I am not Ashamed of the Gospel of Christ

Today I read 2 Timothy 1 the opening of Paul's next epistle to Timothy. The one part of this chapter that stood out to me was Paul's counsel to not be ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This has been on my mind of late. I have been pondering what it means to be ashamed of the Gospel of Christ and what it means to not be ashamed.

Obviously to be ashamed means that you are embarrassed to be associated with something. So how would we be embarrassed by the Gospel of Christ? Well the first thing that comes to mind is being frightened to speak up. What have we to fear as disciples of Jesus Christ? If we are doing His work, why do we need to fear man and what they can do to us? All they can do is destroy the body, which I will freely admit that none of us really wants, but this life is temporary. Now, that is not to say that we should go around shouting from the rooftops that we are a Christian or that we are in peoples faces all the time, not at all. But it does mean that we wear our religion on our sleeve.

What I mean by that is for example, do you take advantage of situations that come up when you are offered say a cup of coffee or alcohol, do you politely decline it and leave it at that? If you do, then I would say you are ashamed of the Gospel of Christ. Those are perfect opportunities to share the Gospel and inform them why you will not partake of such things. Again, you don't have to be offensive and you don't have to look down your nose at them for doing so, but you can let it be known that you don't do those things because it is a commandment of God.

One way we can be ashamed of the Gospel of Christ is by giving in to peer pressure. If someone is doing something that you know is wrong, do you cave in? There have been so many times in my life I can think of instances where I had to stand up for what was right. I won't list any one example as I'm sure each of you has just as many and probably very similar to the ones I have had in my life. Suffice it to say, at least once a week since I have become an adult I've had an opportunity to either be an example or to be ashamed of Jesus Christ.

Sometimes it's enough to just be a good example to those around us. You will stand out as you live the Gospel of Christ. People will notice that you don't use foul language, that you don't drink alcohol that you don't do the things that the world does. When they ask you about it, that is the time to stand up and talk to them about it. That is the time to be an example for Jesus Christ. That is what it means to not be ashamed. To behave in such a way that you can spread the Gospel for Him since He is not here. Like Paul I say I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ. I let it be known that I am a Latter-day Saint and I am proud of it! Until tomorrow.