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“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes…
Romans 1.16 (ESV)
There’s something strikingly defiant about Paul’s words, “I am not ashamed.” Notice what he did not say. Paul did not say, “I believe the gospel,” or “I preach the gospel.” He said, “I am not ashamed of the gospel.” Why would he say that? Why would he need to say that? He said that because the gospel, in every generation, comes with pressure. Pressure to silence it. Pressure to accommodate it. Pressure to be embarrassed by it.
In Paul’s world, the message of Christ crucified wasn’t only unpopular, it was scandalous. The idea that salvation could come through a crucified Jewish carpenter was madness to the Greeks and offensive to the Jews. And yet Paul says, “I am not ashamed.” Why? Because the gospel is not a set of ideas or ideals. It is the power of God for salvation.
This verse is more than a motto, it is a mirror. It invites us to examine our own hearts. Are we ashamed of the gospel? Not in theory, but in practice. Are there places in our lives where we find ourselves holding back the name of Jesus? Shrinking from clarity? Diluting the message to make it more acceptable?
Maybe it’s at work. Maybe it’s with family. Maybe it’s even in church circles where biblical conviction is quietly traded for cultural approval. But the call of this verse is clear: Do not be ashamed. Be unashamed. Not arrogant. Not proud. Not boastful. But unflinchingly faithful.
Why? Because the gospel is the power of God. That is not an exaggeration. That is not rhetoric. That is reality. The gospel is not simply a message about salvation - it is the means by which salvation comes. It is how God breaks in and gives life to the spiritually dead. It is how sinners are justified, hearts are transformed, shame is silenced, and eternity is secured.
And that power is for everyone who believes. That’s the scandal and the beauty of the gospel message. Jew and Gentile. Religious and rebellious. Prodigal and Pharisee. The ground is level at the foot of the cross.
So why would we ever be ashamed of this?
We are tempted to be ashamed when we forget what the gospel really is. When we treat it as one option among many. When we reduce it to personal preference or sentimental inspiration. But the gospel is not advice. It is not ideology. It is not therapy. It is news. A world-altering, soul-saving, cross-proclaiming, resurrection-verified announcement. It tells us that Christ died for our sins, that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures. And if that is true, and it is, then we must not whisper it - we must proclaim it.
Unashamedly.
But perhaps the temptation to shame doesn’t come from outside. Maybe it comes from within. Maybe the deeper fear is not that others won’t believe the gospel, but that you’re not sure it still has power. You’ve prayed and not seen change. You’ve preached and not seen fruit.
If that’s you, hear this: the power of the gospel is not determined by your performance. It is anchored in God’s promise. You may grow weary. But the gospel does not. You may feel faint. But the Word of God never does. The same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead is still at work in and through that message.
Charles Spurgeon once said, “The gospel is like a lion. You don’t have to defend it. Just let it loose.”
So today, wherever God has placed you, let it loose.
Let it loose in your conversations, your prayers, your parenting, your preaching, your leadership. Don’t dilute it. Don’t apologize for it. Don’t dress it up or tone it down. Simply declare it: Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
That’s the power. That’s the hope. That’s the message.
And that is why, even in a world that mocks it, in a culture that resists it, in a moment where many are tempted to redefine it - we say with Paul:
I am not ashamed of the gospel. Because it is still the power of God. It is still the hope of the world.
It is still enough.
And it is ours to proclaim - clearly, courageously, and unashamedly.
Lord Jesus, thank You for the gospel, Your life, death, and resurrection for the salvation of sinners like me. Forgive me for the moments I shrink back. Fill me with holy courage. Let me not be ashamed, but boldly proclaim the truth that saves. Amen
Archbishop Steve Wood
Primate of ACNA
