As a Christian, have you ever found yourself wrestling with a sense of shame when it comes to the gospel of Jesus Christ? If so, take comfort in knowing that you’re not alone. This struggle is not unique to you but a shared experience among many Christians. The gospel is not just a part of your identity but a fundamental aspect of our collective faith. Yet, our fears about openly expressing our faith have been magnified in today’s cancel-culture era. In these challenging times, let us draw strength from the words of Apostle Paul, a revered biblical leader, who declared, “I am not ashamed of the gospel.” Though spoken ages ago, these words resonate even more powerfully in our current context, urging us, as the living body of Christ on earth, to adopt this unashamed attitude. In Romans 1:14-17, Paul said,
“I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. Thus, for my part, I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. 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. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘But the righteous man shall live by faith.’”
Many things can bring about feelings of shame. It can stem from a negative self-image, negative associations, or negative experiences. We can be ashamed of who we are, what we are, what we have done, where we came from, or what we believe. However, one thing we Christians should never be ashamed of, no matter what, is our relationship with Jesus Christ and his gospel message. How could Paul boldly declare, “I am not ashamed of the gospel?” In fact, he used the words “I am” three times to describe his attitude toward Christ and the gospel. This unashamed attitude is not just a personal choice but a crucial aspect of our Christian duty and responsibility. Remember, the gospel is not just a set of beliefs but the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. It is this power that we carry within us, and it is this power that we should never be ashamed of. To overcome feelings of shame, try to focus on the positive impact your faith has had on your life and the lives of others. Remind yourself of your love and acceptance in Christ and the importance of sharing this love with others.
Paul’s words, “I am under obligation” to share the gospel, carry a weighty message. In the King James Version of the Bible, it is translated as “I am a debtor.” This means that Paul felt a deep sense of responsibility and duty to share the gospel, not out of strict religious ritual but out of love and gratitude for his salvation. Do you feel this same obligation to share the gospel? Do you believe you are indebted to pass on the grace you have received from God? Indeed, anyone who has freely received the gift of God’s salvation has a moral obligation to share the good news with those who have yet to hear it. Let’s say that you and I were hungry orphans and beggars living in the street, and one day, a rich and powerful man welcomed us into his home, gave us food and shelter, and even adopted us as his children. How grateful do you think we will be toward him? Furthermore, he begins to share his desire to adopt many more orphans into his house and tells us to go and find them. It would be absurd for us to ignore or reject his wishes. One wise person once said, “Sharing the gospel is like one beggar telling another beggar where to find food.” It’s not an optional matter but obedience to God, who wants all sinners to be saved. This duty is not to be taken lightly but embraced with a sense of urgency and responsibility. Let this truth inspire and motivate you to share it with others.
Then Paul said, “I am eager to preach the gospel.” In other words, he was ready and willing to preach wherever he went, even to those living “in Rome.” This is a powerful statement considering that Rome was the capital of the Roman Empire, the seat of Caesar’s throne, and a center of paganism, atheism, worldliness, immorality, and all that stood opposing the gospel of God. It is like someone saying today, “I am eager to go and preach the gospel to people who are living in places like Hollywood, Las Vegas, North Korea, or Iran.” In contrast, so many believers today struggle to preach the gospel to those who live right next door, to their family members and friends, or even say “hi” to newcomers who come to their churches. Yet how many of us show out-of-the-way eagerness about a favorite movie or music, going wild over our UFC fighters, showing patriotism for the flag, and posting our opinions on X or Instagram? If we can all transfer some of that enthusiasm to sharing the gospel, it would greatly help our Christian ministry. Don’t you think so? Be excited about Jesus as you would about some pop and cultural things. The joy and fulfillment that come from sharing the gospel are unparalleled, and it’s something we should all strive for. Remember, the more we share, the more we experience the joy and fulfillment of obeying God’s call.
Then Paul said, “I am not ashamed of the gospel.” What Paul said was not necessarily out of the ordinary but something completely normal. For how can we be ashamed of the very thing that enabled us to be who we are—born-again Christians, the children of God, and the citizens of the kingdom of heaven? Thus, feeling shame is not normal. Being honored to know Christ and boldly preaching the gospel is normal. The shame and fear that we feel are the results of the fear tactics and propaganda stirred up by the devil. The cure, then, is remembering the true meaning of the gospel of Christ, that God so loved us that He sent His Son to die on the cross to save us from hell and to give us the kingdom of heaven in the future. When we allow this truth to take control of our hearts and minds, we won’t be ashamed of Jesus and his words after that! Remember, proudly proclaiming our faith in Christ is normal and even expected.
So, what is this “gospel” that Paul was so captivated by that he was “obligated” and “eager” to preach and “not ashamed” of being identified with? First, we can see it when we understand the word itself. The “gospel” means “good news” or “good message.” The word that Paul used in Greek was “euangelion,” which is a combination of two words “eu” (good) and “angelion” (message, news, tidings). In the light of all the bad news in the world, this should be a welcoming and refreshing thing to hear. The bad news is all around us—bad weather, bad evening news, bad health reports, tragedies, financial crises, hiked-up gas prices, rising food expenses, famines, wars and rumors of wars, and government corruption, to name a few. Proverbs 15:30 says, “Light in a messenger’s eyes brings joy to the heart, and good news gives health to the bones.” Yes, people worldwide desperately need to hear good news, and we, as followers of Christ, have the most excellent good news to share. One more thing that needs to be mentioned is that the “good” in the good news is not relative and subjective but objective in that God has made it clear to humanity what that means. In other words, it is good in the eyes of God rather than the eyes of human beings. Good in our eyes can change with time, culture, and government transitions, and it can even be lopsided according to our wicked minds. Prophet Isaiah warned such people, “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; Who substitute bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” (Isa.5:20) Anyone can define what is good, even a wicked person. Yet it doesn’t make it good. The good in the gospel is based on God’s standards, and it is timeless across all languages and cultures.
Second, we can see that the originator of this gospel was God Himself. In Romans 1:1, Paul writes, “Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God.” In other words, Paul’s gospel originated with God the Creator. He even goes far as to say that God had this gospel in mind long before He began creating the universe. Yet, in Romans 1:9, he changes it to say that it has become the “gospel of His Son,” Jesus Christ. It became the Son’s gospel when the Father sent him from heaven to earth. Then, according to Romans 2:16 and 16:25, Paul is bold enough to say that the gospel was now “my gospel.” In other words, anyone who accepts this gospel and is converted by it has become God’s ambassador on earth like Christ, and can preach it as his own. The agents of the gospel have changed, but the message is the same. I believe that this is what Paul meant when he said, “For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith.” Yes, the gospel reveals to humanity God’s righteousness and offers it to us freely.
Third, we can see that the gospel message is for everyone on earth. Here are the words that Paul used to describe the recipients of his message: “to Greeks and to barbarians,” “to the wise and to the foolish,” and “to the Jews and also to the Greeks (Gentiles).” Although we may differ in our interpretation of what Paul is trying to say here, the apparent attempt is to make some comparisons. We can see it clearly in his comparison between the Jews and the Greeks, that is, the Gentiles. Therefore, we can assume that he was trying to make a similar comparison with the first two groups. Possibly, the comparison between “Greeks and barbarians” was meant to show how God loved both the civilized and the uncivilized people in the world. Or maybe he was trying to show the differences between various cultural groups and that God’s message of salvation applied to all. Further, the comparison between “the wise and the foolish” was meant to compare different types of people in education, intellect, knowledge, or wisdom. Remember, Paul wrote to the Corinthian church members, “For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised, God has chosen, the things that are not, that He might nullify the things that are, that no man should boast before God” (1 Cor.1:26-29). You may differ in how you interpret these groups, but the bottom line is that God wants them all to hear His gospel and be saved through it. The gospel of God is for everyone.
Finally, we can see that the gospel’s message is not about how human beings can work their way to salvation, but that God has made a way all on His own for us. There is no us. It is all God. There is nothing that we can do to save ourselves. It is all God’s doing. The Bible says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast” (Eph.2:8-9). In general, we call it a religion when we try to make ourselves righteous and strive to make it to a better life after death. However, the whole message of the Bible tells us that mankind can’t make themselves righteous because of the problem of sin. The story at the beginning of humanity even shows us this truth as God provided Adam and Eve with garments of skin to replace the fig leaves (Gen.3:21). Our way of covering our sin and shame was inadequate. So, God provided a substitutionary sacrifice to shed its blood for our sins. This was a picture of what God would do for humanity as He would sacrifice His Son to cover us with the righteousness of His Son. Galatians 3:26-28 says, “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” As it is, this is the most valid definition of what it means to be a Christian. Therefore, the gospel of Jesus Christ that Paul was preaching was not a message or teaching of some religion but an open invitation to a living and everlasting relationship with God. This is the gospel that Paul was not ashamed of. How could we be ashamed of it, knowing that God has sacrificed His Son to bring it to us?
How about you? Do you feel shame concerning Jesus? Are you afraid to share the gospel? Let us remember what Jesus said about being ashamed of him. Jesus said, “For whoever is ashamed of me and my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory, and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels” (Lk.9:26). Frankly, I am not trying to manipulate you with fear tactics. I am sharing what Jesus said about people who are ashamed of him and his gospel. This is how God feels about it. The world’s idea of what is honorable and shameful will quickly change at the second coming of Jesus Christ. We live in an age where things are turned upside down—good is bad, and bad is good. But the day is coming when the Lord Jesus will set everything right-side up again where good is good and bad is bad. We must recognize that we live in an upside-down kingdom led by an evil ruler and god of this age. Don’t let him deceive you. Let the love of God inspire you, and your passion for God energize you and fight the good fight against the culture of shame against our Christian faith. As Christians, we may be ashamed of many things in life, but being ashamed of Jesus and his gospel should not be one of them. It should be a normal attitude toward the gospel of Christ!
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