Commentary: Are we unashamed about the right thing?

“I am not ashamed of the gospel.”

That sentence from Romans 1:16 is one of the most quoted lines in the New Testament. And rightly so. Paul writes, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16).

But sometimes we use that verse in ways Paul may not have intended.

In many Christian circles, “I’m not ashamed of the gospel” has become a response to backlash. Someone says something harsh, offensive, or politically charged. People react negatively. And the response is, “Well, I’m not ashamed of the gospel.”

Of course, the gospel is offensive in a real sense. It tells us we are sinners who cannot save ourselves. It confronts our pride, our self-righteousness, and our illusion of control. It proclaims salvation comes by grace through faith in Christ, not through our morality, performance, wealth, status, or strength.

But Romans 1:16 is not mainly about being unashamed because we said something provocative. Paul’s point is deeper and far more challenging.

The shame of a crucified Messiah

Paul was writing to Christians in Rome, the center of imperial power. Rome was not merely a city. It was a symbol of domination, conquest, status, and strength. Rome knew how to win. Rome knew how to rule. Rome knew how to shame its enemies.

And nothing displayed Rome’s power quite like crucifixion.

The cross was not simply a painful way to die. It was a public display of humiliation. It was designed to strip a person of dignity, honor, and identity. It told the watching world, “This is what happens to those who challenge Rome.”

So, when Paul says he is not ashamed of the gospel, he is not saying, “I am not ashamed because I am louder, stronger, or more right than everyone else.” He is saying, “I am not ashamed of a crucified Messiah.”

In Episode 152 of his The Bible for Normal People podcast, Peter Enns makes this point powerfully when reflecting on the cross and the shame attached to it: “What possible reason would Paul have for being ashamed of the gospel?

“Well, now we know—because of how the good news got off the ground: in the shame and humiliation of a Roman cross.” Enns continues, “Not only is he not ashamed of the gospel, but this gospel which begins with crucifixion, it’s the power of God.”

That is the scandal of Romans 1:16. The gospel reveals God’s power through what the world calls weakness. It reveals God’s victory through what Rome called defeat. It reveals God’s wisdom through what the world considered foolishness.

Power that looks like weakness

Paul says something similar in 1 Corinthians 1:23–25: “We preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles.”

The message of a crucified Savior was not impressive in the ancient world. It was absurd, shameful, and offensive. And it wasn’t because Christians were being needlessly abrasive, but because they worshiped a King who conquered by surrendering himself in love.

That should stop us in our tracks for a moment.

When we say, “I am not ashamed,” what are we defending? Are we defending the way of Jesus, or merely our own desire to win? Are we standing firm in the gospel, or baptizing our idolatry of being right? Are we embracing the cross, or using the language of the cross to justify worldly power?

The way of Jesus is deeply countercultural. But not always in the way we assume.

Jesus did not come grasping for power. He came “not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). He did not teach his disciples to dominate their enemies, but to love them (Matthew 5:44).

He did not tell them to pursue greatness through status, but through servanthood (Mark 10:42–45). And though he had all authority, he humbled himself “to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:8).

That is what the world finds shameful.

The offense of the gospel

The gospel critiques the proud, the self-sufficient, and the powerful. It confronts every system, ancient or modern, that treats domination as greatness, wealth as security, and winning as righteousness. It tells us true power is cruciform. It looks like love, humility, sacrifice, generosity, and service.

This does not mean Christians should be embarrassed by biblical truth. Nor does it mean we should soften what Scripture says. But it does mean we should ask whether the offense people feel is the offense of the gospel or the offense of our tone, posture, pride, or politics.

Jesus was offensive to the powerful because he exposed their false kingdoms. He was gentle with the weary, compassionate toward sinners, near to the broken, and welcoming to those who knew they needed mercy. The people most angered by him were often those most invested in preserving their own authority.

So, perhaps the question is not simply, “Are we unashamed of the gospel?”

Perhaps the better question is, “Are we unashamed of the crucified way of Jesus?”

Unashamed of Jesus’ way

Are we unashamed to serve when the world tells us to climb? Are we unashamed to forgive when the world tells us to retaliate? Are we unashamed to give generously when the world tells us to accumulate? Are we unashamed to identify with the lowly when the world tells us to chase influence?

And maybe most importantly: When we read Scripture, do we instinctively see ourselves as the persecuted minority, or are we willing to ask whether we sometimes sit closer to the seats of power?

Romans 1:16 is not a slogan for Christian arrogance. It is a confession of allegiance to a crucified and risen King.

Paul was not ashamed because the gospel is the power of God. But the power of God does not look like Rome. It looks like Jesus.

And if we are going to be unashamed, let us be unashamed of that.

Taylor Standridge is a Christian podcaster and producer who loves to help people understand who God is and how to live faithfully according to his goodness, grace, and generosity. His writing has been featured in Peer Magazine, Christ and Pop Culture, RELEVANT Magazine, and NextStep Disciple. He holds a Master of Biblical and Theological Studies from Dallas Theological Seminary. The views expressed in this opinion article are those of the author.