You are ashamed of the Gospel

“I am not ashamed of the gospel.”

This opening statement in Romans may have you scratching your head if you know that “gospel” literally means “good news.” But it seems to imply that it is possible and even probable that people would be ashamed, or as it can also be translated “offended” by the gospel. What is so offensive about good news?

Here are three ways the gospel is offensive:

1. Your salvation is free and undeserved. 

“The gospel, by telling us that our salvation is free and undeserved, is really insulting! It tells us that we are such spiritual failures that the only way to gain salvation is for it to be a complete gift. This offends moral and religious people who think their decency gives them an advantage over less moral people.” - Tim Keller

Before becoming a Christian, I did not think of myself as a spiritual failure. I mean, I broke some of the commandments so I knew I wasn’t perfect, but I took Jesus’s sacrifice seriously…unlike some people. Which at the time meant that I tried really hard to obey and live a “good Christian life” so that I wouldn’t need too much of God’s grace and mercy. He probably needed to save that for the really bad people. 

The gospel offended me by telling me that all of the things I had given my life to – my academic achievements, my track record of doing “the right thing” and even my commitment to forgive some of the worst offenses against me – didn’t earn me one bit of right standing before God. 

I had done my best… and it wasn’t enough to get me into God’s kingdom, let alone to pay Jesus back for His sacrifice at the cross. I needed him to cover me wholly and completely - not in part or just sometimes. 

I still see this in my heart, and you might too. It can be subtle, but ask yourself this: do you avoid sin because you don’t want to need God’s grace? Do you obey because you think Jesus wants you to pay him back for his sacrifice? 

“The gospel is also really insulting by telling us that Jesus died for us. It tells us that we are so wicked that only the death of the son of God could save us. This offends the modern cult of self-expression and the popular belief in the innate goodness of humanity.” - Tim Keller

When you really think about it, if you say you are a Christian, you are confessing to everyone around you: I was a liar, blasphemer, murderer, adulterer - I deserved death. 

I’ll admit it: this offends me even still. I recognize it any time I am reading the Bible with a group of people I don’t know, and I feel my anxiety rise as we read the words Jesus and the apostles use to describe those who are without Christ. It feel harsh to tell people that they are “slaves to sin”, “dead in sin”, or “children of wrath”. For a culture that is always putting its best foot forward, creating and curating an image, the gospel is an exposing light. 

But here is the good news and maybe what makes the gospel the best news ever: I’ve already been found out by Jesus. And when he found me out, His response wasn’t just to expose my sins, but to cover my shame and remove it. This means that no one (and I mean no one) who is in Christ, tricked him into letting them into the kingdom of God. God knew how serious our sin was - it was sin against Him. And He sent Jesus to die the death we deserved to die.  

Yet in our shame, we continue to hide, deny, or try to manage our sin. To be unashamed of the gospel is to confess our sins, agreeing with God about what we have done, and repent, walking in the salvation power of the gospel.  Is there an area of your life that you will do almost anything to keep under lock and key? Or maybe a respectable sin that you try to justify or minimize? 

3. Jesus is the only way you can be saved.

“The gospel, by telling us that trying to be good and spiritual isn’t enough, thereby insists that no “good” person will be saved, but only those who come to God through Jesus. This offends the modern notion that any nice person anywhere can find God “in his own way.” We don’t like losing our autonomy.” - Tim Keller

If you’ve put your faith in Christ, you might be tempted to think that this doesn’t offend you, but have you ever been reluctant to share the gospel?

In our cultural moment, it’s pretty offensive to say that someone is wrong. So you’ve probably heard this objection a lot: what do you mean there is only one way? 

I find myself worrying that people will perceive me as prideful, like I am saying that “my way” is the right way. But here is the true offense of the gospel – it is not my way or your way, it is only Jesus. He explicitly states that “no one comes to the father except through me.” “No one” means “no one.” To follow Jesus, I had to (and daily have to) surrender “my way.” 

Every one of us has to yield to Jesus, the true way, and recognize that the gospel was God’s very good idea, not ours. Do you shy away from or try to minimize this truth? Are you reluctant to share the gospel for fear of offending? 

If you cannot right now say “I am not ashamed of the gospel”, there is hope for you! The book of Romans was written to communicate that the gospel alone can turn these offenses into good news: your salvation is free and undeserved, your sin deserves death, and Jesus is the only way to be saved. The gospel changes everything.