Spirituality Column #723

September 22, 2020

Common Christianity / Uncommon Commentary

Everyone Who Believes, Part 3

“I am obligated both to the Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and foolish.  That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome.  I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes …” – Paul, Romans 1:14-16

The Apostle Paul here declares that he was obligated, eager, and not ashamed of the Gospel; he would bravely tell anyone, anywhere the truth of Christ Jesus. 

Even Caesar in Rome, the temple mob in Jerusalem, or heretics in Corinth.

Often, I wish I had Paul’s chutzpah.  In Athens at the Areopagus (Acts 17:16-34), Paul was shrewd and convincing telling of “the unknown God” who was greater than all others.  His message – perhaps his fullest and most dramatic speech in the Bible – was effective and showed that Paul could fit Christ’s truth to any audience.  Quite a talent.

Most Christians – “everyone who believes” – “get” that, and we try.  We know we are joyously tasked to share the Good Word with all, but probably fall somewhere short of Paul’s resolve.  We generally love to tell others about our faith and are joyous when our witness bears fruit (i.e., folks listen and believe), but we hate rejection and know we are not Paul.  Yet in all personal seriousness, over these past couple of decades encompassing my own Christian journey, I never recall being ashamed or hiding from openly declaring my faith, “Yes, I am a Christian.  Yes, I believe in Jesus.”  Easy as that.

And from theological, doctrinal, mission, testimony, and action standpoints, “everyone who believes,” in my observation, tends to gather on the same general page: not ashamed. We may wonder what to do with Jesus, but we know we found Him.

(Folks ask, “How do I know I am a Christian?”  A good indication is if you publicly, sincerely, and without hesitation profess it without being ashamed.  Even if you can’t tell others, be sure to talk it over with God.  Jesus and the Holy Spirit already understand.)

This whole line of “shame” reflection started a few weeks back when my long-time, Christian-raised but largely unchurched buddy Bo – a great guy – asked, innocently enough, if I was ever “embarrassed” about being a Christian.

I had thought about shame, courage, and perseverance, but not “embarrassed.” 

Surprised, I reflexively but kindly said, “No,” adding, approximately, that “Christian” expresses deeply and truly who I am so it would never occur to me to be “embarrassed” by it, at least not in the worldly, outside-the-flock way Bo meant it.  But I could also see his point; we Christians often do look a little weird to those standing around the corral and not quite understanding what the herd on the inside is all about.

From my own experience, I will say that being among the herd is a great comfort and multiplies my personal strength and faith knowing I’m around other believers. That chases the weirdness and “embarrassment” away, but it’s not something I could have ever seen from outside the fence.  Weirdness is replaced by joy; that’s the inside job.

We’ll wrap this series up next week with a half-dozen or so features of Christian faith that say nothing, really, of salvation, sin, forgiveness, or eternity, but features that dramatically enrich the lives we live now; lives that were created in love to glorify God.

Needless to say, I’m not the least bit embarrassed to share them with you.

Walters (rlwcom@aol.com) was drawn to Christians, not repulsed by them.