The Fellowship of the Unashamed

 The word ashamed defined means embarrassed because of a person's actions or association. Surely there has been a time when the actions of someone you were associated with embarrassed you and made you feel ashamed to even be near them. The reasons may vary but feeling ashamed can be common. When our third son, Tucker, was around five or six, we went to the grocery store. We made the guys hold our hands walking in parking lots when they were little. Tucker instinctively reached for my hand. That was not unusual. What weirded me out was when he interlocked fingers. He was old enough that it did not feel natural. I did not make a scene, but was ashamed to be seen interlocking fingers with my son walking into the store. 

That is not the thought on my mind. In fact, it is just the opposite. It is not feeling ashamed. Specifically not being ashamed of the gospel. Not being embarrassed to be associated with the Lord Jesus Christ. Not embarrassed by His death on a cross. Not ashamed of the resurrection. Not ashamed of the whole message, and what that means for people in society. You could categorize people in hundreds of different ways. I will only to do so with two. Lost. Saved. 

Let me address lost people first. People are born sinners. It is our natural inclination to sin. Sin comes easily for all of us. We all do it. The Bible confirms this fact in Rom 3:10-11 and Rom 3:23. I don't think that news is a revelation to anyone. We've done wrong and we know it. Here is the part people don't always have straight in their mind. There are consequences to sin. Not just consequences in our lives. There are eternal consequences. Rom 6:23 informs us that the wages of sin is death. Eternal separation from God. Judgement in hell. 

Here is a fact. None of us can do away with or undo our sins. It is like a criminal record stacked against us. Picture Satan as the prosecuting attorney bringing up every wrong we've done. God is the judge. We were helpless. I only stated half of Rom 6:23. The last half informs us the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Jesus took the punishment for sin each of us rightly deserved. To repent of our wrongdoings and embrace God's gift through Jesus of eternal life is what we call salvation. Jesus is our defense attorney. Only He paid the penalty for our guilt. We are justified because He took our punishment. 

I am not ashamed of that message. There is nothing embarrassing about it. Jesus performed a heroic act. People act ashamed of it though. The word gospel literally means "good news." It refers to the crucifixion, death, and resurrection of Jesus. That is the greatest news in the world and the greatest news that was ever personally shared with me. That message changed my life when Jesus saved me. It is a message I am eager to share with others. 

Paul writes in Romans 1:16 that the gospel message is the power of God to everyone who believes. God empowers that message when it is shared and when it is believed. God transforms lives through that message. There is power in it. Miraculous might you could say. That is also something I am not ashamed to be associated with.

Consider the fact that few Christians share this message with lost people. Some are afraid to do so. Others feel they do not know enough to do so. A few are ashamed of the message because it is not popular in culture and they do not want to be rejected. Christians have been persecuted through the ages. Many have been tortured and killed for their unashamed association with the gospel message. Why would any Christian be ashamed of that message? That message is the hope for the world. It is the hope for every abuser, addict, adulterer, agnostic, and atheist. Jesus is the hope of the world. That is nothing to be ashamed of. Count me and many others I associate with as the Fellowship of the Unashamed. May we stand strong and proclaim that good news until our last breath.