Many (to include both believers and unbelievers) will experience shame at the Judgment. Merriam Webster defines “shame” as “a painful emotion caused by consciousness of guilt, shortcoming, or impropriety” (emphasis added).[1] At the Judgment, many will have an awareness of their wrongdoing to which they were previously unaware or blind because they stubbornly refused to accept correction from the Lord. Many are blinded by their own self-righteousness. Others are blinded by their hatred or envy of others. Instead, we should be humble and teachable. At Numbers 12:3, we read, “Now the man Moses was very humble, more than any person on the face of the earth.” Moses was great because he was humble.
At 1 John 2:28, we read, “Now, little children, remain in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not draw back from Him in shame at His coming.” The Greek root verb aischynō includes the ideas of “to be made ashamed” and “be ashamed.”[2] Shame includes the idea of an awareness of something to which you were previously unaware. To abide in the Lord is to remain in fellowship with the Lord. Our lives should be characterized as living in fellowship with our Creator. According to 1 John 1:9, if we sin, we should acknowledge our sin and get back into fellowship with God. However, we humans are inclined to live in independence and separation from our Creator. Please note that 1 John 2:28 is describing believers. If we fall away from our walk of faith and our lives are not characterized as living in fellowship with the Lord, we will draw back from the Lord in shame at the Lord’s return to Planet Earth.
At Philippians 1:20, the Apostle Paul wrote that it was his hope and expectation that he “would not be put to shame in anything, but with all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be exalted in [his] body, whether by life or by death.” At Philippians 1:21, Paul wrote, “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” The Apostle Paul did not pursue an existence that was independent or separate from Christ. Paul habitually sought God’s will above his own.
At Philippians 3:19, Paul used the Greek noun aischynē, which is defined as “a state or sense of shame.”[3] At Philippians 3:17-19, Paul wrote:
Brothers and sisters [believers], join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us. For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even as I weep, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in the shame [aischynē], who have their minds [focused] on earthly things.
First, please note that Paul is writing to believers in Jesus Christ. He is encouraging the Philippian believers to walk in (or practice) their faith according to the pattern of Paul and his companions. Then, Paul shockingly warned that there are many believers who now function as enemies of the cross of Christ. In other words, there are many believers who do not follow the example of Paul in his walk of faith and seek to live in fellowship with Christ. Paul noted that the end of such believers is destruction [apōleia][4] Such believers are preoccupied with their personal desires as opposed to the will of God. They live according to the “lusts of the flesh and the lusts of the eyes and the boastful pride of life” (1 John 2:16). They have their minds set on earthly things. They seek a glory in the eyes of the world, rather than seeking to please God. Therefore, their glory is actually shame. They seek a glory separate and independent of God. In contrast, we are required to live in nonstop fellowship with God in Christ. We are required to seek His will above our own.
Our efforts to live independent of our Creator will come to ruin, failure, and destruction. There will be negative consequences in this life and the next. There will also be a loss of blessings in this life and the next.
Both Paul and Peter taught us that those who believe or trust in the Lord will not be put to shame (Rom. 9:33; Rom. 10:11; 1 Peter 2:6). In these verses, Paul and Peter used the Greek verb kataischynō, which is defined as “to put to shame [or] make ashamed.”[5] “Believing in Christ” includes our first moment of believing in Christ and our continuing to trust in the Lord in our walk of faith. We are warned again and again not to fall away from our walk of faith (1 Tim. 4:1; Heb. 2:1). If we do not remain faithful, we will experience shame.
Finally, at 1 Corinthians 1:26-29, Paul wrote:
For consider your calling, brothers and sisters, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame [kataischynō] the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the insignificant things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no human may boast before God.
As we noted in the beginning of this article, Moses was the humblest man of his generation. In fact, Moses may be one of the humblest men who ever lived. God is not impressed with human ability and capability. God is looking for humble men and women. Humble humans are teachable, and they accept God’s correction. The humble before God will not be put to shame because they accept God’s teaching and correction. The truly humble learn to walk by God’s Spirit and Word. God designed us to live in nonstop fellowship with Him. If we reject this reality, we will experience ruin and destruction. Unfortunately, most humans (all unbelievers and many believers) reject that God has designed us to live in nonstop fellowship with Him and, therefore, most humans will be put to shame at the Judgment.
[1]“Shame.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shame. Accessed 29 Sep. 2025.
[2] “G153 – aischynō – Strong’s Greek Lexicon (nasb20).” Blue Letter Bible. Web. 29 Sep, 2025. <https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g153/nasb20/mgnt/0-1/>.
[3] “G152 – aischynē – Strong’s Greek Lexicon (nasb20).” Blue Letter Bible. Web. 29 Sep, 2025. <https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g152/nasb20/mgnt/0-1/>.
[4] “G684 – apōleia – Strong’s Greek Lexicon (nasb20).” Blue Letter Bible. Web. 29 Sep, 2025. <https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g684/nasb20/mgnt/0-1/>.
[5] “G2617 – kataischynō – Strong’s Greek Lexicon (nasb20).” Blue Letter Bible. Web. 29 Sep, 2025. <https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g2617/nasb20/mgnt/0-1/>.
