Unashamed

“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.” ~ Romans 1:16

The dictionary definition of “ashamed” states, “embarrassed or guilty because of one's actions, characteristics, or associations.” “The Gospel” refers to the revelation of Jesus as the Christ and how He saves humanity from sin and death. The Apostle Paul proclaimed the Gospel as “the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.” Belief opens one to receive new birth and eternal life. Therefore, everyone who claims to be saved and ready for heaven upon their death and yet acts ashamed of the Gospel that makes it possible is incomplete. 

Consider for a moment those parts of your life for which you bear no shame. Perhaps it’s your favorite sports team or beloved alma mater. You wear clothing with emblems; you put stickers and plates on your car, you fly a flag in your yard. Maybe you are unashamed of your political orientation, so you make similar displays of your allegiance. What else do you sincerely believe and to which are shamelessly devoted? 

Suppose it was a simple matter of loyalty to one thing or another. In that case, one could be justified in a shared enthusiasm, usually the case concerning sports teams and universities. However, some people are radically devoted to ideologies that lead them into actions and words that oppress and injure others. Their unashamed commitment is incomplete without the acquiescence of those whom they suppose reject them and their belief. Many unite within churches and denominations. 

It is not surprising that most Christians remain silent about their dedication to Christ. Those who are so thoroughly devoted to certain human ideologies tend to be obsessed with the defeat or surrender of those they oppose. It is no wonder that peace-loving and honorable persons fear speaking up for balance and measured discipline. Even so, there are times when embarrassment replaces justifiable fear. When peer pressure and the desires of the flesh lead one’s self will to resist the Holy Spirit within him, it is a gospel joyfully received and then hidden under a basket. 

Jesus said, “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.” and “Whoever hates me hates my Father also.” Therefore, if one is unashamed of the Gospel, he is sure to be hated because of his association with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Be on guard then so that oppression and hatred directed against you are not due to your tastes and disdain for the ideologies you oppose. Jesus said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’ and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.” 

Recall the previous weekly encouragement: Rejection and persecution await the insurgent disciple of Christ. Sadly, much of it will come from within one’s closest relationships. The ironic resistance of self-proclaimed “Christians,” pious devotees to a religion or spiritual ideal, and fellow church members will cause faithless institutions to exile their members. There will even be character assassinations and physical harm. It may be hard to hear, but more than 2000 years of Christian history affirms these facts. Insurgents are not identified by a fierce devotion to ideologies. Instead, they are known for their unashamed commitment to the Gospel of Christ. Who said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”

The Insurgency

“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” ~ Mark 1:15

Reading the entire bible from beginning to end opens one’s eyes to the unprecedented paradigm shift that occurred when Christ made the declaration of “the Kingdom.” Beginning with Eden and then with the Promised Land, God’s chosen people are residents of a sacred realm within the world of Satan’s chaos. Now, Jesus declares the Kingdom reign of God on Earth. His empire emerged from Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and now spreads throughout the World. Kingdom colonies typically start with insurgents dedicated to undermining the rule of the Enemy. Kingdom cells form as the insurgency spreads and, in time, the King’s servants dominate whole communities.  

This militant language should not deceive persons into thinking the King’s servants speak or act violently. Far from it! King Jesus Christ declared, 

When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

Christ’s servants will risk venturing into the borderlands of the Kingdom so that the lost seekers may be found and gathered. Insurgents will go to the places and people they once associated with, but they will not return to their old ways. Instead, they will present themselves in non-violent, accessible servant-leadership to earn trust and share a new vision. 

One must be radically devoted to Christ the King to be such an insurgent. His devotion will cause discord within families, social networks, and communities. Inevitable conflicts of interest will arise, and one’s reputation will suffer. It will be necessary to question one’s allegiances and embrace the cost of discipleship as a King’s servant. Inevitably, one will realize that there is little room for compromise as one adopts the disciplines of the insurgency. 

  Rejection and persecution await the insurgent disciple of Christ. Sadly, much of it will come from within one’s closest relationships. The ironic resistance of self-proclaimed “Christians,” pious devotees to a religion or spiritual ideal, and fellow church members will cause faithless institutions to exile their members. There will even be character assassinations and physical harm. It may be hard to hear, but over 2000 years of Christian history affirms these facts. 

One must honestly consider the cost of Christian discipleship while reading the New Testament. It must be apparent that it is incompatible with worldly sensibilities and devotion to the flesh. Likewise, it must be evident that a lack of discomfort for the King’s sake indicates lukewarm devotion to Him. Nevertheless, the Kingdom grows exponentially every day, and fellow insurgent servants are close at hand to comfort and encourage. Even some pastors and their congregations choose to serve the King above all else.  

Worldly Religion

And in the days of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever, ~ Daniel 2:44

After returning from exile, nothing was ever quite the same in Jerusalem. However, by the time of Jesus, the city would be heavily populated and progressive again - mainly due to the efforts of King Herrod the Great. Temple worship resumed and generated substantial commerce. Nevertheless, something was missing.  Religion replaced the relationship with God. The traditions and social expectations became more critical than the heart of the Law that informed the customs. Religious structures and influence grew while devotion to the LORD shriveled. There were cultural Jews, religious Jews, and seekers. 

Cultural Jews were worldly people whose relationship with their religion was minimal and whose language and religious heritage informed values and habits, but little more. Religious Jews took themselves and their faith very seriously. The appearance of righteousness and the approval and admiration of other religious Jews meant a great deal to them. They tended to worship the Law more than its author. Seekers lived within the culture and practiced the religion but hungered for more. They wanted to know why they should perpetuate the traditions. They wondered why religious leaders acted like the Messianic promises would never be fulfilled. They sought comfort from their religion and intimacy with their God. Christianity followed an identical pathway throughout its history. Today there are cultural and religious Christians, and there are seekers. Which are you? 

The Prophet Daniel foresaw the destruction of the Temple and the devastation of Jerusalem that occurred in 70 A.D. In the passage above, Daniel describes the end of all kingdoms, cultures, and customs - this too shall surely come to pass. When it does, will your culture and traditions matter? The King of the indestructible Kingdom will measure all things. This same King invites you into a personal relationship with Him. He alone made a way to be saved from inevitable destruction. His love for you will save you and make you welcome in His Father’s house for all eternity. 

Cultural Christians and Jews still reject Him as their King. Nevertheless, persevering seekers will find Him, especially when the citizens of His Kingdom raise the King’s banner high. Then, their sanctified (separated) lives will bear witness to His leadership. Their radical peace and joy will infect them even while secular Christians and Jews mock them and reject them. 

Where do you see cultural Christianity and worldly religion in and around your life? How can you cultivate a more intimate relationship with the King, Christ Jesus? What can you do to join with other seekers and disciples? Are you aware of others in your church who hunger for more? How can you band together for service to the King before it’s too late?

God's Plans and Suffering

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” ~ Jeremiah 29:11

This famous verse comes amid pages of lamentation. Jeremiah, sometimes called “the weeping prophet” because of his grief-laden words, warns God’s people of impending doom. The mournful lament of God enhances the prophet’s sorrow for his homeland and its people as He speaks through Jeremiah. It is a verse often used out of context as a promise of God. It is, in fact, the pleading of a benevolent, loving Master who is witnessing the disaster that He foresaw as they strayed from His precepts. To grasp its true meaning, one must imagine the words spoken through sobbing.  

The old covenant prophets frequently admonished the leaders of the people against oppression and neglect, especially of the poor, the widowed, and the orphaned. It seems that worship of false gods and disregard for the helpless go hand in hand. The false gods of the flesh encourage pride and lead to intensifying selfishness and generate oppression. When hard times come home to roost among the prosperous and powerful, they will cry out, “Why, O Lord? What have we done to deserve this?” They will claim entitlement because of their proud support of institutional religion and their union with like-minded social worshipers. They even punish the prophet who holds them accountable in God’s Name. 

An old saying proclaims that there are none so blind as those who will not see. It is trustworthy and true. No wonder the LORD weeps when he watches the people whom He loves relentlessly sliding into the open mouth of Satan, who roams the earth looking for a soul to devour. Sometimes the Father allows punishment to redeem the lost. An unraveling selfish paradigm can expose its owner to repentance and transformation. Like Adam, he is now aware of his nakedness before God. Raw humility and supplication stir the LORD’s compassion so that He covers naked sin and compassionately raises the contrite heart. 

The self-made man or woman who credits success to ambition and shrewd dealing will find it hard to turn toward repentance and submission. Sacrificing it all to the LORD in exchange for His wisdom is often too much to consider. That was Israel and Judah’s problem. They had become so sure of themselves that they disregarded the source of all life and sustenance. They had forgotten the God who led them out of slavery, trained them, and made a place for them to prosper. 

The next time it feels as if God has abandoned you, consider your life and its choices and consequences. Think about what your pride and selfishness may have wrought. Consider the siren call of the gods of the flesh. Think about the poor, the widow, the orphan, and all oppressed by matters beyond their control. To what extent have you engaged them? The prophet still calls upon the influential and powerful persons to repent their pride and abandon their oppression. He cries out to those who control their lives to resist spiritual, intellectual, and physical laziness. He comforts the victims of circumstance and wickedness, assuring them of the LORD’s plans for hope and prosperity. 

God's Forgetfulness

“For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind.” ~ Isaiah 65:17

The prophet Isaiah spoke to the kings and religious leaders of the southern kingdom, Judah. Even as he delivered God’s Word of judgment and retribution for their violations of the covenant, Isiah shared God’s plan for salvation and re-creation. All sin is known to God. Sin always has consequences. Even so, God desires to make our scarlet sin as white as snow. God even deployed a plan that exceeded human capacity. A child is born, a Son given. He will take the punishment for the transgression of sinners and justify them before God by His blood. 

What a fantastic encouragement from the Scripture! Over the last month and a half, those who have journeyed through the entire bible became keenly aware of chosen people’s sin. There is sufficient evidence to support God’s occasional desire to destroy them, but God does not. Even while they are utterly depraved, God still sought to redeem them, if only for the sake of a few covenant-keepers. The LORD even offered signs of a plan to make an unbreakable covenant through one, even THE ONE. 

Given that we are all guilty of sin, which is to disregard God in any way, the fact that we don’t generally do some of the awful things the chosen people did is little comfort. It turns out that one sin is as bad as another when placed under the light of God’s perfect holiness. Even so, the LORD sees in us a soul worth saving for all eternity, and the LORD is willing to do whatever it takes to make it so. Have you ever felt the sadness that comes when someone you look up to gives up on you? When you think that you will never live up to his/her expectations and you feel dismissed as a failure or loser, it is devastating. Everyone needs approval from particular persons in their lives. When those people cruelly reject you, it can break you for a lifetime. 

The Heavenly Father believed in you from the beginning. He sees your sin and your potential.  He gives you guiding principles to live by for His love’s sake. The Father settles your compounding debt before you obtain an accounting of it. He buys your debt with His Son’s blood and then cancels it because of His Son’s love. There is no expectation too hard to meet; no disgusting head-shaking condemnation from an unholy judge. The Father does not give up on you, nor does He consider you a loser - far from it!

Sin’s consequences are evident in all aspects of life in the world. Yet, the effect of over 2000 years of Holy Spirit-filled Christians is equally undeniable. Even flawed, perishable humans can change the world when they are born again in the Spirit. What are you doing with the gift of redemption and your new life in Christ? How have you tapped into supernatural mercy and grace; constructive and creative energies, and profound expressions of beauty? With the LORD’s Spirit, your best is always good enough and you are not a loser. In fact, when you sacrifice self-pity and cease to make excuses, you are presenting yourself as a sweet aroma to the LORD.