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What Is Paul Saying?

by Roland Crim
08/06/22
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I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it through the Holy Spirit—I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my own race, the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption to sonship; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen. Romans 9:1-5 NIV

 So what is Paul trying to convey in these verses? He is saying that he has much sorrow and anguish as his fellow Jews, the ones to whom God has established His covenant with, the ones to whom the law was given, the ones from whom came the great leaders and the ones through whom the lineage of the Son of God came are the ones who had rejected the Messiah. What true anguish Paul must have felt as He spoke to the Gentiles, knowing that his calling was to the Gentiles. Do we anguish over loved ones who have fallen away from the Lord? We should pray earnestly for them. We should be an example to all of one who follows the Lord.