Paul's heart was one of concern for the lost in his world.  Paul’s heart should also be our heart! What kind of burden do we have for our relatives and friends who do not know Christ as
Savior? 

When God changes our lives and when we are truly born again, we have a big concern that others can also experience the peace and joy that Christ brings.  Our communities would be a much better place to live if more sheep would come into the fold.

How have you dealt with eternal things? Dealing with our eternal destiny is the greatest concern of the repentant heart!  Here in the context of the scripture read from Romans 9, Paul knew that the Jews had rejected Christ wholesale.  Paul had a great sense of urgency for them to grasp the truth that Jesus is the only way the truth and the life.  He knew that the 10 commandments cannot save them, nor even living a life of human good works would do so.  For Paul, we know that Christ is the only way to God and the blessings and abundance that he has in store for each believer.

The word Paul uses in Romans 9:3 "accursed" is the Greek word “anathema”; this is a terrible word.  Here we find clearly that Paul in his love for the Jews was willing to swap his salvation if they would only believe on Christ the crucified Savior, who died, and rose again.  For Paul, Christ and Him crucified was always in the forefront of his mind.  Christ shed his blood as a ransom for many and Christ wants to win the hearts of the entire world.  Paul wants people to believe in Christ.  Paul wants people everywhere to come to Him and find everything they need in Him. 

Belief and following Christ as Lord was important during the time of Paul.  Today, Spiritual opportunity in the 21st Century is also very important for us.  Like Paul are we should be asking the question, how are we going to win others for Christ? 

One of the difficulties we face is that many of us have been praying like I am certain how Paul was praying for the Jews.  For example, how does a parent who has been praying for decades for a lost and unrepentant son and daughter, deal with their faith, when their loved one continues to deny Christ and His claims?  In Romans 9 is a partial answer.

Paul in Romans 9:7-13 had a hard time trying to understand why his people, the Jews rejected Christ.  He goes into discussion of the whys from verse 7 on.  Here we see again and again the idea or emerging doctrine, it may be called a process of selection.  I know that there are other scriptures that deal with a process of selection or election.  In Matthew 20:16 it says, “So the last shall be first, and the first last, For many are called but few chosen”.  

Back here in Romans 9, in verse 13 God says, “As it is written, Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.  This may seem rather strange and unacceptable to us.  How do we deal with this selction?  I know that God is God; Man has no claim on God; its only God’s Will and God’s mercy that matters.   

Take a look at Romans 9 verse 14 & 15 - “What shall we say then?  Is there unrighteousness with God?  Certainly not.  For He says to Moses, I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.”   God is God.  As far as justice goes, from God man deserves nothing and can claim nothing.  God is God.  We do not have claim on God.

My response to this is that since we do not have claim on God all we can do is ask in love and humility that God will have compassion on our loved ones who don’t know Christ as Lord and Savior yet.  As the preachers share the gospel and as the good news is proclaimed, the Holy Spirit convicts individual hearts of sin.  At Pentecost, Acts 2, the Holy Spirit was given to the Church.  Today, God the Holy Spirit is the one who is at work in our lives.  The scriptures also declare one day the Holy Spirit will be pulled out of this world.  Some day the opportunity to repent will end.

For now for those of us who are believers, we must continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior.  We must fulfill the Great Commission.  Peter the Apostle, says in II Peter 1:9, “There are many that have forgotten that they have been cleansed from his old sins.”  Then the Apostle in 2 Peter 1:10 says, “Therefore brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

In the remainder of Chapter 9 of Romans from verses 19-33, Paul in his despair for the Jewish nation, his people, clung to the fact that God is at work and it is His work alone to save His people.

God blinded the eyes of the Jews so that the gospel would go to the Gentiles.  In Romans 9:33 it says, “behold I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, And whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame”.  For many the story of Christ is a stumbling block.  The fact remains that the door of salvation is for the Jews as well as the Gentiles, that’s us, that’s anyone in this world of any nationality or tongue.

It says in Romans 10:12-13 - For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him.  For whoever calls on the name of the Lord Shall be saved.”  It is my prayer that God will use each one of us to win others into His eternal kingdom.  And that more believers will come into the fold and work together to win many others.

Amen.

© Copyright 2006 Anchorage Moravian Church
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