Not Ashamed
by Pastor Cornelius R. Stam
by Pastor Cornelius R. Stam
The Apostle Paul uses three wonderful phrases in Romans One: “I am debtor” (Ver.14), “I am ready” (Ver.15), and “I am not ashamed” (Ver.16).
As God’s appointed Apostle to the Gentiles, Paul declared: “I am debtor both to the Greeks and to the barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise”.
The gospel now was no longer to be confined to Israel, but was to go to all nations, and Paul felt himself a debtor to proclaim it, first because God had appointed him to do so, and second, because he held in his hands that which would save the lost. He was morallyobligated — and so are Christians today.
Notice: the Apostle did not say, “I am debtor, but”
and then begin to give a thousand excuses, as so many Christians do. He
said: “I am debtor…SO…” and his fidelity to his call is seen as he
adds: “So, as much as in me is,I am ready to preach the gospel” (Rom.1:15).
Oh, that the millions of Christians today would join Paul and say: “I AM READY to preach the gospel with all that is in me”.
But in Verse 16, the Apostle explains why he was ready to put his all into proclaiming the gospel to the Gentiles:
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; unto the Jew first and also to the Greek [Gentile or Nations]” (Rom.1:16).
Many
thousands of Jews had already come to trust Christ as Saviour, but the
good news of Christ’s finished work of redemption was — and is — “the
power of God unto salvation to EVERY ONE that believeth”.
Surely
there is no other way. None of the pagan religions can give the
assurance of salvation. They all represent efforts to find or earn
salvation. Only the gospel, the good news of our Lord’s payment for sin
can give us the knowledge, the assurance and the joy of salvation from
sin.
Transformed By
Grace -
Kevin Sadler
Transformed By Grace
#1 - Unity in Christ
Transformed By Grace #2 - One Body in
Christ
Transformed By Grace #3 - The Apostle of
Grace
Transformed By Grace #4 - The Gifts of
Christ
Posted By Cecil and
Connie Spivey
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