Can you Imagine a world where shame did not exist? Can you imagine a life where you have never and will never feel shame?
In the Garden of Eden, before sin entered the world, Adam and Eve "knew no shame" (Genesis 2:25). They lived in perfect harmony with God, each other, and with themselves. There was no need to hide—no sense of brokenness or unworthiness. Their nakedness was a sign of their innocence and complete openness, not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually. But all of that changed with one act of disobedience. Shame entered the world through sin, and since then, it has been a powerful force in human lives.
Shame is more than just a feeling of guilt over what we’ve done. It goes deeper than that. It is the painful belief that something is inherently wrong with us, not just with our actions, but with who we are. We begin to believe we are unworthy of love, and this belief makes us want to hide—from others, from God, and even from ourselves. But Jesus came to free us from this hiding, to remove our shame and restore us to the kind of openness that Adam and Eve once knew.
Shame and Salvation: A Biblical Perspective
In Hebrews 2:1-3, we are warned: "Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation?" The great salvation referred to is the work of Christ on the cross. It is not about “straightening up and flying right” or earning God’s favor through good works. Rather, it’s about Jesus taking on the punishment we deserved.
Jesus didn’t just die to take away our guilt — He died to take away our shame. When we fail to accept this gift of salvation, when we try to rely on our own efforts to make up for our mistakes, we end up right back where Adam and Eve were after they sinned: hiding in shame. But because of Christ’s sacrifice, we no longer need to hide. Through Him, our sin is taken away, and with it, our shame.
The prophet Zephaniah speaks to this in Zephaniah 3:19 (ESV): “Behold, at that time I will deal with all your oppressors. And I will save the lame and gather the outcast, and I will change their shame into praise and renown in all the earth.” This promise is fulfilled in Jesus, who came to gather the lame, the outcast, the broken, and the shamed.
Jesus Came for the Shamed
Jesus’ ministry was filled with moments where He met people who were living under the heavy weight of shame. John the Baptist, once a bold prophet, doubted in prison. Jesus did not shame John the Baptist for his doubts but responded by pointing to the works that confirmed His identity as the Messiah: "The blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is the one who is not offended by me" (Matthew 11:4–6).
Jesus healed not only physical ailments but also the deep emotional wounds caused by shame. Zacchaeus, a wealthy and despised tax collector, lived in isolation, likely having built defenses against his shame. He might have convinced himself that people hated him out of jealousy or that his success was the result of his prudence. But when he encountered Jesus, something changed. Jesus didn’t shame Zacchaeus for his sins. Instead, Jesus loved him, and that love opened Zacchaeus’ heart. The result? Zacchaeus experienced the removal of his shame and began to live a transformed life, giving half of his wealth to the poor and returning to people four times as much money as he had cheated them out of.
The same was true for many others who encountered Jesus: prostitutes, outcasts, lepers, and those oppressed by demons. Jesus came full of grace and truth. He was able to be honest about sin without causing shame, which allowed people to open up, be honest about their lives, and experience healing.
Jesus Came to Undo Shame
What Satan did in the Garden of Eden, Jesus came to undo. Adam and Eve’s sin led to shame, but Jesus’ death and resurrection bring freedom. The shame that causes us to hide from God, others, and even ourselves no longer has power over us because of Christ’s work. As Paul writes in 1 Timothy 1:15 (ESV), "The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost." Paul proclaims his sinfulness boldly because he knows that Jesus came to save sinners.
Jesus did everything necessary to restore us to a place of honor and acceptance before God. He reveals the heart of God as a loving parent, not a strict policeman. God’s arms are open wide, welcoming us to run to Him with all our mess, guilt, and shame.
Run Toward God
Jesus tells us in Mark 10:15 (ESV), “Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” Children instinctively run toward their parents for comfort, love, and acceptance. When we experience shame, we are tempted to run away from God, but Jesus invites us to do the opposite.
Whatever shame you’re carrying, bring it to God. Run toward Him, like a little child running to a parent. Whether you’re struggling with past mistakes, current temptations, or deep-seated feelings of unworthiness, Jesus is there to take away your shame. Confession is not about judgment but about opening ourselves up to the grace that Jesus offers.
In the end, shame is a tool Satan uses to drive a wedge between us and God. But weekly confession, honest prayer, and the embrace of God’s forgiveness remind us that Jesus came to remove shame, not add to it. As we confess our sins regularly in our worship service, we condition ourselves not to let the shame of our sin impel us to run from God. As we trust in Him, may we be like children who instinctively run toward God, not away from Him.
Conclusion
Jesus died and rose again to take away our sin and shame. Whatever you’re going through, no matter how deep the shame runs, Jesus invites you to run toward God. His love is greater than our failures, and His grace is more powerful than our shame. Let us turn to Him in faith and trust, knowing that in Christ, we are fully loved and accepted, just as we are.