Not ashamed of 'God' - just 'Jesus'

Did you ever notice how people can tolerate 'God'? How unbelievers often use many similar expressions as Christians do, or are not at all made uncomfortable by some of our exclamations about 'God'? Things like, 'What a blessing!', 'I'm blessed', 'the good Lord', 'praise God', 'God is good,' and others like it, are quite common in my experience of working in offices with non-Christians or just in conversations I've overheard.

I've also noticed a sharp contrast when the name of 'Jesus' is used instead of just the mention of 'God'. Abrupt silence, a quick change of topic, shrugs or fidgeting, and annoyed stares are some of those reactions to this name. It's still nice to be 'spiritual' in many quarters of our community and a generic 'God' fits right in. He could be anybody. Hey, he could even be a 'she.' And so, no one else is offended and no other 'religion' is labeled as invalid.

I am ashamed to admit that as a professing Christian I have also compromised and substituted a generic 'God' when I would have personally preferred to use 'Jesus' (and I was not referring to the Father God), just to avoid the offense or discomfort it generates. I'll also tell you this is nothing less than the sin of denying Christ and being ashamed of Him. A sin for which some will also be rejected by God the Father, when God the Son denies knowing them.

Luke 9:26, ESV
For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.

Guard yourself from these evil compromises.

Would you like to know that your spouse or significant other is ashamed to put your picture on the desk at the office, to introduce you to old high school friends, to have you meet relatives or colleagues? I daresay you would be hurt, furious and this would quickly lead to the end of your relationship if continued. Yet, perhaps not even you would suffer for that loved one the loss, shame, scorn and torture Christ endured for your sake right until the time of His death.

1Peter 2:6-8, ESV
For it stands in Scripture: "Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame." So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, "The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone," and "A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense." They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.

As the Scripture above (and others) tell us, Jesus Christ and His gospel is an offense to the world of rebellious, proud and disobedient people.

The word 'offense' in Greek is 'skandalon' and figuratively refers to a thing which is a 'cause of displeasure or sin'.

For the intellectually proud, 'Jesus' is too simple, too unsophisticated, not scientific, just plain silly. For the religious or mystical, His gospel is too dependent on Him for saving and keeping power (See 1 Corinthians 1:18-25).

Either way, the gospel of Jesus Christ exposes our heart. And the report about what is found there is not good. We have no hope of escape from the eternal and just wrath of God without Jesus Christ and obedience to His gospel. We enter into salvation by calling upon the specific - not generic - name of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God.