Romans 9:1-5 (NIV)

Are you ready to dive in?

Romans 9:1-5 (NIV)
1 I speak the truth in Christ--I am not lying, my conscience confirms it in the Holy Spirit--
2 I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.
3 For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race,
4 the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises.
5 Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen.


Paul never forgot where he came from. In the south they will say, "they got above their rais'en" when they think somebody has forgotten their roots. Paul was a Jew among Jews. Paul had a holy heart burn for the Israelites to come to faith. It deeply troubled him that they did not know the Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ. "Great sorrow and unceasing anguish" are the words Paul uses to describe how he feels about the chosen people of God not knowing salvation in Christ. Today we have extreme sports and in my opinion they are extremely amazing but sometimes crazy. Some of the things I see these younger people do on bikes, snowboards, skateboards, etc., are truly amazing and very risky. The risk they take is for the adrenalin rush and glory they receive. You could call Paul's statements about how he wants to reach the Jews as extreme evangelism. I do not believe it is for the rush or the glory that Paul says, "For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race." Paul is saying that he would go to hell for them if they would come to faith. Paul has an authentic heartache for his people that do not know the Messiah. Of all the issues that are in the public debate forum none are more important than where does a person go once they die. Paul made it personal in these verses when talking about reaching people for Christ. Paul felt it and did not just know it. Who does your heart ache for in order for them to come to Christ? Pray for them and ask God to open the eyes of their heart.

Are we as willing to go into debt for the work of God as we are for a vacation to Hawaii?
Erwin W. Lutzer (1941– )