Not Ashamed Of The Gospel In Context

“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. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” (Romans 1:16-17)

The word gospel means good news.

In Paul’s letter to the Romans, the good news he teaches about is the good news of God’s grace that God has freely given to us in Jesus for the purpose of giving us the gift of righteousness - a gift we receive simply by faith - and reconciling us to himself in a love relationship where we know God as Father.

Paul expounds upon the good news of grace in his letter to the Romans.

In the above verse, Paul writes that he is not ashamed of the gospel because “it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.”

We see that the gospel, the good news of grace, is from God and is the power of God for salvation.

The good news of grace comes from God and changes lives!

Because grace comes from God and powerfully changes the lives of people through salvation, Paul was not embarrassed to communicate the good news of God’s grace.

This was because Paul did not crave the acceptance of his previous mentors or those currently held in high esteem among the believers in Jesus.

He did not seek their approval of his message of grace.

He did not fear their rejection or the loss of his reputation among them.

He knew he and God’s truths of grace would be slandered by those holding to their traditional beliefs.

Simply put, Paul’s opponents were embarrassed by grace.

They viewed grace as being light on sin and giving people a license to sin.

They viewed grace as leading people further from God and deeper into sin.

Yet Paul, but most importantly God, viewed grace quite differently from his opponents.

Paul viewed grace as the life-saving, life-changing power of God.

Paul knew God’s grace, freely given to us in Jesus, would make people right with God, resulting in peace with God, and lead them into a love-relationship with God as their Father.

Paul knew living by the grace of God and not the law of Moses would lead most people further away from sin, though some used grace as a license to sin (Romans 6).

Therefore, Paul was not ashamed of the gospel of grace.

I have met Bible teachers over the years who are ashamed of the gospel of grace.

One told me he would be fired from his church if he taught the good news of God’s grace; even though he knew it was true, he refused to teach it.

Another pastor said he was afraid of being accused by others as being “against the law” and “giving people a license to sin”.

Therefore, he refused to teach it in its fullness because he craved the acceptance and approval of his mentors, leaders, and many others.

Sadly, they are ashamed of grace.

Paul wasn’t, however; therefore, he taught it in its unfiltered, undiluted truth of the good news of grace.

He knew the good news of God’s grace was from God and was the power of God to save and change lives.

Therefore, Paul was not ashamed of grace.