#307 “Are You Unashamed of the Gospel?” (Romans 1:16)

Have you ever been embarrassed to say something about your faith because you were concerned about what others would think of you? In a world that often mocks the message of Christ, Romans 1:16 calls us to something greater. In this episode, we will explore how to remain unmoved and boldly share the power of the gospel in a desperate and hopeless world that needs Jesus. 

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Transcript

Overcoming Gospel Embarrassment

Speaker 1 0:01

Have you ever been embarrassed to say something about your faith because you were concerned about what others would think of you ? In a world that often mocks the message of Christ , romans 1.16 calls us to something greater . In this episode , we will explore how to remain unmoved and boldly share the power of the gospel in a desperate and hopeless world that needs Jesus . Turn to Romans , chapter 1 , and let's stand strong in the word together . Well , hey there , my friends , welcome to Stand Strong in the Word podcast . Jason Amin is with you , as always . Blessed to be with you , guys , as we continue our study here in the book of Romans . Now we're just going to look at verse 16 , and I'm sure most of you guys who are listening you know this passage well , this particular verse . Perhaps you even have it memorized . And what is it 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 . Now , I don't remember how old I was when I memorized this passage , but it certainly was one of those verses that helped me share my faith when God gave me an opportunity to do so . So maybe right now , as you are diving in this passage with me . You are struggling , or you're convicted , or you just feel really scared , or you have a situation where somebody has , you know , made objections to Christianity , or you know someone's lost and you're just not sure how you can step into that space and let them know what you believe , or get to know who they are and what they believe , and through that you can build a relationship and start sharing them the gospel . But let me just say this as we go into this passage I pray all of us have a conviction that we would live out the gospel and share when God gives us opportunity , because it is the power of God . Jesus Christ came into this world to die on the cross for you and me . There's not one person who's ever lived where Jesus forgot about or disassociated himself with or didn't qualify as someone that he died for . Jesus Christ's love is universal . We're all made in his image . So let's now look at this passage , my friends , and just pray that wherever you are at , whether it's on college campus , in your workplace , at home , in your neighborhood , whatever it is that you would not be ashamed of the gospel . So now , if you go back and you see where we left things off . We were just talking about in verse 15 here in the last episode , where he says I'm eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome .

Speaker 1 2:48

Now , one of the things that we had talked about is Paul's passion to preach the gospel , to live it out , and I was encouraging you guys in the last episode that it's all about what the Lord has done in our life and this opportunity to participate . Paul refers to over and over again the harvest , and it's plentiful , but the labors are few , and so we should be convicted and have this obligation , this responsibility , to share Christ . Remember the word ? There was debtor , and so Paul's life . We know that he was divinely called and , matter of fact , we all are . We're not an apostle like Paul in the sense that he had that official divine office , but we are apostolic , meaning that we are called out . That's what the word means . We are sent out with a message , and so when Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9 , that you know , for if I preach the gospel , it gives me no ground for boasting for necessities laid upon me , woe to me if I do not .

Speaker 1 3:47

What preach the gospel . So we want to take this heart from verse 14 , that he's under obligation for Greeks and barbarians . Remember that . There's there . There's equality . God shows no partiality , whether it's wise or foolish . The gospel is for all human beings , and so when we see this in verse 16 , it says for the Jew first , and the Greek . We'll look at what that means . But there's this eagerness , there's this determination , and so I want to set you up again from where we left off .

Speaker 1 4:19

Are you eager to share the gospel ? And if so , are you eager to share the gospel ? And if so , that doesn't mean that the boldness automatically comes . A lot of times , people says I want to share the gospel , I want people to know about Jesus , but I'm just too afraid to do it . So , one , do you have the eagerness ? Because , remember , some people are just apathetic . You know , jason , honestly , I just don't really care . I just really care about my own life , and that's so sad because it does not obviously match to the Christian living , and it doesn't . That , my friends , is sin . You're walking in the old flesh . So we , as disciples of Christ , we are to make disciples just like us . Now , do you want a bunch of nominal Christians who don't share their faith ? In America , we've done that , and it's really , really sad . And so , one , are you eager ? And two , do you have the boldness now to step into it ?

Speaker 1 5:18

So let's look at what Paul means when he says For I am not ashamed of the gospel , for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes . Now what's interesting is , if you look at chapter three , verses seven and eight , it says this but if , through my lie , god's truth abounds to his glory , why am I still being condemned as a sinner ? And why not do evil , that good may come , as some people slanderously charge us with saying , their condemnation is just so . What's interesting is , even as Paul's writing this letter and of course he'll say this in chapter three , as I just read , but it actually points out to , I think , why Paul is so fierce , meaning he fiercely defends his calling and preaching the gospel . But if , through my lie , god's truth abounds to his glory , the gospel , but if , through my lie , god's truth abounds to his glory . And so it's like he's refuting these slanderous claims . And again , this is very consistent to what we just saw in the letters to the Corinthian church .

Speaker 1 6:19

We see that people are making accusations against Paul and if there's one thing that's true , like if there's one takeaway from Paul was he was not ashamed of the gospel and he died for the gospel .

Romans 1:16 - Unashamed of the Gospel

Speaker 1 6:32

I mean , that's it . He lived it out and he's not ashamed . Why ? Because he knows it to be the power of God . I mean , one thing that's so amazing about Paul , if you look at his life , is he recognized the work that God did in his own life . And I think that's where it starts , when you and I really genuinely understand what Christ has done for us and the power of the Holy Spirit that indwells us , that has regenerated us , and that we get to walk in step with the Holy Spirit , that he guides and teaches and illuminates the truth . He comforts us and you have that intimate relationship . You're not going to be ashamed of the gospel . You're going to tell people . I mean , I always remind people .

Speaker 1 7:16

If you see , I just actually did . It's funny , I actually did it today . If you know me , I love to garden and so I knew there was a sale at one of the local nurseries and I still had a gift card , some money left on a gift card , and I was texting a good friend of mine who actually gave me the gift card , and I was letting him know about this , this sale that they're having on these amazing hibiscus plants . I mean , I mean , we're talking , my friends , like 80% off . I was like stunned . Well , the moment I saw the sale and people that I know that love to garden , I'm going to let them know . I'm not gonna be ashamed , like I mean , do you really think that they wanna hear about this and maybe this might offend them ? No , this is a good deal .

Speaker 1 8:03

Now I'm not comparing quantifying salvation to a good deal , but it's free . I mean , if you are dead in your trespasses and sin and you're on your way to hell , separation from God for all eternity . But I have the answer for you . I have the solution to free you from your bondage , from the dominion of darkness , from Satan himself , and that you can walk in the marvelous light of Christ and you receive an inheritance . In the marvelous light of Christ and you receive an inheritance , matter of fact , you become a co-heir . That you become adopted in a kingship that lasts forever , that has freed you from your enslavement to sin and death , that you have eternal life . Do you think I'm going to share that with you ?

Speaker 1 8:47

Of course , so , even when you see a sale and you let people know about it . Or you see a great restaurant , you go in there and you try it out and you leave a sale and you let people know about it . Or you see a great restaurant , you go in there and you try it out and you leave a good review for other people to know hey , this place is awesome . Or when something is bad that you leave a bad review . So you warn people don't buy this product or don't go into this place . It's a waste of money . It you know it made us sick and I don't want you to get sick . That's out of concern . So when it comes to someone's soul for all eternity , knowing what Christ has done in our life , you want to share that with him because it is the power of God .

Speaker 1 9:27

Paul is confident in the gospel because , number one if you notice in the first part of this verse , it comes from god . So god is the author . As jonah said , he is the originator of salvation . Salvation comes from god . Two , we see in this second part of the verse it contains god's power . So god has given us a gift that comes from him so he can be reconciled to his creation that has been lost , going back to Adam and Eve in the fall and it's more powerful than the sting of death and it saves people , is the last part of this verse . So salvation comes from God , it's the power of God and obviously it saves you and me from something bad . In fact , the Greek word here is dynamo . It means to describe the ultimate power of the gospel .

Speaker 1 10:26

Paul knew this power personally . If you go back to his letter in 1 Timothy 1 , verse 12 , he says I thank him , that is , I thank Jesus , who has given me strength , christ Jesus , our Lord , because he judged me faithful , appointed me to his service , though formerly I was a blasphemer persecutor , an insolent opponent . But I received mercy because I acted ignorantly , in unbelief , and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus . The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners , of whom I am the foremost , where I am the chief of sinners . And he says but I received mercy for this reason that in me as the foremost , jesus Christ might display his perfect patience , as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life . So Paul's sharing his testimony right , and as he's doing so to Timothy . That's why , in verse 17 , he says to the king of the ages , immortal , invisible , the only God . Be honor and glory forever and ever . Amen .

Speaker 1 11:39

After sharing his faith , his testimony here , how he was transformed from being a sinner on his way to hell to having eternal life and given by the mercy of God a calling to share this message to the rest of the world . In verse 17 , he just gives praise and honor to the Lord because he understood the power of God . My friends , that is important . You can't learn that in a book . We're looking at scripture when Paul says for I am not ashamed of the gospel , for it is the power of God . When you say I'm not ashamed of either , because I know that it comes from

Eagerness to Share Christ's Message

Speaker 1 12:18

God . It has the power to save me and I want to share that with other people .

Speaker 1 12:25

Now , what's also interesting is when you look at the context . This is in the Greco-Roman era and shame and honor played crucial roles in society . So obviously people that are in high status would shame people in lower status , and we know that . He says that the gospel when he said you know in the previous verses in 14 and 15 , that he's eager to preach the gospel to what ? Greeks and barbarians , meaning there's no buddy who is living when Paul was alive , at this time that is worthy of the gospel , because we know it's . It's by God's mercy and grace , but that there's nobody who does live though , who's unlovable , who's out of reach from God's love , who can't be forgiven and saved . It's not just exclusive to those people who can quote , pay for it or who are famous . Right , they have a celebrity status , they have a high social status , high threshold no , none of that matters . But now what we're seeing in the culture .

Speaker 1 13:32

When he's expressing this in this greco-roman era , he uses a greek verb , epi sky nomi . When he's using this , when he uses the phrase I'm not ashamed and this is frequently found in paul's writings . In fact , if you go back to first corinthians , chapter 1 , verse 18 , he clearly states that he was not ashamed of the gospel . But remember he talked about how he was foolishness to the Greeks and it was a stumbling block to the Jews in 1 Corinthians 1.23 . So you have these different camps , these different philosophies , these different individuals who put a stigma to spreading this message of a quote crucified Messiah . Are you kidding me ? Me like that just flew in the face of these elites . You're almost doing the work for them , like I don't have to shame you , make fun of you or put you down , because the very message that you're conveying about having

Universal Atonement and God's Love

Speaker 1 14:28

a poor rabbi who not one high institution that's regarded as credibility even wanted him . He came up with this rabbi nonsense on his own , because nobody ever wanted Jesus to be under their tutelage and he made no money . He didn't pay you to follow him . You guys slept on roadsides and were given assistance by people out of pity . And then he is an insurrectionist . He tries to overthrow Rome . The Jews reject him . The high priest , he makes a fool out of himself , turning over tables on two different occasions . He was a Galilean , so what good comes from Galilee ? See , and on and on and on . You get the point and this is what my friends , in fact , you hear even today . Nothing's new under the sun .

Speaker 1 15:22

I address this on my book hijacking Jesus , about progressive Christians how they like to refer to Jesus as a liberator , but he's not savior because he's not God in the flesh . They don't believe in the incarnation . And when it comes to the atonement of Jesus , oh , that is one of the worst doctrines of Christianity to say that Jesus was stripped naked and crucified to forgive us of our sins . What God would do that to his son and bring utter shame to its teachings . So this is what Paul was up against in the Greco-Roman era and that's why he's saying I'm not ashamed , you guys think that a crucified Messiah , that I'm telling you guys that he fulfilled scripture and you're saying that I'm a fool in believing this . And this is reflecting his strong belief because it's in the divine truth and power of what he believes . And that is the gospel . And who is the gospel ? It's Jesus Christ .

Speaker 1 16:21

So one of the things I encourage people when it comes to not just jumping into tactics and ways to share your faith and that's important , don't get me wrong but it's first helping the believer in Christ have intimacy with Jesus , to know who he is , to understand the transformation that has taken place in your life . Because this word salvation now again is speaking of being delivered by God from all forms of evil . So there's not one thing that you have committed or has been done to you or that is in this world . There's no amount of darkness in this world . There's no amount of darkness . You can take all the demons in the world and in the spiritual realm , including Satan himself , all the wrongs and evil acts . That is not more powerful than Christ's forgiveness . In fact , isaiah 52 , verse seven , says this how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him . Who brings good news , who publishes peace , who brings good news of happiness , who publishes salvation , who says to Zion your God reigns . You see , my friends , when Paul says for I'm not ashamed of the gospel , for it is the power of God for salvation , this word salvation again is being delivered from all forms of evil .

Speaker 1 17:54

God's redemption is so powerful that catch this . It saves people from number one , his wrath , which Paul will later deal with in chapter five , verse nine . It saves us from the death of sin in chapter six , verse six . And it saves us from being condemned . It takes us out of that state of condemnation and we're given eternal life . In Romans five , nine and 10 , it says since , therefore , we have now been justified by his blood , much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God . For if , while we were enemies , we were reconciled to God by death of his son , much more now that we are reconciled shall we be saved by his life .

Speaker 1 18:40

So , when you get the opportunity to share your faith , to share the gospel . You and I have been saved by the life of Christ . So remember I said in a minute ago know the person of Jesus , know about his life , know about his teachings , know about his miracles , his healings , know about His commandments , what he has taught us . And so , if you've never done that , years ago we did a chronological study . That's how we started the podcast throughout the Gospels , in chronological order . So you're not just going to get the book of Matthew , mark , luke and John , you're going to get all their different accounts , how I have pieced them together in the three and a half years of Jesus's Galilean ministry before he was crucified and rose again on Easter Sunday . So if you've never explored the life , death and resurrection of Jesus , I encourage you to go through that study on this podcast . Just scroll all the way back to the beginning .

Speaker 1 19:47

You have to know the life of Jesus because the Bible says here in Romans 5 , verse 10 , that we are saved by his life , what he has done . We've been reconciled . This word reconciled I've shared this a lot and it's so important this is one of the words that we use when we talk about salvation is we have been restored . We have been mended like , again , fishing nets . If they have holes in them they're not effective to catch fish , so they need to be mended , they need to be restored . Or when we have a broken bone and it needs to be realigned in order for it to heal and strengthen again so that you can walk , so we're able to walk in the newness of life because of the life , death and resurrection of Jesus .

Speaker 1 20:34

Dr NT Wright , in his book Paul and the Faithfulness of God , notes that the gospel is the message of Jesus as the risen Messiah and Lord who has fulfilled God's promises to Israel and has brought them to the whole world . And that's what Paul's saying . I'm not ashamed of . So you give me Jews . I'm going to share with them , from their perspective , who Jesus is the Messiah . Of course he's sharing to the Greeks that Jesus is the Messiah , but he has probably a different approach , and we see this in Acts , chapter 17 .

Speaker 1 21:02

The jews didn't have many gods . They had one true god and they're showing him . That's what that is . Paul is showing them how jesus is god and that he's the messiah , the one that they've been believing and hoping would come one day , and one of the biggest things . He proves to them as evidence that Jesus is the Messiah is that he fulfilled prophecy , the prophecies that spoke of the Messiah . And then he says to everyone who believes so when you put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ , it's not going to be a 50 , 50 , 70 , 30 , it's a hundred percent .

Speaker 1 21:38

You put your faith and trust in the crucifixion of Jesus Christ , the sacrificial lamb , that he was placed on the cross and that serves as universal atonement . This is what John says in 1 John 2 , verse 2 . He says John 2 , verse 2 , he says he is the propitiation or the word , is atonement for our sins . Who is Jesus is Not for ours only , but also for the sins of the whole world . So when the Bible says for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son , and what did his son do ? His son atoned for the sins of mankind . So you take John 3 , 16 and 17 and apply to 1 John 2 , verse 2 in what we just read in Romans 5 , 9-10 . And already there you have three different passages of scripture that are speaking about the salvation of Jesus Christ . That's universal atonement . You know the early church fathers when you think of .

Speaker 1 22:41

One of the guys I love studying is Saint Athanasius . He taught that Christ's incarnation in his sacrificial death serves as a ransom for humanity to restore its broken communion with God due to sin . Anselm great book he wrote , called Cure Deus Homo , and he presented Christ's death as fulfillment of divine justice for every human being , while the reformers supported this universal atonement , but they stressed that this was only

The Power of God for Salvation

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applied to believers . So one thing that I would say is , when you think of God's unconditional love , is that he loves all mankind . He doesn't show partiality , and Christ , who came into this world , died for all mankind . That whoever believes in him shall be saved . Right , they shall come to the knowledge of the truth , they will inherit eternal life .

Speaker 1 23:31

So what we would say in this , when we're talking about unconditional love , universal atonement , is that the effects of it are applicable , meaning they apply to those who put their faith in it . So it's never one of those things where sometimes it works . Most of the time it does , especially on a good sunny day . No , anybody who puts their faith and trust in Jesus Christ , they're saved . So Jesus Christ atoned . Okay , the effects of it are for all mankind , but that doesn't mean that all mankind will be saved because they have to put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ , just like Ephesians 2 , 8 , 9 says for by grace we've been saved .

Speaker 1 24:07

Through faith , so through God's grace Jesus came . Through God's grace he died on the cross for all mankind , desiring that all men come to the knowledge of the truth . That doesn't mean that all will , because that's God's preferred will . The truth , that doesn't mean that all will , because that's God's preferred will . Now , he determined , his determined will was that justification would be a part of history , would be part of the process of restoring his creation . Because sin does not win . In the end God's grace does . He will restore things back to its original state . So when he says it's not our doing but it's a gift of God , it's not the result of works . So we don't boast . And that's what we have to understand with this tension between God's act and human free will .

Speaker 1 24:58

Now , in his anti-Pelagian writings this is interesting , st Augustine he defended grace as God's unmerited favor , which was reinforced at the Council of Orange in 529 . And later supported by both Luther and Calvin during the Reformation through their emphasis on solo fide . So the gift of salvation , that is , the free gift of salvation , is rooted in Christ's finished work . So this isn't something we concoct or we negotiate or we figure out on our own . The gift is offered freely and it's offered to those who put their faith freely in him . So the invitation is there . The response needs to be by faith . This is articulated . I do believe in this area that not that I agree 100% to the Westminster Confession , but I do agree when they state that justification becomes accessible to every believer who has faith in Christ , because it is received through faith alone , without considering their merit or their . So that's why when Paul says to the Jew first and also to the Greek , that is the gift .

Speaker 1 26:10

This is something the Jews had abandoned , I would say in some cases suppressed . That we will see later in the book of Romans . This is the history of the Jewish people that many believe , like Abraham , isaac and Jacob , the patriarchs , the foreshadowing of the Messiah to come . This isn't saying that the Jews are greater . This is just saying that God started with a nation and it started with Abram who becomes Abraham . And we see the covenant from Genesis 12 , genesis 15 , and Genesis 17 , that through the Jewish people , the gospel would shine forth and out of the Jewish people , out of that seed from the tribe of Judah would come Jesus , the Messiah , who would come from the line of Jesse , who was the father of David , who is the greatest king of Israel in Israel's history , and you see this again in 2 Samuel , chapter 7 .

Speaker 1 27:13

So that's what he's saying to the Jew first , but then he's saying also to the Gentiles , because everyone has equal access to God and every single one of us who put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ can walk in the newness of life . Why ? Because the life of Jesus Christ , who came into this world , lived a perfect life , died on the cross and rose again . And when you put your faith and trust in the life and death and burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ , that he's Lord and savior , you will be saved . So , my friends , in , you will be saved .

Speaker 1 27:48

So , my friends , in a nutshell , are you eager to share Christ

To the Jew First, Then the Greek

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? If so , are you strengthened by the truth of what we learned today to be bold enough to jump into those situations and to share your testimony , share how Christ has transformed your life ? You don't have to have it all together , you don't have to have all the answers , but I do want to encourage you guys that if you say , jason , I'm there with you , but I do know that I need to learn more and I'd like to learn more . Well , number one you're listening to this podcast and I so appreciate that . I want you to know that too .

Speaker 1 28:19

You can go to stanstrongministriesorg and you can check out all the resources that we made available . You can specifically search for evangelism , but I have two resources . One is Stand Strong in your Faith . It's a book you can get on Amazon . And two , grab my Q&A book , the Bible's Answers to 100 of Life's Big , biggest questions , and in that I do specifically address how you can share your faith , how you can defend your faith , and we cover so many other questions in 12 different subject matters and topics that can really equip you . So when you are in those situations you're gonna be better equipped .

Speaker 1 28:58

Because we're doing all of this , you guys , to help men and women just like you , your families , to know Jesus Christ , to not be ashamed of the gospel but to know its power and , as such , to go out there in the world where God has called you , in that power , to share the love of Jesus Christ .

Resources for Strong Faith

Speaker 1 29:17

So I pray this has been a great encouragement to you guys . I appreciate you guys listening . Do me a favor , please . If this ministry has helped you grow in your faith and help you stand strong in the word , leave us a review , share this with your friends and consider becoming a stand strong supporter by going to standstrongministriesorg forward . Slash , donate . It's all tax exempt , but you can help us continue to propel this ministry to the world . Until next time , keep standing strong in your faith .