthew 1:23 says, "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him "Emmanuel" which means, "God with us," (NIV). God is still with us in these unprecedented times. He promises to never leave nor forsake us.
Be Unashamed of the Gospel
In Romans 1:16-17, the Apostle Paul declared, "I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteous-ness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: The righteous will live by faith," (NIV). To be ashamed is to feel embarrassed or remorseful of something. The Apostle Paul was saying he was not embarrassed or regretted preaching the gospel. Paul had endured great persecutions in his missionary travels.
He described his experiences in 2 Corinthians 11:23-27; "...I have worked harder, been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again. Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not. I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm," (NLT).
Why could Paul say that he was still unashamed of the gospel after enduring such great trials? He knew that the gospel was the only way by means that sinful humans could be reconciled to God. He was commissioned by God to preach the gospel to the Gentiles. Yes, he wanted to obey his Heavenly Father, however, he also knew that the gospel was the only way to make a human being born in sin, righteous and justified before God.
Paul wrote in Romans 3:23, "All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God," (NIV). However, he wrote in Romans 3:21-22, "But now a righteousness from God, apart from the law, has been made known to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe," (NIV). Paul knew that being born a Jew and following the law could not cleanse him from his sins and justify him. He knew that being a member of a church or a denomination or being born into a certain culture and religion could not justify anyone before God His Creator.
Paul had an encounter with the Lord Jesus, and he knew that only receiving Jesus as his Lord and Savior could save him from his sins. He wrote in Romans 6:23, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord," (NIV).
What about you today? Are you unashamed of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ? The gospel is good news. Salvation is found in on one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved. Jesus said in John 14:6, "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me," (NIV). Receiving Jesus is the only way to be saved from our sins and to be justified before God, our Creator.
Be unashamed of the gospel for it is the power of God for salvation for each human being on the earth today. Wear Scriptures!