IT'S A CRYING SHAME

Greetings and Salutations to all of you Cud-Chewers. Have you ever done anything in your life that you are ashamed of...and every time it arises you go deeper into shame. Or have you seared your conscience enough that you become immune to the voice of shame...and current morals convince you that what you should be ashamed of is not really that bad?

SHAME: (1) a painful feeling of having lost the respect of others because of the improper behavior, incompetence, etc. of oneself or another (2) a tendency to have feelings of this kind, or a capacity for such feeling (3) dishonor or disgrace (4) a person or thing that brings shame, dishonor or disgrace (5) something regrettable, unfortunate, or outrageous

ASHAMED: (1) feeling shame because something bad, wrong, or foolish was done. (2) feeling humiliated or embarrassed as from a sense of inadequacy or inferiority (3) reluctant because fearing shame beforehand.

I found my original Bible that I bought in 1970 after I became a Christian. It was a big, old hawking Bible called The Scofield Reference Bible. This was the Bible of choice of any good Independent Baptist. As I flipped through this tattered Testament (Old and New)...I saw the genesis of my Christian life. I saw things I underlined...notes written out in the margins....and a flood of memories rushed into my mind.

I came across a verse that I had underlined and written in the margin at Romans 1:16..."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."

In the margin I wrote two words next to that verse. Those two words were LIFE VERSE. That meant that I would carry this verse with me and before me the rest of my life. In the margin I also wrote..."I don't care who ridicules me for preaching the Gospel. I will live for the Lord always. Power is taken from the Greek word that we get dynamite from. That's power for the world." (Rodney Boyd 1970) NOTE: This picture of the cross was drawn by my son Phillip at my request.

Well...here it is the fall of 2007...37 years since I pinned those words. I had a theology teacher (Dr. John McCray) tell us once that we need to write and underline things in the Word with a pencil...because over a period of time...our insights may change...and we may need to erase. Well...these margin notes were written in ink...and after 37 years they have not changed. Oh...I've been up and done over the years like a roller coaster ride...but the truth does not change. I AM ashamed of my inconsistency of living my life out loud for Jesus...but the GOSPEL OF CHRIST...is alive and well. Death, Burial, and Resurrection...nothing more...nothing less does not change with passing whims and fads of the populace. The Gospel in a NUTSHELL is defined in I Corinthian 15:1-5. Paul wrote it...and then underscored it in his letter to the Galatians who were being troubled by people who wanted to ADD TO the GOSPEL. They wanted D.B.R.+ circumcision, eating certain types of food, festivals, etc. Paul wanted to know..."Oh foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ has been evidently set forth, CRUCIFIED AMONG YOU. This only would I learn of you, received you the Spirit by the works of the law...or by the hearing of faith (answer=hearing by faith). Are you so foolish...having begun in the Spirit, are you NOW made perfect by the flesh (answer NO). Paul was NOT ASHAMED of the simplicity of the GOSPEL...but he was ashamed of adding to anything...any work...any thing that you could add to enhance the salvation experience. In Titus 3:5 he wrote..."He SAVED us...not on the basis of DEEDS which we have done in righteousness...but according to his MERCY...by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit." D.B.R...NOTHING MORE...NOTHING LESS.

I am not ashamed: Paul held his head high

Of the Gospel/Good News...D.B.R....nothing more nothing less

Of Christ: The anointed one with the anointing of the Holy Ghost and Power (Acts 10:38) Anointing=yoke destroying, burden lifting, oppression removing power (Luke 4/Isaiah 61)

For it: The Gospel/Good News/D.B.R
Is the POWER of God: Dunamis (dynamic ability) that is God's power not our power/dynamic ability to save us.

Unto SALVATION: Greek word (so-tay-ree-ah): The Hebrew and Greek word for salvation imply the idea of deliverance, safety, preservation, healing, and soundness. Salvation is the great inclusive word of the Gospel, gathering into itself all the redemptive acts and processes: as justification, redemption, grace, propitiation, imputation, forgiveness, sanctification, and glorification. Salvation is in three tenses (1) has been saved from guilt and penalty of sin and is safe (2) is being saved from the habit and dominion of sin (3) is to be saved in the sense of entire conformity to Christ. Salvation is by grace through faith, is a free gift, and wholly without works. The divine order is: first salvation, then works (The Scofield Reference Bible notes on Romans 1:16)

To EVERY ONE that believeth (in the D.B.R.): Salvation is opened to everyone...but everyone will not take the step of belief in the D.B.R. They would rather take a chance on their own goodness, their works, anything but the PROPITIATION (substitute/satisfaction for God)...the D.B.R...the blood of Jesus Christ that redeems us from sin.

To the Jew first: God's chosen covenant people

And also to the Greek (gentile) (this opens the door to WHOSOEVER

"For I am NOT ASHAMED of the Gospel of Christ; for it is the power of God unto salvation to EVERY ONE that BELIEVES...to the Jew first...and also to the Greek...for therein is the righteousness of God revealed from FAITH...to...FAITH...as it is written, the just...shall LIVE BY FAITH (in the D.B.R.)"
(Romans 1:16,17)

As my Dad use to say when he was frustrated with things I would do or with the way things were going in his life..."It's A Crying Shame." Well...it is a crying shame if you miss out on the abundant life of Jesus... because of a bad choice.

Love and Non-Ashamed Kisses
Rodney "Written In The Margin Of My Heart" Boyd