“For the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2
Dear Ones:
In the great hymn, “Full Salvation! Full Salvation,” we find these tremendous words: “Care and doubting, gloom and sorrow, Fear and SHAME are mine no more; Faith knows naught of dark tomorrow, for my Savior goes before!” How is it that F. Bottome could write such words, and are they true?
When Adam sinned in the Garden of Eden, the consequent result was fear and shame. He was afraid of the presence of the Lord, and was ashamed of his nakedness. This was substantiated by the Lord God making them coats of skins to clothe themselves. The primary point here is that, not only does sin drive us from the presence and communion with God, but the shame that accompanies sin is an attitude and mindset that weighs us down, and hinders in our pursuit, and experience of Christ. It can be a real deterrent to finding, and coming to love the Lord Jesus.
There are two kinds of shame, one of which is that which we know and experience by dishonoring, and displeasing God. Then there is that “shame” that is heaped upon us by the world, and the devil, which has for its objective to destroy, and certainly deter us from any consideration of God. The shame that is God-ward, has its remedy in Christ. So complete was David’s vision of a forgiving and healing God, that in Psalm 51, he would dare to ask the Lord to “…blot out his transgressions,” totally erase any record of them. He would ask God additionally to “…wash him THOROUGHLY from his iniquity,” as his desire was to be rid of all filth associated with sin. Then he would ask, “…cleanse me from my sin,” i.e. to make him fully clean before God, with no trace of sin. How can this be? Is it possible? The answer resides in the declared, proclaimed, and demonstrated work of Christ on Calvary. The “Finished Work” of which He spoke, was a work so great and powerful, that it would deal with ALL sin, meeting completely the need of the sinner. David’s vision of God was not only that He was merciful, and deals with us out of His mercy, but that God was all-powerful, possessing all authority, to deal completely with sin. The blood of Christ is so powerful that John would write: “…and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from ALL sin.” (1 Jn. 1:7)
With regard to the shame that the world would hurl at us, we need to look at Christ on the cross. No greater shame could be endured than that which Christ experienced. Yet, He conquered it all. “…He despised the shame…” He overcame the shame. It did not have a hold on Him, nor did it not stop Him from finishing the work He came to do. The “shame” imposed by men, and this world’s system, is an instrument of Satan to cripple and crush all who will yield to it. It is for this reason, that the Giver of Life, reveals to us that this “shame” does not belong to the believer…it is his NO MORE, for he is IN CHRIST.
Dear Father, Open our eyes to see the One who was “despised and rejected of men,” and who bore ALL of our sin and shame on Calvary. And give us to see and know, that because He has borne all, we are called to bear none, but to be His free men, to love and serve Him, until He takes us home. Grant us grace to despise the shame, that shame of the world, to endure and overcome, following the Lord Jesus, who would bring many sons to glory. We praise Thee for the Lord Jesus. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Love, Dad