Live Unashamed for Christ

Live Unashamed for Christ - Nathele Graham - twotug@embarqmail.com

 

Take a look around. What do you see? Everywhere you look you'll see people who flaunt sin. Lifestyles that should cause shame are paraded in front of us in stores, sports events, and in parks. We even invite the perversion into our homes via television. T-shirts carry pornographic messages and bumper stickers are vulgar. Children see these things and get the message that it's ok to use foul language or brag about sexual encounters. I, for one, am offended. Why is it that the lost people openly glorify vulgarity without shame, but Christians seem to be ashamed of Jesus? We sit quietly by as laws are passed that glorify sin and we don't want to cause trouble by confronting schools for teaching our children to accept ungodly morals. Are we afraid of reproach? "If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you; on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified." 1 Peter 4:14. Christians have dropped the ball. Not only have we dropped the ball but we've thrown it down like a hot potato. Are we more interested in placating those who follow Satan instead of winning these lost souls to Christ? As Christians, we need to know what God expects then live by His rules and eschew sin. We must stop living as if we are ashamed of Christ.

 

Sin is sin. It hasn't changed and God hasn't softened His opinion of it. It's somewhat understandable that people who haven't accepted Christ for salvation would keep right on sinning. They should be ashamed but they have no moral guidelines. On the other hand, Christians do have moral guidelines and should know what God wants. We need to follow Him instead of the world. While we live on this side of Heaven we'll continue to sin, but when we accept Christ for salvation we repent. Right? Did anyone explain to you what that means? Well, it doesn't mean that we suddenly know every sin we have ever committed and go through the list one by one saying "Forgive me for this sin and that sin". What it does mean is you change your mind about sin. You understand that you're a sinner saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. It also means that you need to study the Bible for guidance. Any action or lifestyle that is not God ordained is sin. Period. Because of sin nobody can stand before the Most Holy God by their own righteousness. Only the righteousness of Jesus takes sin away and makes a person worthy to stand before God. Jesus was beaten unmercifully and hung on the cross to face death for your sins and mine. He hung there naked, with His beard plucked out and a crown of thorns forced upon His head. He took all of our sins upon Himself that day. He suffered this torture out of pure love for all of mankind. Without His sacrifice we would still be dead in our sins, so don't be ashamed of Him.. "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." Romans 1:16. Are you ashamed of Christ? The heathens aren't ashamed of following satanic ways, but quite often it's difficult to tell the Christians from the heathens. Many Christians like the fact that they are forgiven of sin, but they just don't want to give it up. That has to change.

 

People like to say "Don't judge me", but one day everyone will be judged by God. If you haven't earnestly accepted Christ for salvation then your judgment will be painful and eternal. If you do claim to be a Christian, then stop being ashamed of Him. You'll face Him one day. The judgment Christians face won't be one of condemnation, but one that judges what was done for Him. Everything that wasn't done for Christ will be burned up like wood, hay, and stubble. That's when the shame of how you lived in this life will become apparent. Get rid of the t-shirts that carry sinful messages, clean up your language, quit going to movies that glorify sin, and scrape those disgusting stickers off your bumper. That make your "more saved" but it will show that your aren't ashamed of Jesus. Stop and think for a moment about standing before the Creator of the universe awaiting His judgment of your works. Will you stand there wearing a t-shirt that glorifies sin? Will you have the punch line of a dirty joke written upon your heart instead of Scripture? Even if you don't have that t-shirt on, He knows you have it. Jesus knows the thoughts of your heart. He can see the friends you spend time with instead of spending time with Him. Christians are forgiven and our sins were washed away by His shed blood, but that isn't a license to continue in sin. "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?" Romans 6:1-2. How indeed. Are you ashamed of Him? If not then don't be ashamed to live for Him. Begin by recognizing the sin in your life and asking Him to help you to turn from it. Only through God's grace can we obtain salvation and we all need to serve Him better out of gratitude for what He did for us.

 

Only faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ will bring salvation. Many Christians, though, seem to be ashamed of Him. Instead of honoring Him, many Christians join the unsaved in their activities. Is it easy to live a Christian life in a culture that glorifies sin and mocks our Lord? No, but that's no excuse for identifying with sinners. We can learn many lessons from the New Testament, but we can also learn from the Old Testament. God loves us, but He always judges sin. Noah lived among heathens, but he wasn't ashamed to live according to God's ways. Because he obeyed God and built the Ark, he and his family were saved through the judgment. Do you know the story of Lot? He lived in Sodom, a city that was crawling with homosexuals and sin. God judged their sin, but Lot was saved from that judgment because he didn't join in their sin. "And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; and delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: (for that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:" 2 Peter 2:6-9. Oh yes, God's judgment is coming again. Praise God, Christians will be Raptured prior to Daniel's 70th week, just as Lot was removed from Sodom prior to God's judgment. Lot made a bad decision by living in such a morally corrupt city, but he was vexed by the "...filthy conversation of the wicked..." (conversation means their way of life). Today is as wicked as Noah's day and Lot's. Heathens aren't ashamed of all the sinful things they embrace, but why do Christians join the sin? Christians salvation is not based upon how we live but upon our faith in Jesus Christ, but we need to be ashamed of our sin and strive to live more Godly lives.

 

The unsaved people around us need to hear the Gospel. That's how salvation happens. "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Romans 10:17. Chances are you live in an area that is filled with people who desperately need to hear the Gospel. Whether you live in England, France, South Africa, or the United States of America you live on a mission field. Speak up. When schools teach un-Christian subjects to the children, let your school teachers and administrators know that you are ashamed of them. Don't be ashamed to talk about Jesus and tell everyone what He did for you. We all have a testimony. You can't be taken seriously if you have the same appearance, embrace the same lifestyles, and talk in the same manner as the lost people around you. Don't be "holier than thou" but do strive to live as God's word teaches. Remember, God is love. Show His love to others by allowing Him to live through you. "Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: for which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: in the which ye also walked some time, when ye live in them." Colossians 3:5-7. In other words, before we were sanctified by accepting Christ's sacrifice for salvation we walked in sin. After accepting His free gift of salvation we begin the process of justification, which is the ongoing process of getting rid of the sin in our life. The process will continue until we are glorified, that is until we die or are Raptured. While living here on earth we need to be ashamed of the sin in our life and stop walking in it. We need to draw nearer to Christ.

 

It would make a big difference if Christians took their faith seriously. Sin isn't amusing, nor is it winked at by God. Peter tells us to get serious about our faith and turn away from former ways. "As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: but as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy." 1 Peter 1:14-16. The word "conversation" means your way of living and "holy" means to be set apart from the ways of the world. When we accept Christ our life should be evidence of our faith. If someone judged you for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to prove your faith? Are you holy as our Saviour is holy? It's His righteousness, not our own, that saves us, but if you aren't ashamed of Him it will be reflected in the way you live.

 

Temptations will always come our way, but the closer we walk with Christ the easier it is to resist temptation. The lost and unsaved aren't ashamed to flaunt the sins of carnal lust and promote satanic lifestyles. If you're a Christian don't be ashamed of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Live your life so all can see that you aren't ashamed of Him.

 

God bless you all,

 

Nathele Graham