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.

What a wonderful confession, profession, and testimony of Paul's commitment to the preaching of the Gospel. Brethren how many times do we hold our tongue and not speak the glorious truth of the Word because we perceive the hearers are not of like faith or they live a life contrary to the elect. We must be careful that our doctrine does not overshadow the preaching of the gospel. We have our guideposts in our doctrine that we use to determine the errors that may be laid before us. But these guideposts of election, sovereign grace, depravity, predestination, limited atonement, and the list of words dear to us can go on and on belong to the revealed believers of the truth. Believers that can identify these truths and understand that they are the emblems of their profession. Yet the Bible lays before us the preaching of the gospel of Christ is the power of God unto Salvation to every one that believeth.

The gospel is the voice of the shepherd calling His lost sheep home. The gospel is the voice of the King commanding sin to release its prisoner for the shackles are no longer there. The gospel is the voice of the Shepherd comforting a rebellious child with the assurance of His love. The gospel is the Shepherd speaking to one who is dead to rise and come forth. The gospel is the Shepherd reaching out His staff to wrap around the neck of the lost sheep who is one step away from death. The gospel is the Shepherd administering His rod that the sheep's eyes might be open to the mire of sin they are in and the correction that is needed to follow the Shepherd once again. The gospel is the voice of the King delivering a pardon unto an enemy that is deserving of righteous judgment. The gospel is the sweet savor of the life of Christ permeating the dead carcass of the believer that they might live. The gospel is the power of God unto to salvation to every one that believeth.

If the gospel is all these things, then it will find its mark in the believer's ears. We should not be ashamed to speak the gospel, we should not be ashamed to live the gospel, and we should not be ashamed to proclaim the gospel. We think to ourselves, that we are not ashamed but ponder for a moment when you withheld the speaking of the truth for you feared it would fall on death ears or the one that you withheld it from was not one you looked kindly on or you had made a predetermination was not a child of God. Paul spoke the gospel when called to. He did not limit the gospel because of nationality, race, creed, personal relationships, enemies, religions, fears, or any other self imposed limitations. Oh that we might have that faith. The gospel does not go out to the righteous for if it were so why would a healthy man be in need of a physician. The gospel goes out to believers who are walking after the way of the world or who are sick and are in need of healing from the corruption and sin of this world, who are in need of a Savior.

The people of God are not permitted to seek vengeance upon their enemy for this is reserved for our God who can only deliver judgment righteously. The people of God are commanded to love their enemy. The greatest love we can show to another is to speak to them the gospel. The result is not up to us, if it is received as a sweet savor of life unto life or an unbearable odor of death then may the Lord's will be done. Let us examine ourselves under the search light of the Holy Spirit by the grace of God that if there be any sin within us that withholds the gospel because we are like the Pharisee, who have made judgment where it is not our place to make judgment then may we pray that God grants us repentance that we may proclaim the Gospel of Christ , for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth.