God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are,so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.  (1 Corinthians 1:27-29)

Shaming is a process of belittlement and Paul tells us that how God uses it for his good purpose.  The Greek word here is καταισχύνω (kataishuno) meaning to disgrace, confound or dishonour.

But it is equally important to note why God would do such a thing, which stems from the desire to bring all to repentance and through faith to restore hope.

… since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. (Romans 5:1-5)

And not just any hope but a hope that will not put any to shame (kataishuno).  In other words, this hope is a solemn promise that God will not renege upon, that we can trust and does not confound or bring dishonour or disgrace – nor will it disappoint.

Yet sensing shame, that is being ashamed, is the first step in repentance.  It is, after all, by inference the first emotion experienced by our progenitors after the Fall:

Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths. (Genesis 3:7)

And although fear followed, it was shame that first propelled Adam and ‘the woman’ to hide:

… they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.  But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, ‘where are you?’

And he said, ‘I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.’  (ibid 3:8-9)

Shame is the first emotion when conviction of sin, fear follows when we realise whom we have sinned against – for to sin is by definition is to wrong God.  When David desired Bathsheba, the prophet Nathan shamed him (2 Samuel 12:7-15) leading David to reflect:

For I know my transgressions,
    and my sin is ever before me.
Against you, you only, have I sinned
    and done what is evil in your sight. (Psalm 51:3-4)

Similarly, on the Feast of Pentecost Peter brings conviction of sin to the gathered crowd.

‘Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.’

Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘brothers, what shall we do?’ 

And Peter said to them, ‘repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.’  (Acts 2:36-39)

Peter knew personally of shame having denied Jesus thrice after his Lord’s arrest, as Jesus had predicted he would do before the morning herald:

And immediately, while he was still speaking, the cock crowed. And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, ‘before the cock crows today, you will deny me three times.’ And he went out and wept bitterly.  (Luke 22:60b-62)

Peter repented and Jesus recommissioned him by echoing the pattern of his sin by asking him to affirm his love three times; thus, his contrition was rewarded – but more importantly he was set to work in shepherding the church (John 21:7-19)

Note then that while shame is necessary for repentance, freedom from shame is the promise of the gospel.  Paul writes again to Corinth reflecting on the conviction he engendered:

For even if I made you grieve with my letter, I do not regret it—though I did regret it, for I see that that letter grieved you, though only for a while.  As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us.  For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.  For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, but also what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what punishment!  (2 Corinthians 7:8-11)

Moreover, though the world may be contemptuous of the authentic disciple (Jesus speaks of this – John 15:18-19) shame finds no purchase.  Henceforth, all might share in the blessing that flows from the cross of Jesus, an instrument not just of terrible pain also of great shame, in that all prisoners were displayed in Edenic nakedness, through –

… looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.  (Hebrews 12:2)

The steps of repentance then begin with shame that comes from knowing sin and falling short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23), moving through remorse to contrition to confession, which is acknowledgment, then having taken full responsibility, asking God for his forgiveness.  At which point, to not trust that his forgiveness is to doubt his word, to continue to hold that the sin is of such quality or quantity is to diminish His power and to feel ashamed is obverse of pride, for it denies the gospel.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness… (for) we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.  (1 John 1:9 and 2:1b-2)