Week 20, Day 2

Week 20, Day 2
May 17, 2022
Scripture: Romans 1

​“I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”” (Romans 1:16–17)
 
Are you ashamed of the Gospel?
I’m going to go ahead and assume that the answer to that question is a firm, “no.” You are not ashamed of the gospel. You are proud of Christ and his accomplishment on the cross and the grace. He truly is the gift of salvation for us all.
I am realizing, the older I get, that there are aspects in my life where I am “ashamed” of the gospel. What I mean by that is, I can sometimes falter in my belief in the full capacity of the saving grace of God. I limit it. Am I well-behaved enough for Jesus’ to save me? Are others worthy of being saved? Have they done enough? I condemn myself and others. And in this, I think there is some shame on the gospel, on my part. I don’t believe it to be as far-reaching as Paul claims here.
Somehow, we’ve taken up Romans and we’ve turned it towards a list of requirements for salvation when what Paul is arguing is simply this: “It is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes.”
Do you trust Jesus? Do you believe in Him?
The rest of our lives is exploring what It means to believe in Jesus and grow in the Gospel.
I say it today as a reminder of my own call to a holy life, and trust in God. “I am not ashamed of this good news that announces that God saves through the far-reaching love of Jesus Christ.”
I am not ashamed of this gospel that redeems the likes of you and me.