Romans 1:13-17: a reflection

13Now I don’t desire to have you unaware, brothers, that I often planned to come to you (and was hindered so far), that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among the rest of the Gentiles. 14I am debtor both to Greeks and to foreigners, both to the wise and to the foolish. 15So as much as is in me, I am eager to preach the Good News to you also who are in Rome. 16For I am not ashamed of the Good News of Christ, because it is the power of God for salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first, and also for the Greek. 17For in it is revealed God’s righteousness from faith to faith. As it is written, “But the righteous shall live by faith.”

Paul makes a declaration that has steadied believers ever since: I am not ashamed of the Good News of Christ, because it is the power of God for salvation for everyone who believes. Paul was heading to Rome, the center of worldly sophistication and might, where the gospel might be despised as foolishness; and yet he says he is not ashamed of it. He was not embarrassed by the message of a crucified Savior, for he knew it to be the power of God for salvation.

Notice Paul's confidence: he is not ashamed of the gospel. The message he carried, of a crucified and risen Savior, could seem foolish or shameful to a watching world, especially in a place like Rome. And yet Paul was not ashamed of it; he knew that, however the world regarded it, the gospel was the power of God to save all who believe. His confidence was not in the world's approval of the message, but in what the message actually is: God's power for salvation. So he was unashamed, whatever others thought.

That confidence, being unashamed of the gospel, is one we can need, for the message of Christ can still seem foolish or shameful to a watching world, and we can be tempted to be embarrassed by it. In a world that may scorn the gospel as foolishness, we can feel pressure to hide it, to soften it, to be ashamed of it. But Paul was not ashamed, because he knew what the gospel is: the power of God for salvation. Do not be ashamed of the gospel of Christ, however the world may regard it; it is not foolishness, but the power of God to save all who believe. Let your confidence rest not in whether the world approves the message, but in what the message truly is; and so be unashamed of the gospel, as Paul was unashamed even heading into Rome, knowing it to be the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes.

Lord, Paul makes a declaration that has steadied believers ever since: I am not ashamed of the Good News of Christ, because it is the power of God for salvation for everyone who believes. He was heading to Rome, where the gospel might be despised as foolishness; and yet he was not ashamed of it, for he knew it to be your power for salvation. Show me Paul's confidence: he is not ashamed of the gospel. The message he carried, of a crucified and risen Savior, could seem foolish or shameful to a watching world; and yet he was not ashamed, knowing that, however the world regarded it, the gospel was your power to save all who believe. His confidence was not in the world's approval, but in what the message actually is. Give me that confidence, for the message of Christ can still seem foolish or shameful to a watching world, and I can be tempted to be embarrassed by it. In a world that may scorn the gospel, I can feel pressure to hide it, to soften it, to be ashamed of it. But Paul was not ashamed, because he knew what the gospel is: your power for salvation. Keep me from being ashamed of the gospel, Lord, however the world may regard it; it is not foolishness, but your power to save all who believe. Let my confidence rest not in whether the world approves the message, but in what it truly is. Help me be unashamed of the gospel, as Paul was.