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Faith is a frequent source of shame. How often has unfounded trust in ourselves or others brought disgrace and disappointment? In one direction, and in one direction only, can we with unlimited confidence say that whosoever believeth shall not be ashamed.

I. THE BELIEVER MIGHT BE ASHAMED.

1. Of Christ, were He —

(1)  Ignoble — were, e.g., He proved to be merely the Nazarene and not the Word made flesh; the Son of Mary and not the Son of God.

(2)  Morally imperfect. Were He, who declared Himself sinless, shown to be overtaken in a fault.

2. Of His service. Could it be demonstrated to be —

(1)  Ignominious, involving baseness and servility;

(2)  Wicked, and against conscience;

(3)  Grievous and impracticable — then might the believer be ashamed of his credulous compliance.

3. Of His teaching. Were it —

(1)  Frivolous and unworthy of intelligent study.

(2)  Immoral and offensive to the moral sense.

(3)  Impracticable and unsuited to everyday life.

4. Of His influence, if it were —

(1)  Inoperative;

(2)  Transient; or

(3)  Not for good.

5. Of His promised rewards, if they were —

(1)  Baseless, or

(2)  Worthless. Tried by these tests, who could come out scatheless?Mention one of whom in all these regards it could be said that he that believeth in him shall not be ashamed? Is Christ an exception? Yes.

II. THE BELIEVER CANNOT BE ASHAMED —

1. Of Christ. Consider —

(1)  The dignity of His person. "The brightness of God's glory," etc.

(2)  The perfection of His character. "He did no sin." "He went about doing good."

2. Of His service.

(1) It is of the noblest, as is shown from —

(a)  Its character;

(b)  Those who have engaged in it.

(2) It is of the holiest. Its animating motive is perfect love to God and man.

(3)  It is the most blessed — perfect freedom and fulness of joy.

3. Of His teaching, which is

(1)  The most profound. The combined labour of the greatest intellects have failed to exhaust its meaning.

(2)  The only instruction which meets with the perfect approval of the unbiassed conscience.

(3)  Perfectly practicable. "If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them." "Ye are My friends if ye do," etc.

4. Of His influence. How can one be ashamed of that which everywhere makes for righteousness. We are ashamed of much that we did before we came under His influence; but we are ashamed now only that we did not come under it before.

5. Of His promised rewards. These are —

(1)  Pure. We know this because we have already received the earnest.

(2)  Of the highest and of endless value. "In Thy presence is fulness of joy," etc.

III. THEN DO NOT BE ASHAMED —

1. To confess Christ. He is worthy.

2. To engage in His service, and that with the utmost earnestness.

3. To study and practise His teaching. It will live when the wisdom of this world is forgotten.

4. To yield utterly to His influence.

5. To fulfil the conditions upon which He has promised His rewards. "Be thou faithful unto death," etc.

(J. W. Burn.)

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KJV: For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

WEB: For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes in him will not be disappointed."