for 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 [romans 1:16]
we are never ashamed
the gospel is life, freedom, healing, and purpose, so why would paul be ashamed of the gospel? why would we?
it is not an exaggeration to say that this profound statement in v. 16 summarizes all that paul writes in romans. in the first century world, faith in Christ was revolutionary. the idea that God Himself would dwell among us, suffer crucifixion for our sake, and then be risen from the dead was beyond astonishing.
although paul would suffer beatings, imprisonment, humiliation, scorn, and ultimately death because he proclaimed this truth, he felt no shame whatsoever in sharing it.
paul shared this news in an unbelieving world. surely, he sensed that those in the great city of rome, filled with many beliefs, would be nervous about sharing such an idea many today still scoff. We are looking for rational things we can do to earn salvation. Christianity alone tell us that we must only trust in and follow Christ.
even if no one believes, there is never an ounce of shame when we embrace and share that which is true. the truth of the gospel brings no shame whatsoever, no matter how others may respond.
shame is among the most devastating of human emotions. shame paralyzes us from action, sidelining us from being effective at any endeavor. this is why paul reminds us that not only is there no shame in the gospel, but just the opposite – in the gospel we are given access to the very power of God. and in that power – in that power alone – do we receive the salvation that is ours only because Jesus Himself suffered the shame that should have been ours.
we are free from shame because He has already taken our shame, put it to death, and defeated it forever through the resurrection.
shame, fear, and even death have no hold over us any longer.
paul goes on to say that this truth, this power, this salvation are to the jew first and then the greek.
the greeks are the category most of us belong to. Jesus was a jew who lived as a jew and preached to the jewish people. Jesus had been prophesized for centuries through the jews, but this truth is for all humanity. this truth is for jews, greeks, the churched, the unchurched, for anyone from any culture and any belief system. it doesn’t matter. the gospel crosses every boundary.
where you are from, your family background, what shameful or good things you have done, or what you have ever believed in the past – none of it changes the fact that Jesus offers redemption to each and every one of us. Christ rose from the dead, and because of this amazing display of the power of God, we too can defeat death, live a live with a view to the eternal, unhindered by shame, and live daily in the power of the salvation of God. there is no shame in Christ!
~ jason soroski