Unashamed of the Gospel

The vast efforts of the apostle Paul at preaching the gospel took him to many cities and villages throughout the world.  One city to which he had not traveled when he wrote the book of Romans was Rome.  His failure, however, was not due to any embarrassment he felt regarding the message or his role in proclaiming it.  He wrote, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek” (Rom. 1:16). 

The word “gospel” is an encompassing word which includes the virgin birth, sinless life, vicarious death, powerful resurrection, and promised second coming of Christ.  It is the good news of all that God has done for the salvation of lost man.  It refers to every aspect of the Christian life regulated in the New Testament.  Some viewed this message as foolishness and were ashamed of it (1 Cor. 1:18).  Paul was not among them.  He was not ashamed of the source of the gospel (God), its subject (Christ), its revealer (the Holy Spirit), nor of the high ideals and philosophy of life held out by the gospel.  He was not ashamed of the hope or goal of the gospel (eternal life).  Though such may be demeaned and ridiculed by the undiscerning, there is no justifiable reason why Christians should be apologetic of the gospel of Christ.  Wherever it is proclaimed, this gospel is charged with power.  It creates faith, reveals God’s righteousness, brings fulfillment of hope, and intervenes in the lives of men.  Paul had seen the gospel bring a man to his knees in Philippi, turn a demented girl into a rational person, purify a wicked and corrupt people in Corinth, and establish congregations all over Asia and Europe.  He had literally seen the gospel turn the world upside down (Acts 17:6)!