Romans 9:3 “For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh,”
In my freshman year at The Criswell Bible College in Dallas, Texas, like all freshmen, I took the required class called Evangelism. It was taught by Dr. Paige Patterson, the college’s president. Dr. Patterson was a huge believer in the memorization of Scripture. Romans 9:1-3 were three of the first assigned verses we had to memorize so that we might meditate upon how heartbroken we were to see lost people saved based on the Apostle Paul’s burden for souls.
Having only shared Romans 9:3 for 9/3, notice Romans 9:1-3. It says, “I, the Apostle Paul) tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit, 2 that I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh,”
This is so very sobering. Here we find the Apostle Paul wanted to see other Jews saved so badly that he himself wished he could be accursed, accursed from Christ.
ACCURSED. Pause and ponder his heart here. Accursed means to go to hell. It means to be cut off. The ESV says, “For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh.”
Now we know that what Paul wished cannot happen, but what a heart for the lost.
So let’s ask the difficult question: Are you so brokenhearted over a lost family member, friend, neighbor, associate, and/or stranger that you yourself would rather go to hell so they could go to heaven? Is your heart filled with sorrow and grief that the lost are lost and headed to an eternity in hell? Do you have a BURDEN for the lost to be saved?
Two more questions. Are you WEEPING for a lost person to be saved? Are you WITNESSING to a lost person to be saved?
From Romans 9:3, let us be reminded that soul-winning should not be a burden; however, we should have a burden to win souls!
Continue strong with a broken heart for the lost,
And remember to Date the Word