Luke 9:26 For whoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory… I. WHAT IS IMPLIED IN BEING ASHAMED OF CHRIST. 1. The sentiment of shame. Fear of the world's laughter and companions' sneers. 2. The principal causes. (1) The pain of singularity. (2) The power of ridicule. (3) The want of sincerity. 3. The consideration of the effects, as well as the causes of this principle, will assist in explaining its nature. One of the most certain consequences of being ashamed of duty, is to lead to boldness and audacity in vice. Shame is, perhaps, the evidence of a middle character, neither virtuous nor abandoned. It is always accompanied with some remaining reverence for God. But, judging from the licentious face of the world, that other sinners are not subject to the same constraints, it blushes for this sentiment as for a weakness. Endeavouring to cover its belief, or its fears, it assumes a greater show of infidelity and license than perhaps is real. It soon affects to talk in the style of the world, to divert itself with serious persons, and at length with serious things. But conscious insincerity urges them to extremes to cover its own deceptions. And men being prone to form their opinions, no less than to derive their feelings from sympathy, these mutual appearances contribute to create at length, that vice and infidelity to which all, in the beginning, only pretend. It is, besides, a principle of human nature, that pretence itself will ultimately form those dispositions and habits which it continues to affect. II. THE FOLLY AND GUILT OF BEING ASHAMED OF CHRIST. 1. Its folly. (1) In being ashamed of our true glory. (2) In hoping to avoid, by renouncing religion, an evil which cannot be shunned among men, I mean detraction and ridicule. (3) In fearing an imaginary evil, that is, reproach for real virtue and piety. (4) And finally, in exposing ourselves to infinite danger, for the sake of covering a fruitless deception. 2. Its guilt. (1) In exalting the authority of man above the glory of God. (2) In ingratitude to Him who was not ashamed of us. (3) In promoting vice by the pernicious influence of our example. (S. S. Smith, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels. |
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