In order to live a life of justice and harmony, to do our part in the Body of Christ, we need courage. It is a necessary characteristic to avoid pride and make the choices of uprightness.
The reason courage is so needed is because righteous living is counter-cultural. Culture is a consensus by any group of people about what behavior is honorable and what is shameful. We live in a superficial world, full of fake intentions and sinful longings. We celebrate arrogance. And shun uprightness. Our society shames true humility.
So it takes courage to live a faithful life. We will face rejection. We will face ridicule and scorn.
These attempts of the culture to get us to conform are strong. But the power of God is infinitely stronger. This is more than just good news. The power of God delivers us from futility. The power of God brings hope and harmony, justice and uprightness. It is a stronger force than the culture of this world.
It is to the Truth we must answer in the end. If we are ashamed of the gospel, we will not reap its reward. We will close ourselves off from the benefits it offers. The world promises everything, but delivers nothing. The promises of the gospel are real. They bring power and life and deliver us from futility. But they require courageous faith to receive.
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: ‘The righteous will live by faith.’”
– Romans 1:16-17