You Shameless One!!!

Nobody wants to be labeled shameless.

But being shameless is the best thing for human beings!

It is socially shameful to admit to being fearful or cowardly, but it is accepted to admit to being shy, and we are dealing with the same root, shame.
Shame generates shyness, shyness leads to fear, fear produces cowardice, and cowardice results in unfaithfulness and unbelief.

The Holy Scriptures reveal that in the presence of God there is no fear. And also how fear entered the world:
In the beginning, while Adam and Eve walked in the presence of God, they were naked, and were not ashamed.
Then they disobeyed God, eating from the forbidden tree, and covered themselves with leaves to hide the shame of their nakedness.
When God called Adam he answered that he was afraid because he was naked, and had hidden.
Well, he had always been naked, and had no fear.
One conclusion: shame produced fear in him.

Today, the pressure of traditions, social or religious, in the face of a people who do not know the Lord makes us ashamed to say or do certain things.
It inhibits our speech, and speaking in public is one of people's greatest fears.
In speech lies our likeness to the Creator, the ability to call into existence what does not yet exist.

² … If anyone does not stumble in speech, such a man is perfect... Jas 3

In the Scriptures we see a direct connection between shyness, fear, cowardice, unfaithfulness and unbelief.
And the Lord treats this the same way as murderers, sorcerers, liars…
All of it originated by shame, and shame before a people who do not know the Lord!?

Jesus said to his disciples: Why are you shy? Why do you not have faith?

Let us see in the various translations of Rev 21:8 the consequence of shame:
⁶ He also said to me: "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the one who is thirsty, I will give to drink freely from the spring of the water of life.
⁷ The one who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son.
⁸ But as for the shy, and the unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and the sexually immoral, and sorcerers, and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone; which is the second death. (ACF)
⁸ But as for the fearful, and the unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and adulterers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, their part will be in the burning lake of fire and brimstone, which is the second death. (ARIB)
⁸ But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the depraved, murderers, those who commit sexual immorality, those who practice witchcraft, idolaters and all liars, their place will be in the lake of fire that burns with brimstone. This is the second death". (NVI)
⁸ The lukewarm, the unfaithful, the depraved, murderers, the impure, evildoers, idolaters and all liars will have as their portion the burning pool of fire and brimstone, the second death. (Catholic Version) (Lukewarm means: tepid, without vigor; weak, feeble)

This warning about unbelief has a way out; one of them is in Josh 1:
⁶ "Be strong and courageous …
⁷ Only be strong and very courageous! …
⁹ … Be strong and courageous! Do not be terrified, nor be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go". (NVI)

Ok, I understand, but how do I be strong and courageous? How do I deal with shame?
Heb 12 shows us the way: Shame is overcome when it is despised:
¹ Therefore, since we also are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders us and the sin that entangles us, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us,
² fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. He, for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

So, when someone calls you shameless, do not be afraid, but give thanks, because God is with you, every day…

See Mark 8:
³¹ Then Jesus began to teach them that it was necessary for the Son of man to suffer many things and be rejected by the religious leaders, by the chief priests and by the teachers of the law, be killed and after three days rise again.
³² He spoke plainly about this. Then Peter, taking him aside, began to rebuke him.
³³ But Jesus, turning and looking at his disciples, rebuked Peter, saying: "Get behind me, Satan! You do not think about the things of God, but about those of men".
³⁴ Then he called the crowd and the disciples and said: "If anyone wants to follow me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me.
³⁵ For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and for the gospel will save it.
³⁶ For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul?
³⁷ Or, what could a man give in exchange for his soul?
³⁸ If anyone is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of man will be ashamed of him when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels".

¹¹ If anyone speaks, let him do so as one who conveys the word of God. If anyone serves, let him do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and power forever and ever. Amen. 1 Pet 4

Let there be light, for the shameless!