A Bit over the Top

Wednesday morning, May 7, 2008
For many years this passage has intrigued me—bothered me, might be a better word: “I am telling the truth is Christ, I am not lying, my conscience bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit, that I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh, who are Israelites, to whom belongs the adoption as sons and the glory and the covenants and the giving of the Law and the temple service and the promises, whose are the fathers, and from whom is the Christ according to the flesh, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen” (Romans 9:1-5).
I like to think that I have a passion for the gospel but the truth is mine is not even close to Paul’s. You think about what he is saying and tell me how you measure-up. He is declaring that he is willing to be separated from Jesus, if that could somehow open the door for some of his Jewish kinsmen to know Him! The only other person I have ever known who was willing to go that far for another’s salvation was Jesus and I ain’t Jesus!
Obviously, Paul knew that he was not his fellow kinsmen’s savior, but to be willing to go this distance for them is quite remarkable. Sadly, few of them ever understood his concern for them and continued in their efforts to destroy this man, who loved them with such love.
Notice, too, Paul’s “great sorrow and unceasing grief” both of which seemed to hang over his head like a dark cloud. Again, I like to think that I have a concern for the lost (otherwise, why my passion for the gospel?) but, sadly, I don’t think I have a clue as to the sorrow and grief that was Paul’s. He really was concerned about his fellow kinsmen and, consequently, carried this deep and abiding sense of sorrow and grief for them.
There is a bit of irony in all of this because it is none other than Paul who taught me that the responsibility for winning the lost rests upon God’s shoulders, not mine; my mission is to passionately preach the gospel and leave the rest to Him. Furthermore, through his writings, I have learned that everyone who wants to be saved will be; the rest do not want to, will not want to, and really do not want to be bothered about the whole thing. My grieving for them (whoever they are) is, therefore, rather futile.
I once read a quote from a great theologian, Dr. Gerstner, that was his response to this question from another great theologian, R.C Sproul: “What will happen, if I get to heaven and find out that my mother is not there?” This was his response: “R.C if you get to heaven and find out that your mother is not there, in this you will greatly rejoice and God will be glorified!”
Now, I am convinced that Dr. Gerstner’s statement is absolutely true; however, spanning the chasm from Paul’s “great sorrow and unceasing grief” to Dr. Gerstner’s, “in this you will greatly rejoice and God will be glorified” is quite a journey of incredible faith.
I really didn’t to rattle your brain, but think on this and pray for a dose no only of Paul’s “great sorrow and unceasing grief,” but also of Dr. Gerstner’s “in this you will greatly rejoice and God will be glorified”!