Do Not Be Ashamed

Why do we act as though we are?

Last night I took my girls to Vacation Bible School at a local church and they also offered an adult class (which is rare these days) to which I gladly participated in. The pastor taught the adult class and did a fine job. He would stop and ask questions during the class for us to answer. I sat and waited for one of his church members to answer… silence … so I answered. No big deal and others started to answer too. I think we just needed someone to break the ice. One question came up near the end: Share about your salvation/being saved? Total silence, so I shared about my salvation in Christ and I also included “I’m very thankful to be saved”, I’m happy! Shouldn’t we all be? Other than myself, the pastor, and one other gentleman there was silence. We had about 18 in the class. People who go to church. People who claim to be saved.

I think of Jude 3a “Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share,” Jude wanted to write a letter about the salvation that we all share he was excited about being born again! Why aren’t we? Shouldn’t we be excited to speak of the wonders of Jesus and His glorious triumphs? Are we ashamed, are we timid, is there a spirit of complacency on the loose, do we not care about the immeasurable riches that are in Christ? Are we blind to Amazing Grace? Is the sound not sweet anymore?

2nd Timothy 1:7-9

Again, this is not condemnation but a reminder that we are saved by God’s own purpose and grace so we should never be ashamed to testify about our Lord! This is just as much a call for me to examine my own self just as much as it is for you the reader. Let us not be ashamed to proclaim the wonders of Christ! If we cannot talk about Christ openly in church then what makes you think that you will do it outside?

Or maybe we do not want to suffer for the gospel. There’s a thought for us to chew on. Rightly dividing the Word, rightly preaching the Word, rightly testifying to the Word, rightly living the Word will cause suffering for the gospel.

Even from “God’s own people”. But that’s another thought for another day.

Let us not be ashamed to testify to the goodness and mercy of The Lord! Be thankful today that He has saved you according to His own purpose and grace.

Let us be like Jude, let us be eager to talk about the salvation that we share in Christ.