For I am not ashamed of the gospel
Oh how I wish I could say this was true for me all the time! I love the Lord, I desire to walk with Him, and I long for the day when I can be with Him in person in heaven. Yet there have been so many missed opportunities to share this wonderful hope with others simply because I am too afraid to say something, I feel awkward, or it just doesn’t seem the right time to do so. What do these all boil down to? Me…being unwilling to take that chance…because I’m more concerned about what others will think of me than I am about planting seeds that may lead someone to eternal salvation in Christ. I apparently AM ashamed of the gospel…at least I am at certain times. That hurts my heart and I know it breaks the heart of God.
My ‘About Me’ page says I’m an introvert. “Social Introvert” is probably a more appropriate term, though I am also shy. I rather enjoyed the lockdown in 2020 – not the pandemic part, but the part where I got to sit in my house and do my thing and not interact with society at large. Striking up a conversation with someone I don’t know, regardless of the topic, is difficult and stress-producing for me. Once I know you well, this may change. My father used to say I had “oral diarrhea – running off at the mouth” – true story! My classroom desk in my tiny rural elementary school was relocated time and time again because once my work was done (and it usually was very quickly), I visited with whoever was beside me. Why? Because I knew everyone in my class of 17. Boy or girl, it didn’t matter. I do okay in small groups comprised of those I’m familiar with. I do not do well in anything beyond that. I also really treasure my alone time.
But Jesus says to go and make disciples…
I joined a small group bible study about the book of Romans shortly after starting this blog website (likely not a coincidence) and was immediately convicted when I read Paul’s words to the believers 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.”
Romans 1:16
Jesus also said to his disciples:
“…All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”
Matthew 28:18-19
Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines disciple as “one who accepts and assists in spreading the doctrines of another: such as Christianity”. So yes, the apostles were disciples. But we are disciples too, if we follow Jesus. And Jesus tells his disciples to go make more disciples – of all nations!
Jesus, himself, commands us to spread the good news. So what is this good news?
What is the gospel, anyway?
From the beginning, humans have sinned. Adam and Eve sinned and we sin. We’ve all turned away from or acted in opposition to our holy God at one time or another. God is just and sin comes with a stiff penalty – eternal death and separation from him. But God also loves us, his frail and weak creation, so much that he’s had a plan since the beginning of time to redeem us and restore our relationship with him. To save us!
“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”
Romans 3:23
Our hope lies in the gospel of Jesus. Without the gospel, without faith in Christ, people will perish. They will die – not just a physical death like we all will at some point unless Jesus returns first. This is a forever death and separation from God and all that is good and right.
People are perishing right now! I don’t want to perish nor do I want my loved ones to perish. I don’t even want the stranger I see on the street to perish!
“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 6:23
What must we do to be saved?
We can’t earn salvation by good works or by adhering to a particular set of rules. Nothing we can do will save us. Salvation is a free gift from God. In order to receive this gift, we must be willing to turn away from our own striving and turn toward God (repent). We must believe Jesus truly is who he says he is – the Son of God, and we must trust that by dying on the cross and being raised from the dead he paid the price for our sins. Jesus has provided a way for us to be reconciled with God right now and to spend eternity with Him in heaven.
For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Romans 10:13
To reiterate – living a moral life does not save us. Going to church does not save us. We are not saved by reading the Bible or by praying. All these things should be present in the life of a believer, in increasing quantities, as God grows them and changes their heart over time. But we cannot save ourselves. Turn…from yourself and to God! It’s only through God’s mercy and grace, by faith in the blood of Jesus, that this miracle takes place.
And then once you have turned to Jesus, find a solid bible-believing church to be a part of. God designed believers to work together as one body. This earthly life is difficult. We need each other!
How does this apply to me as a follower of Christ?
In order for salvation to happen, people need to hear the gospel. The seeds need to be planted so that God can grow them. Jesus instructed his disciples to plant those seeds! I profess to follow Christ which makes me a “disciple”. Therefore, Jesus’s command applies to me, too. Being an introvert does not exempt me.
So, I pray that the Lord will strengthen me and give me courage in my daily walk with Him. May I, by his Spirit’s leading, be willing to share my faith and speak truth when opportunities arise. I pray as I continue to grow in my faith that I will be less concerned about the approval of others and more able to truthfully say “for I am not ashamed of the gospel”. I see growth in me but there’s still much work to be done.
And in terms of sharing – we have this wonderful tool called the internet that reaches around the world. What better way to spread the good news! If even one person stumbles onto this blog page and is saved by God’s grace, I consider it a tremendous success!
For a more in-depth explanation of what salvation means, here’s a link to a good article from Focus on the Family.