Ashamed.

“For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.” (Mark 8:38, Luke 9:26)

Just because you can’t jump into a crowd and start shouting God’s word does not mean you’re “ashamed” of it, it just means you have a different personality than that person does. On the other hand, when faced with the adulterous and sinful lifestyles of our generation, your reaction towards it will reveal whether you are ashamed of God’s word or not. Matthew Henry (18 October 1662 – 22 June 1714) once wrote:

“There are many, who, though they cannot but own that the cause of Christ is a righteous cause, are ashamed of it because of the reproach that attends the professing of it; they are ashamed of their relation to Christ, and ashamed of the credit they cannot but give to his words; they cannot bear to be frowned upon and despised, and therefore throw off their profession, and go down the stream of a prevailing apostasy.”

The willingness to share the teachings of Jesus will truly determine how confident we are in God’s word. For although His word brings offense, those who truly believe and trust in it will never be ashamed of it (Rom. 9:33, Rom. 10:11), and most times, like Jesus Himself, will definitely confront sin and falsehood rather than overlook it. We will speak it with authority because we are secure in His Righteousness not ours.

As Matthew Henry wrote, those who are ashamed of His word “cannot bear to be frowned upon and despised” and are “ashamed of the reproach that comes with professing it…” unfortunately this is something we see from professing Christians way too often.

In an age where everyone wants to be “liked” and accepted many Christians have become so careful in not offending anyone that when it comes to God’s word we meticulously choose the right non-offensive passages making sure whoever hears (or reads) about our Christian beliefs feel loved and welcomed. Because we cannot bear to be ridiculed, mocked, and hated we become ashamed of certain things Christ spoke of and certain characteristics of God, and leave them out of our conversations, counselings, preachings, and teachings. Ironically, we all profess to be “like-Christ” but refuse to embrace the consequences that comes with it (Matt. 10:22, Mark 13:13, Luke 21:16-17).

I would like to end with a short excerpt from John MacArthur’s book Ashamed of the Gospel:

“I recently listened to a radio interview with a preacher well-known for his emphasis on positive thinking. This man had stated in print that he assiduously avoids any mention of sin in his preaching because he feels people are burdened with too much guilt anyway. The interviewer asked how he could justify such a policy. The pastor replied that he had made the decision early in his ministry to focus on meeting people’s needs, not attacking their sin.”

The idea to shun and avoid anything that confronts sin and falsehood is nothing but a bad-influence to encourage people to be more and more ashamed of Christ and His words. This is why teachings such as these should be avoided at all costs, and exposed as falsehood and anti-Christian. As MacArthur writes, “…people’s deepest need is to confess and overcome their sin. So preaching that fails to confront and correct sin through the Word of God does not meet people’s need. It may make them feel good, and they may respond enthusiastically to the preacher, but that is not the same as meeting real needs.”

Are you ashamed of Christ and His words in this adulterous and sinful generation? Do you find yourself avoiding certain areas of God’s word feeling it may be too offensive or negative for anyone to hear or read? Are you afraid to profess everything Christ spoke of, everything He taught, and every example He left for us, thinking it will bring ridicule, mocking, and opposition? Then maybe its about time we repent of being ashamed of His word, and start boldly proclaiming His truths and trusting in Him and His words other than ourselves.

Think About it.
Marc