Self-Sacrifice- Romans 9

I Couldn’t Say This, Could You? Romans 9:1-5

I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit— that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 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. They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.

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Paul says he would rather be cut off and go to Hell if it meant salvation for His people.

That’s not a a small statement.  Is that something you could say?  That you would be willing to go to Hell for all eternity if it meant your people group would be saved and in heaven?

I’m not there.  I don’t know if I’ll ever be there.

That is a spirit of self-sacrifice on another level.

Could I even say that of those I love?  Maybe.

The truth is that it can’t happen.  We can’t go to Hell for the sake of someone else.  Only Jesus could do that.

But do we have that much love for others?  That much yearning for self-sacrifice?

Paul did.  And he lived it every day.  What that looked like is that he had to give up financial security, respect, reputation and more.  He was beaten, flogged, shipwrecked, in hunger, in cold, and in many other circumstances in order that some might be saved.

What level of self-sacrifice are we willing to absorb in order that others might be saved?

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