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- I Am Not Ashamed
(Romans 1:16-17)
Paul Ditoro
A brother has written a tract entitled, "YOU
CAN BE A CHRISTIAN WITHOUT EVER JOINING A DENOMINATION."
What a blessed thought. If we will all just follow the teachings
of the New Testament, the Lord will add us to His church (Acts
2:47), and we will then be members of that church which Jesus
purchased with His own blood (Acts 20:7). That is such a simple
solution to the religious division that exists, that it boggles
the mind to try to determine why all religious leaders have not
frantically rushed to do so. Indeed it has become the accepted
thing to do to write manuals, disciplines, articles of faith and
creedal statements, and then adopt a name that identifies their
religion with a particular person or doctrine. The precious few
who have found the solution to the problem of denominational division
find themselves being accused of being radical, legalistic, right
wing Bible thumpers. Calling someone a name for the stand they
have taken often softens the stand-taker's desire to stand. He
sometimes tucks tail and runs away from that which he knew to
be truth. In other words, some men have actually been ashamed
to teach the truth.
Unabashed Paul
It must be noticed that Paul's fervor for standing
fast in the faith did not waver even though he had suffered sore
persecution for the cause of Christ. If ever there was one who
could have claimed an excuse for not teaching the truth because
of discouragement and persecution, it was Paul (2 Corinthians
11:23-29); however Paul clearly declared that he was not ashamed
of the gospel of Christ (Romans 1:16). The apostle admitted that
his motivation to preach was out of his indebtedness to all men
(Romans 1:14), and he therefore became the servant of all and
became all things to all men that he might by all means save some
(1 Corinthians 9:19-22).
The power of God
What is it that has the power to snatch the souls
of men from the dominion of darkness and cause them to be translated
into the Kingdom of the Son of God's love (1 Corinthians 1:13,
14)? Paul identified the gospel as being that power of God that
could save the souls of men (Romans 1:16). This word "power"
is from the Greek word "dunamis" from which we have
our word dynamite. Only the power of that gospel of the death,
burial and resurrection of Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-3) could
defeat Satan. The first man Adam became a living being. The last
Adam became a life-giving spirit (1 Corinthians 15:45). When one
obeys this gospel from the heart that one is made free from sin
(Romans 6:3, 4, 17, 18).
The righteousness of God
This powerful gospel message also reveals the
righteousness of God. For in it the righteousness of God is
revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just
shall live by faith" (Rom 1:17). Man learns how to be
regarded as righteous through obeying this gospel message. "Righteousness"
is from dikaiosune which means equity (of character or
act); specially (Christian) justification. Then Paul says the
just shall live by faith. The word "just" is
from dikaios equitable (in character or act); by implication,
innocent, holy (absolutely or relatively). Note the similarity
between dikaiosune and dikaios. We learn how to
be righteous by faith. And since Paul was made an apostle to teach
obedience to the faith, righteousness is imputed unto us when
we obey that gospel (Romans 4:22-25). The righteousness that God
imputes to us is not on the basis of anything we have earned (Titus
3:5), but on the basis of our obeying the gospel of the death,
burial and resurrection of Christ. Since the just are those who
live by faith, the guidebook for the just is the word of God (Romans
10:17).
A prescription for unity
Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong
(1 Cor 16:13). It is only as men are courageous enough willing
to be guided solely by and to earnestly contend for the faith
that was once for all time delivered unto the saints (Jude 3)
that we can all be a part of that one saved body, the church of
Christ (Ephesians 4:4).