I'm not ashamed of the Good News. It is God's power to save everyone who believes, Jews first and Greeks as well. Romans 1:16
Why
would Paul say that he is not ashamed of the gospel? The gospel's
association with the death on the cross, which was the most shameful way
to die, could have meant that those associated with it also associated
with the shame of the cross. It was this shame that the apostle Paul
referred to. This may not be the same in our time, but there are other
things that seek to make the gospel a thing to be ashamed of. It may be a
class cult, or a cultural thing, whatever it may be, nothing in this
world should make us ashamed of associating with the gospel, because
according to Paul, it is the power of God for the salvation of all who
will believe.
Paul
called the gospel the power of God. This is one place in all of
scripture that the power of God is defined and it settles with finality
what it means to exercise the power of God. It is so unimposing but yet
so powerful. It is so seemingly weak, yet the most outstanding
demonstration of power. I see in this the great respect that God has for
us, that even though the gospel is such powerful, yet it does not force
itself on anyone. God respects our free will and will never violate it,
even by a gospel so powerful. Ultimately, it is left to us to choose to
respond in one way or another to the appeal of the gospel.
One
great appeal of the gospel is not that God calls us to respond to Him
because He is God, but because He loves us. In the gospel we find a
loving God appealing to us through the display of His love on the cross.
This is gospel's great power.
Toni
