I Am Not Ashamed

Why would I be ashamed of something so good as the Gospel of Christ which can bring salvation to the soul? This seems like a silly question until I realized that I do feel ashamed of something so good. What does not being ashamed look like? Is this a necessary part of Christianity? I think it is; after all Christ tells us that we can't be his disciple unless we take up our cross and follow him. The cross was a shameful thing to bear in Christ's day. It meant you were going to die. We can have peace though in this because to bear the cross means we our God's.

Paul's focus in life was preaching the gospel. It was not just believe Jesus and you won't go to hell. The gospel to Paul was a lifestyle. It was a story, both grim and glorious. We were born in sin because of Adam, but rejoice because a second Adam has come and he has borne the sins of many and by his stripes we can be healed. He was hung up on a cross and killed for our sins and now we are commanded to take up our cross. We can draw encouragement in that the cross has been carried before by Christ.

My faith must be so strong that I could never be ashamed. How is it that I have life? It is by faith. Faith in what? Faith in God who sent his Son to be the substitute for my wrong. I love that the second portion of Romans 1 talks about the wrath of God. It's not like I'm happy for God judging but that I am not like that anymore. Reading about the wrath of God against ungodliness makes me grateful for the grace that I have received. The grace that I have received from God through salvation makes it impossible for me to be ashamed! Therefore, I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, "The righteous shall live by faith."

Starting with the Cross

I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. How else could the power of God be displayed but in the Gospel of Christ? It is amazing to think that before the foundation of the world, God planned for His Son to die as a ransom for His Bride. It was God's plan to crush His Son. I sinned... yet Christ died.

I'm indebted now to God. He redeemed me, or bought me back. This is the greatest reason why I must start with the cross. Their are many different descriptions that can be given for the cross. It is a beautiful picture of how much Christ loved me in him giving himself for me. It is an ugly picture of how much God hates my sin in crucifying His own Son.

The most amazing thing to me is I did nothing to deserve such love. I'm a terrible person. I profess God with my lips, but many times my life professes that I'm an atheist. Many times I have pondered why God would choose me? I have yet to come up with an answer and that is what makes my Christianity special. It is not about me... it is about God and serving God.

The cross is where I start and the cross is where I stand. I stand forgiven. I stand grateful. I stand in wonder. My sin list is too long to name and yet God placed my sin and put it on His Son and Christ died for my sin. It was my sin that held him there and it is His blood that covers that sin. I drift from the cross... so very often. I must stand firm.

Living He loved me,

Dying He saved me,

Buried He carried my sins far away.

Rising He justified, freely forever.

One day He's coming, O glorious day!