ti-dingz blog| Not Ashamed
I am Not Ashamed of the Gospel
… many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not openly acknowledge their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved human praise more than praise from God.
John 12:42–43, NIV
Some people find it harder than others to share the gospel. Still others struggle to even disclose they are believers for fear of being ostracised. They do not want to be rejected by family or friends and certainly do not like the idea of being whispered about.
Generally, we are not prepared to endure any long-term hardship for the promotion of the gospel. Belonging, having friends, and being liked is something we naturally all desire. It is much easier being a Christian in the company of other Christians than it is to stand alone.
The cost of declaring Christ may seem significant, but in the Western world the price is relatively small.
A history of persecution
In Peter’s first letter, he wrote, “if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.” (4:16, NIV).
In the first century, Christians often met violent opposition. In fact, almost all of Jesus’ disciples are reported to have suffered martyrdom. The Bible tells us Stephen was stoned and James, the brother of John, was put to death by the sword (Acts 7:59; 12:2). Historians suggest Peter, Andrew, and Philip were crucified; Simon the Zealot was mutilated; Matthew was burnt at the stake; Jude was impaled; and Paul was beheaded*.
As Christianity spread throughout Europe and the British Isles, countless numbers of Christians were tortured and burned at the stake. History reminds us of the great price individuals paid for their faith, yet their sacrifices were not in vain, because the impact was immeasurable.
Persecution today and the fear of exclusion
The persecution of Christians has not ceased and currently, according to ‘Open Doors World Watch’ approximately 360 million Christians globally suffer for their faith.
Persecution takes many forms, including excommunication by family and community, imprisonment, abuse, torture, and death.
In the relative ease of the West, we can cringe at the thought of proclaiming Christ and at strategic times we hide the fact that we are His followers so as not to lose esteem among new or existing peers.
The apostle John said that many, even among the leaders believed in him yet, they would not acknowledge this in front of others because they wanted the people’s approval more than God’s (12:42). These men did not want to be excluded from their daily activities; they feared being put out of the synagogue, the centre of both worship and community.
This same fear of exclusion can influence us today.
Being Ashamed - the price
John was an old man spurring the believers on from Ephesus when he wrote, “Continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed” (1 John 2:28 NIV).
If we stand with Christ now, when He appears we will have confidence to look Him in the eye and not turn away ashamed of ourselves because we publicly distanced ourselves from Him. No one likes being shunned, but we cannot pretend that we do not know Christ to save our reputation. How can we be silent about the one who loves us and gave everything for us?
Maybe you are a leader or someone who holds a position of authority, and there are people who look-up-to and respect you. Due to your desire to keep their admiration, you may not have been forthright about the conviction of your heart. The fact is, the longer you leave it, the more difficult it will become, and the barefaced truth is that if you are not prepared to acknowledge openly whose team you are on, Christ will take your lack of confession as a rejection.
Plainly stated, Jesus pronounced, “Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory …” (Luke 9:26 NIV).
Favour with people is fleeting, favour with God is forever
Seeking the approval of others is an age-old problem that God has chastened His people about for thousands of years.
Through the prophet Isaiah He said, “Stop trusting in mere humans, who have but a breath in their nostrils. Why hold them in esteem?” (Isa. 2:22 NIV).
The problem with trying to impress people is that we can never impress them enough and being ‘in favour’ is momentary. On the other hand, when we have the favour of the Almighty, we have eternal rewards (Rev.2:12, James 1:12).
Why not be courageous?
Start sharing the gospel today! Bring good ti-dingz (tidingz, tidings) to those who are waiting to hear about Jesus Christ.
Here are our handy hints on ‘How to hand out gospel tracts’. Find our range of gospel tracts made in Australia here.
Blessings Deb
ti-dingz (tidingz, tidings) GOOD NEWS INPRINT
*Ruffin, CB 1997, The Twelve: The lives of the Apostles After Calvary, Our Sunday Visitor, Huntington, IN, 185–6; MacArthur, J 2002, Twelve Ordinary Men, Thomas Nelson, TN, 60, 157.