Not Ashamed

Not Ashamed
Sunday, December 29, 2019
by Dr. Paul Chappell

“Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.”

2 Timothy 1:11–13

Paul would have had a much easier life if he had simply kept quiet about his encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus. If he had never told anyone what happened, he would not have suffered so much—running for his life, being imprisoned, being beaten, being whipped, and stoned. He would not have been jailed in Rome before being executed. But despite all that he endured, Paul was not silent as long as he lived. He would not stop talking about Jesus. Even before he made his trip to Rome in chains, Paul wrote, “So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also” (Romans 1:15).

There are things for which people should be ashamed. In our day many of those things are now being praised by the society around us. We should never take part in anything of which we legitimately would be ashamed. But we should never be ashamed when we are judged or condemned or criticized or even persecuted for doing and saying what is right. The world may not accept the truth. They may mock and scorn us. And they may exact economic hardship or even worse. But we should never be ashamed of the truth or of the Lord who saved us. And we should do all we can to share the message of the gospel with a world desperately in need of it.

Today's Growth Principle:
Our commitment to Christ should be so strong that we are not ashamed of any suffering that follows from it.