How many times have you been (and let’s be honest, no one’s watching as you read this, it’s between you and God) in some way ashamed to be connected with Jesus or God’s values? You know, when it’s just easier to go along with conversation or remain silent about a crucial God-matter, like abortion or same sex marriage or some other popular anti-God idea. It’s so much easier not to affirm the truth, than to affirm it.
I write to my shame that I’ve let opportunities pass too many times than I care to remember, and in so doing have shown that on these occasions that I was ashamed of the Gospel.
But what I find really amazing about the statement ‘I’m not ashamed of the Gospel’ is that Paul wrote it. You’d think Paul would be the last person, after preaching the Gospel across the width and breadth of the Roman Empire, after being imprisoned many times for his faith, being stoned and beaten for preaching it, to make this statement.
So why does he assert that he’s...not ashamed of the Gospel, when his life’s ministry clearly shows he isn’t? It’s like saying ‘the sky is blue’...yeah, we know. Paul! we know you’re not ashamed of the Gospel, so why you are to telling us? To find out why he said it let’s take a look at the back story.
The core message of the gospel is both offensive and ridiculous
Before you charge me with heresy, hear me out. I aver nothing more than what the New Testament teaches, namely contending that a falsely accused crucified criminal is the saviour of mankind.
Let’s be honest, that’s exactly what we believe and preach. And at face value it seems a ridiculous assertion to make. Yet Paul repeats it to the Corinthians ‘For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified’. That was the burden of his message, it’s the centre piece of the Gospel, we contend that Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified as a criminal is the saviour of the world.
Pretty crazy right! And Paul is acutely aware of this perceived folly in preaching this message and especially in Rome, the political and intellectual capital of the most powerful and brutal empire that history had seen to date.
Now, to remove all doubt about how the average Roman citizen (Paul’s audience) saw Christianity, let me bring to your attention the cover photo. This is the earliest depiction of Jesus Christ we have (between 100 - 300AD) and it isn’t flattering. Known as the ‘Alexamenos Graffiti’ it mocks a Christian believer; Alexamenos for worshipping a crucified donkey. Its purpose being to embarrass Alexamenos, who may have a member of the imperial court.
We also find similar pejorative comments in Lucian’s in ‘The Passing of Peregrines’. He derides Christians for their devotion to a ‘Crucified Sophist’, hardly an endearing remark.
But here’s the kicker, Paul knows that the Gospel will be thought of as ‘foolishness’ to the Roman elite, to the Roman philosophers, to the educated ruling class and to the common citizen, but he also wants the Roman Christians, to whom he writes, to know that he is fully aware of the reality of this apparent folly. But he does not care! In fact, he’s emboldened by its folly. Why?
Because...it is the power of God unto salvation to all who believe...for in it the Righteousness of God is being revealed.
Now we could explore this further, but I want to change course a little, in order to look at another and more helpful aspect.
It’s natural for us to have a propensity to be ashamed of the gospel
The reality is that we have proclivity to be ashamed of the Gospel, because this is apparent folly, and sadly it’s reflexive in most of us. And if you were to be brutally honest, then you’ll agree with me. After all who wants to bear the brunt of the ridicule of our peers, by trying to convince them, that God sacrificed his son on a cross to offer them salvation? It’s a hard gig, is it not?
So how do we conqueror our reticence to witness, and speak fearlessly (as we should) about God’s redeeming action in the world through his crucified Son?
The answer is through exercising our Faith. That was trite of me to say. Yeah, I know you’ve heard it 1,000s of times before and sadly its familiarity has numbed your senses. Notwithstanding our familiarity with the notion of faith, it stands unassailably as God’s ordained vehicle of converting sinners. When we exercise our faith by speaking the seemingly ridiculous message of the gospel, we unleash the power of God.
But here’s the thing, in contemporary churches faith has been reduced to endorsing a set of theological propositions. You know; Jesus is the Son of God, the virgin birth, the resurrection etc...well, there ya go. Sign the aforementioned doctrinal statement and you’re saved.
Not so fast, faith is not about affirming a set of historical facts only. Far from it. It’s living, alive and active.
Let me finish with Paul in Athens at the Areopagus. Now I want you to put yourself in Paul’s shoes, oops I mean sandals. He stands before let’s say an audience of 500, replete with philosophers, academics, men and women familiar with the works of Plato and Socrates and other great men of learning.
Would now not be the right time, to edge around the subject of a crucified Nazarene who will one day appear in majesty to judge the world? And try a different angle? However he knows before he raises his oratorial hand to speak that many in the audience will mock him (and they did).
But he proceeds anyway. Why? Because he has Faith, he actually believes that the Gospel...is the power of God unto salvation to all who believe’
Dear reader do you believe that?
God honoured Paul’s faith, and some in the audience became followers of Jesus.
What about you! Next time you’re in one of those God appointed moments, exercise your faith and speak. Tell them of God’s foolish message. Then trust and wait expectantly for God to move. He will not disappoint you.
Vic Matthews, has three degrees B.Optom, B.Arts & B. Christian Studies. Is available as a Guest Speaker for your next Church conference or camp. He is a fledgling author, and copywriter.
For more information visit http://www.graphw.co/
Vic Matthews' previous articles may be viewed http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/vic-matthews.html
