Don’t Be Ashamed

Be not therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partakers of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God

2 Timothy 1:8

This is a very interesting scripture. I find it so because the Apostle Paul is in prison. In fact, he is on death row and is soon to be executed. He is facing a terminal end and his time on earth is short.

And yet, he is not anxious or complaining about being dealt a bad hand. He doesn’t consider his defense of the gospel to have let him down. He "fought a good fight and kept the faith"; therefore the peace of God comforted him like a babe in the arms of his mother.

When we are getting close to the end of our life, the things that really matter to us become paramount. We want to get things in order; correct all the mistakes we possibly can. We clearly see how petty issues are not the mountains we made them to be. So we willing make amends to the person we haven’t spoken to in years, and we make whatever restitutions we feel would release us. We don’t want to risk transitioning into the next life with unresolved issues. We just don’t.

For the Apostle Paul, it was not anything that. He wasn’t concerned with leaving money or anything material. He wasn’t worried that he had offended someone in one of the villages he had preached. He had no dirty secrets or closet baggage that he feared would be brought to light. There was no unfinished business. No. Paul’s concern was the "Gospel", and doing all he could to make sure that there was someone to carry on.

We cannot place our hope and confidence in anything of this world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever 1 John 2:17. I have more stuff than I ever had. My drawers are so full; that I have to stuff freshly washed clothes in them. I never get a chance to wear what is in the bottom before I’ve washed what I’ve worn. My closet is the same way. My wife has so many pairs of shoes, …, …, whoa, I better not go there.

I have a coffee pot, a Macbook, desktop, Ipod, satellite radio, several guitars, home studio, and on and on and on. I married a woman that believes in first class. But these things don’t really excite me. I’ve got what Paul had.

Out of all the people that Paul knew, he is writing to Timothy. I believe that in all likelihood, Paul was in tough with many people during this time. But for the important matter that weighed on Paul’s heart in regard to the everlasting gospel, Paul wrote to Timothy. He knew who Timothy was. Although Timothy had a shy, timid and easygoing type personality, overall, he has what was required to carry on after Paul was gone. But he had some changing to do.

Many of us are like Timothy. We want to be liked and well thought of. The opinions of people are very important to us, and often we make changes please them. But we can’t get caught up in what others think God is telling us to do. Like Timothy, we must hold on to the testimony of Jesus Christ even if we have to stand-alone.

It is not always a popular choice to stand for truth. There has to be within us such a deep conviction, that we cannot be swayed. "According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death". Philippians 1:20 See Romans 9:33.

Timothy knew that God called him. Paul was helping him to understand that the One who called him would also give him the power and ability to succeed. God doesn’t called us to do a work and then tell us "good luck, see you later". He prepares us and gives us assistance in ever phase of the work. We need to trust and depend on God as we patiently grow and mature in understand what God has called us to do. When you are sure that you are "called" by God, you are as bold as lion. I am sure that I am called, but in all honestly, I bounced around like a tennis ball for years before I finally understood this truth.

The enemy we face may look like a giant, and in comparison, we may feel like a grasshopper. But God called us; therefore we can take the land. We may be the minority facing the multiplied majority, but we need not be ashamed or fearful. The present society that we live in does not consider the Word of God the standard for truth. If we stand on Christian principles, we will be aggressively opposed. "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth…" Romans 1:16.

David was not ashamed when he went out to fight Goliath. When he spoke to Goliath, he must have had to look up to him and shout. But he told him, "…thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts…" 1 Samuel 17:45. David went on to tell Goliath that he was going to cut off his head and feed him and all his buddies to the birds. This wasn’t David bragging about how good he was with a slingshot. This was a chosen individual that trusted God, and through faith spoke boldly, courageously and confidently about what he would do through the power of God.

I am not ashamed. No matter what comes or goes, through the power of God, I will stand. My mind is made up. Every called servant of God has to deal with something. We can’t expect to tiptoe through life with every issue easily solved. We exist in a world where Satan is prince, and we are telling people they can have victory through Jesus Christ. Just as Paul was preparing Timothy for what was ahead, we also need to get ready.

Caleb was one of the twelve spies sent out by Moses to report on whether or not God told them the truth about the land that they were to inherit. When they returned, ten of the spies felt that they could not do what God said they could do. But not Caleb. He was ready to go and inherit the Promise of God. He didn’t care how many giants were there. He knew that the battles would be real, but when the time came, Caleb fought and won.

Joshua was chosen to lead the people after Moses. I’ve heard that he had big shoes to fill. But he didn’t have to fill Moses shoes. Moses did his work, but he could not take the people into the Promised Land. That was Joshua’s job. So when they reached that big walled city of Jericho, God told Joshua to "be strong and of good courage" (Joshua 1:6). God reminded him that His promise to give them the land didn’t change because he faced a big wall.

Paul traveled the world preaching the gospel. If he were around today, he would have frequent flier miles. Although he faced many dangers, he was not shamed. Therefore, if Timothy associated himself with Paul, a capital level criminal; and with Jesus Christ, the friend of publican and sinners (also a capital criminal), then he put himself at risk. Are we willing to take on risks for Jesus Christ?

Paul’s plea to Timothy to "not be ashamed" is not just a shallow suggestion. In his years of ministry, Paul saw many come and go. Many just could not stand up to the pressure (see 2 Timothy 1:15). When Paul traveled to Ephesus and preached in that area for two years, many Jews and Greeks heard the Word (Acts 19). But afterwards, great persecution broke out and Paul got arrested. When that happened, many of the Christians denied the faith. It’s that way today. A great many churches have become politically correct and culturally irrelevant. They remind me of Peter.

Paul says to be partakers with me in the persecution of the gospel. Paul is an example in that out of all that he went through, he still stood firm. "For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed him against that day" 1 Timothy 1:12

God has given us a calling. In ourselves alone, none of us has the courage and strength to face difficulty and opposition. We don’t want to deal with loneliness, misunderstanding and accusations. But through God we can prevail. Yes, we are in a battle, but the Good Shepherd is watching over all of us. The days to come are out best day. Don’t be ashamed.

By: Edmund Brown