Why 1:16? Unashamed of the Gospel of Christ (Part 3 of 5)

In Part 1, we learned from Isaiah 1:16 that we are called to cleanse ourselves and stop doing evil. In Part 2, John 1:16 reminded us that even in our sin, God lavishes us with grace upon grace through Jesus Christ. So now what?

Well, since you missed your math lesson in part two of this series:
Isaiah 1:16 + John 1:16 = Romans 1:16.
Let’s explore that thought.

Romans 1:16

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.”

What Is the Gospel?

Most of us are familiar with the term, but here’s a quick breakdown so we’re all on the same page:

• We were born into sin
  (Genesis 3; Psalm 51:5; Romans 3:23)

• The cost of sin is death
  (Genesis 2:16–17; Romans 6:23; James 1:15)

• Jesus died in our place
  (John 3:16; Romans 5:8; Revelation 5:12)

• God raised Him from the dead
  (John 2:19–22; Acts 4:10; Romans 10:9)

• By faith (in Christ), we are saved
  (Romans 10:9, 10:13; John 3:16)

This is the gospel—the good news that salvation is available through Jesus Christ alone.

Tying It All Together

When we reflect on Isaiah 1:16, we’re reminded of our sinful nature.
When we read John 1:16, we’re reminded that God meets our sin with overwhelming grace.
Now, Romans 1:16 calls us to action: to boldly proclaim the gospel without shame.

The first two points in the gospel breakdown above represent our sin.
The last three represent God’s grace.
And Romans 1:16 is where we live now—redeemed, called, and unashamed.

Unashamed: Out of the Mud

Picture this:
All of humanity is stuck in a pit of mud—filthy, helpless, and weighed down by the density of the mud. That’s how we all started.

Now imagine someone reaches into that mud and pulls you out. You didn’t earn it. You just asked. You were washed clean—not because you deserved it, but because of grace.

Would you be ashamed to say you were rescued?
Would you hide the fact that someone saved you?

Of course not. You’d shout it. You’d stand at the edge of that pit and call out to others:
“There’s a way out! Let me tell you how I got free.”

Why Romans 1:16 Matters

As Christians, we’re not better—we’re just forgiven.
We’re not holier-than-thou—we’re humbled by grace.
We didn’t earn access to God’s Kingdom—it was given.

And now, we carry a message that can rescue others from the same mud we were in.
That’s nothing to be ashamed of.

We’re unashamed—not because of who we are,
but because of whose we are.