BE NOT ASHAMED OF CHRIST

Romans 10:8-11 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

It is without doubt that our lives are to be guided by God's righteousness, and not by our own self-willed righteousness, if we ever hope to possess a heavenly home. This is exactly what Paul has written in previous passages of this letter to the Roman Christians, proving that the inspired writings of God's word it contains. as found in, both the Old and New Testaments, hold the key to eternal salvation. One need not look further. If a person is taught, and diligently studies, God's inspired word, it is not difficult to understand and accept His message of salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ.

In regard to God's holy word, Paul begins the lesson text by saying, But what saith it? Moses used this same expression as he taught the children of Israel regarding the Old Covenant. That they may be able to obey God's will, he told them, But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it (Deut. 30:14). Here Paul is saying the same regarding the New Covenant. God's word must be accepted, believed, and obeyed. It must never be disregarded. Adding to or deleting from its truths must never alter its true meaning. It is God's message. It was given with His authority and by His inspiration through the Holy Spirit. Paul writes that it is this message - the word of faith, which we preach.

Of Jesus Christ, we are never to be ashamed. Neither are we to be ashamed of God, our Creator, and the inspired message found in His holy word. Paul begins this letter to the Roman Christians by confirming this, when he writes, For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek (Rom. 1:16). No one should ever be ashamed of accepting it for his or her own spiritual guide, or of proclaiming to the world around them, the "good news," through which we find the hope of eternal salvation. To Timothy he gave this same testimony, For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day (2 Tim. 1:12).Those that believe Jesus is the Son of God, the Messiah sent to earth to fulfill His plan of salvation, will be just like Paul - they will not be ashamed to make this same confession.

Jesus sent His apostles out into the surrounding areas of Palestine to preach that the kingdom of heaven is at hand (Matt. 10:7). Among the instructions He gave them was this message: Whosoever therefore shall confess Me before men, him will I confess also before My Father, which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny Me before men, him will I also deny before My Father which is in heaven (Matt. 10:32-33). Paul understood this teaching, and delivered it to the church of Christ at Rome. You and I are to accept this same message, as a guide to our spiritual lives as Christians.

In the lesson text, Paul gives two "if thou" conditions to be met, in order to attain eternal salvation. First, if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and the second, (if thou) shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead. It is God's plan of salvation. It is God's Son, Jesus Christ, through whom it is offered to the world. To accept and believe this, glorifies God the Father (Phil. 2:11). To demonstrate our faith in God and His plan of salvation, we must openly, and verbally, confess ...the Lord Jesus to be the Son of God, and Savior of the world, and we must firmly believe ...that God hath raised Him from the dead. By this confession and belief, and only by it, can we demonstrate that are not ashamed of God, of His Son, Jesus Christ, and of being a Christian - a child of God.

We must never hide the fact that we are members of the body of Christ, and we must demonstrate that fact to all around us. We must, not only tell others about salvation through Jesus, but also diligently seek every opportunity to do so. When taught God's word by Phillip, the eunuch from Ethiopia, without shame, made this same confession and held this same belief. Notice the result - and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him (See Acts 8:26-39). God requires belief, repentance of past sins, confession that Jesus is His Son, baptism into His body, and an obedient life thereafter. Of this, we must never be ashamed.