1 I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it through the Holy Spirit— 2 I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3 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, 4 the people of Israel. 

And with these words, Paul begins the next major section of his letter to the Roman church.

In the first eight chapters, Paul has laid out the foundation for one of the most important truths of the gospel: Gentiles can receive the same covenantal blessings promised through Abraham that Israel received. Through faith in Christ, Gentiles are welcomed into God’s family. As a Gentile myself, I can only rejoice at that news!

But for Paul’s Jewish readers, this message may not have sounded like good news at all. If Gentiles can receive God’s covenant blessings through faith in Christ, then what about Israel? Has God given up on His chosen people? Has He turned His face away from Israel and toward the Gentiles? Has Israel somehow been banished from the family of God?

Those are huge questions, and Paul is going to address them in the next four chapters. In fact, some of those questions have already been answered in what he has written, but Paul is now going to slow down and deal with them directly.

here is the YouTube Link:

Paul’s Grief

Here is the Spotify Link:

Paul’s Grief

In His Grip,

Paige