Articles
Do Not Be Ashamed Of The Gospel
“Therefore do not be ashamed of either the witness about our Lord or me His prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God” (2 Tim. 1:8). Suffering went hand in hand with the gospel during the first few centuries AD. Jesus told his disciples it would be that way. He said, “If the world hates you, know that it has hated Me before it hated you...If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you...They will put you out of the synagogue, but an hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think that he is offering service to God” (John 15:18, 20; 16:2). The Book of Acts traces the reality of what Jesus said. Luke records the suffering of the first Christians in Jerusalem to the house arrest of the apostle Paul in Rome. Suffering for the gospel was the rule, not the exception.
Being ashamed of the gospel was a concern because of widespread opposition to Christianity. William D. Mounce comments, “From a human point of view, there was much in the gospel of which to be ashamed. It was the message of a failed prophet, rejected by his people, executed by the world’s power, and preached by a collection of fishermen and other undesirables.” The message they proclaimed was foolishness in the world’s wyes (1 Cor. 1:23), based on assumptions that ran counter to the generally accepted norms of Greek philosophy (Acts 17:32). There was also the fear that one could lose one’s status in the community. Christians were instructed and encouraged to not be ashamed of the gospel or of one another because of these and various other reasons.
Christians living in Nacogdoches, Texas in 2024 do not currently face the backlash that our early brethren faced for devoting themselves to Jesus. We are met with indifference and a small degree of animosity. It is true that we are living in a secular society, but suffering is not part of our experience. Do we, however, allow fear and shame to infiltrate our minds? Is this a reason why some do not share the gospel with those in our community? Are we afraid that we would be inviting criticism or some degree of discomfort into our lives?
Paul’s instruction to Timothy reminds us that being ashamed of the testimony about our Lord is not an option (2 Tim. 1:8). Why? Paul wrote that Jesus has “abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel...for this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed” (2 Tim. 1:10, 12). How can fear and shame govern us when the One we serve has abolished death and provided us with immortality?
Let’s not loose heart or be ashamed of the gospel. Rather, let’s boldly proclaim the good news to others. The faithful in Hebrews 11 were not concerned with their earthly status—they had their eyes fixed on a better country. The author of Hebrews wrote, “Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God…” (Heb. 11:16). He is not ashamed of us. Let’s not be ashamed of Him or His gospel.
