2/22- Declaring God’s Glory in Identifying – Romans 1:16

2/22- Declaring God’s Glory in Identifying – Romans 1:16

¹⁶ For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. (Romans 1:16)

“But my righteous one will live by faith.    And I take no pleasure     in the one who shrinks back.”³⁹ But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved. (Hebrews 10:38,39)

Thoughts: In the culture of America and much of the West, there is great pressure to be ashamed of the gospel.  At the very least, the secular world would like- even require that we keep the gospel private, quiet, and restricted.  As Christians shrink back in fear of offending others, the church also shrinks back.  It is easier and more comfortable for Christians to retreat to their churches, and keep to themselves in a Christian ghetto or Christian fortress.  When we do so we not only wither but we also start to think too self-righteously.  We should always wish to please God more than man- who wish to be left alone in their comfortable sin.  But we also need to recognize that people need the power of God in life because there will be a point where we are powerless.  The Gospel is the power to rescue us because we need to be rescued and saved from troubles, problems, hurt, harm, and sins.  Paul did not flinch from sharing faith.  He went from persecuting Christians to risking his life to share the Christ-faith.  He knew the power- and we need to recapture the importance of the power of God that keeps us from being ashamed of the gospel. Paul was not ashamed of identifying with Christ, and we should not be ashamed either.  We need to look for ways to identify with Christ, or publicly professing our faith. 

Prayer: Give me grace and strength so that I do not shrink back and so that I am not ashamed of you, O Lord- or your good news. 

A yard cross may be a simple way of identifying ourselves with Christ as a witness.