Romans - Part 5: ELECTIONSample

The Heart of an Evangelist

When I was a young boy, in my pre-teen years; I had frequent migraine headaches. They were severe at times, and the pain was overwhelming. I distinctly remember my grandmother telling me that she wished she could take the pain upon herself and endure it for me. She was so vexed by seeing me suffer, that she was willing to suffer for me, out of love. I believe that if she had the power to accomplish that, she would have taken the pain every time.

After the exodus of Israel from Egypt (Exodus 32:32), Moses attempts to atone for the Israelites’ sin of worshiping the golden calf. God’s judgment was imminent; Moses asked God to “blot out his name from the book of the living,” instead of punishing the people. Moses is asking God to kill him, instead of the masses of Israelites that disobeyed God.

In today’s scripture reading (Romans 9:1-5), Paul expresses his great sorrow and continual grief that his fellow Jews rejected Christ as the Messiah. Paul wishes that he could make himself “accursed” (anathema: Greek word: ‘to devote to destruction in eternal hell’) as if such an offering of his own soul would help to turn the hearts of his fellow countrymen. Paul points out that the Jews, of all races, should be the first to recognize the Messiah. They were God's chosen people, descendants of Abraham, who had the Law and the Prophets, knew the promised Messiah would be a Jew, etc. This supplication from Paul is intensified by his saying, “I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit.”

These are all great examples of selflessness, love, and concern for others. This is the kind of love and compassion we should all have over a soul that is lost. his is the heart of an evangelist. We need to be aware, however, that no matter how sincere we are, no matter how hard we work, our own attempts at atoning for the sins of others will be ineffectual. We should be indiscriminate with the gospel message, for it is the power of God unto salvation.

There is an intercessor, however, whose heart sorrows for the lost; and who offered Himself in the place of judgment for the condemned. His sacrifice WAS sufficient for all and sufficient for those whom the Father will draw to Him. “God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word (Gospel) of reconciliation” 2 Corinthians 5:19.

Romans 9:1-5

I 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 [a]countrymen according to the flesh, 4 who are Israelites, to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises; 5 of whom are the fathers and from whom, according to the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, the eternally blessed God. Amen.

-Mike Vander Dussen