Scripture Reading(s)
Romans 9:1-5
9:1 I am speaking the truth in Christ–I am not lying; my conscience confirms it by the Holy Spirit–
9:2 I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.
9:3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my own people, my kindred according to the flesh.
9:4 They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises;
9:5 to them belong the patriarchs, and from them, according to the flesh, comes the Messiah, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen.
Reflections
Paul’s pain for his fellow Israelites is very real in the 9th chapter of Romans. In fact, he states that he would rather be accursed himself in order to save his own people. However, it was Jesus who died for their sins. Part of Paul’s paradox is that Jesus died for their sins yet they refused to turn to Him. Instead, they looked for a savior that has yet to arrive.
As Christians we should have the same concern for the unsaved that Paul had for his own people. We may not be our brother’s keepers but we are supposed to be the light in the darkness. We are to be the hands and feet of Jesus until he returns.
Paul had a sense of urgency and yearning that is put on display for the need to preach the truth of the Gospel. Throughout Israel’s history, there had always been a notion that a long awaited messiah was going to return. However, upon the arrival of Jesus, throughout the course of His ministry, death and resurrection on the cross, there were still many who did not believe.
Paul demonstrates for us what it means to truly have a desire to reach out to the lost. There are still so many who have not yet heard the Gospel and it is our role as Christians to inform them of the amazing love and joy that can only be found in Christ. As Christians, we should exercise the same amount of love that Jesus had for us towards others around us.
We do not know when our time on earth will be up. Let us use our time here to live out our roles as ambassadors for Christ and not waste any time in spreading the love of Jesus to the world around us. Paul’s words may be extreme and yet they are profound and filled with truth. He saw the great need for the Jewish people to believe in something that they had been already looking forward to. Let us too see the need for lost souls that need saving. Let us commit ourselves to doing God’s word and trust that His hand will lead and guide us.