“What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.” (Romans 6:21,22)
The message of the god of this world is to boldly do what you want to do, without fear or shame. The “free spirited” person is the one who lives without care as to what others think – they’re going to be “who they are,” not who others want them to be. We certainly should not be bound by the fear of man; but the problem with the world’s message of liberation is that “there is no fear of God before their eyes” (Rom. 3:18).
The devil would have us throw off the yoke of God. He would have us sear our conscience so that the moral law of God is erased from our heart. All he would have us think about is the fulfillment of our own pleasure. In his day, Paul saw this attitude present in many professing believers: “For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.” (Php. 3:18,19) Instead of being ashamed by behavior that is contrary to the Word of God, these so-called believers gloried in their liberty to do what they should have been ashamed to partake of.
Thank God for those who are “now ashamed” of the life they lived when they were “free from righteousness.” Such is a sign of true repentance and righteousness. To be unashamed is not the mark of the just, but the unjust. “… The unjust knoweth no shame” (Zeph. 3:5). “… Thou hadst a whore’s forehead, thou refusedst to be ashamed” (Jer. 3:3).
Shame is a powerful motivator, which can be used by God or Satan. The world would shame the righteous for their obedience to the Word of God. But the just have the boldness of a lion. They will not be ashamed of the gospel or their obedience to it. They also will not live in guilt or shame over their past which has been cleansed by the blood of Jesus. God is their glory and the lifter of their head. But their appreciation for His wonderful rescuing of them will produce a shame over the things they once did in their ignorance. They no longer want any invovlement in such activities. “For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.” (Eph. 5:12)
Every tree is known by its fruit (Mt. 12:33). Are you a good tree? Then bring forth good and holy fruit, which will testify through time and eternity that you are the Lord’s redeemed child. Don’t be ashamed of godly shame.