Words of Grace – April 16, 2015

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ,” the apostle Paul wrote in Romans 1:16. Without apology, he declared that the gospel is the power of God unto salvation for all believers.

If we confess with our mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in our heart that God raised him from the dead, we “shall be saved” (Romans 10:9). The scripture says, “Whosoever believes on him shall not be ashamed” (v.11). True believers are not ashamed to confess Christ.

Jesus said that if we are ashamed of him, he will be ashamed of us. “For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed.” (Luke 9:26)

Paul encouraged Timothy not to be ashamed of Jesus even if it meant that we would suffer affliction, as Paul had. Paul was in prison for the cause of Christ, and in Second Timothy 1:12 he wrote:

“For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed. “Paul was not ashamed to be identified with Jesus, the one he believed in. He also knew that Jesus would not be ashamed of him.

What if we have to suffer for the sake of Christ? First Peter 4:16 says that if any of us “suffer as a Christian,” we should not be ashamed.