The Gospel

I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. Romans 1:16

Again listening to John Piper's sermons on Romans. God spoke the gospel into place before the beginning of time. His word is efficacious in power to cause that which is spoken. The gospel is the good news for all who believe. It is the plan for salvation for christians but it is, being spoken into being by God, the power by which our salvation takes place. It does not fail. It is the sufficient power to overcome sin, death and damnation. The word salvation here refers to the completion of our deliverance into glory with Almighty God. God will not fail in the power of the gospel in this deliverance. The gospel is also the power by which we initially come to faith, but in this verse Paul speaks of the fulfillment of our salvation. Through faith in God and in his gospel and in our Lord Jesus Christ's death and resurrection in the power of the Spirit, we are saved. This verse sets out the only prerequisite to the application of God's saving power into our lives, namely faith. Everyone who believes will be saved. There is no work to be done. No sin excludes a person from salvation with the exception of unbelief. Praise be to the One who has saved us by his power...a power that cannot and will not fail.

Ashamed

I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. Romans 1:16 NIV



Just listened to John Piper's preaching on this verse. Piper separates being ashamed and being shamed. He says the christian will be shamed by those who do not believe because of the gospel. Examples of this could range from a rolling of the eyes, or a subtle comment implying you are a fool, all the way to physical humiliation such as Christ suffered. The gospel is foolishness to those who are perishing (1 Cor 1:18). So we should not be surprised at shaming behavior directed toward us by those opposed to the good news. There are two possible options in response to shaming behavior directed toward us. The first is to avoid receiving the shame by watering down the gospel or altering are salty lives. The second is to respond as Jesus did. Christ suffered the ultimate humiliation in being stripped, beaten, mocked, spit upon and crucified. He endured this shaming by despising it (Heb 12:2). He looked to the glory to come and despised the shame. We also should look to the glory to come in response to shaming behavior. We should not hide the gospel --our testimonies and the salt of our lives-- in avoidance. We are to be shamed but not ashamed.

http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Sermons/ByDate/1998/1042_Not_Ashamed_of_the_Gospel/