VIII. INTENSE CONCERN FOR THE SALVATION OF OTHERS.

For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my rethre!. Roma!s i"# $. THIS is %!ow! to stude!ts of the Scri&tures as o!e of the &assa'es which are commo!ly accou!ted difficult( o!e of the hard &laces. A &reacher would !ot e li%ely to ta%e such a &assa'e as his te"t( u!less he su&&osed it &ossi le to &rese!t a sim&le a!d !atural e"&la!atio! of it( a!d to draw from it as thus e"&lai!ed some useful( &ractical lesso!s. )efore I try to do this( it may e allowa le to offer two or three hi!ts as to the course we ou'ht to &ursue i! studyi!' the difficult &assa'es of Scri&ture( hi!ts that would( i!deed( a&&ly to all our Scri&tural studies. *y first hi!t would e this# )e willi!' to let the Scri&ture mea! what it wa!ts to mea!. +ou may say( , that( of course(, ut it is -ery far from ei!' a matter of course. )e willi!' to let the Scri&ture mea! what it wa!ts to mea!. .e come to it %!owi!' eforeha!d what thi!'s we li%e a!d what thi!'s we disli%e( a!d if we fi!d i! the &assa'e somethi!' !ot i! accorda!ce with the ideas we ha-e ee! reared i!( or that !ow ha-e &ossessio! of our mi!ds( we say( , .ell( of course it ca!/t mea! that(, a!d the! we e'i! to search for some other mea!i!'. The &lai!er the &assa'e( the harder to fi!d a!ythi!' else tha! what is &lai!ly mea!t( a!d so we 'o off a!d say( , .hat a difficult &assa'e of Scri&ture0, Has !ot that ofte! ha&&e!ed to you1 It has ha&&e!ed to me. I ha-e wa%ed u& to fi!d( after lo!' years of study( that somethi!' I always thou'ht was a -ery hard &assa'e was &lai! e!ou'h( o!ly I had !e-er ee! willi!' to allow it to mea! what it wished to mea!. *y seco!d hi!t would e# Ta%e 'ood accou!t of the co!!ectio!. .e are &eculiarly &ro!e to !e'lect the co!!ectio! i! deali!' with Scri&ture( ecause we ha-e the )i le &ri!ted most u!fortu!ately( I thi!% i! little scra&s of ro%e! se!te!ces( set efore us as if they were se&arate &ara'ra&hs which is !ot do!e i! a!y other oo% i! the world a!d ro%e! u& also i! lar'er &ortio!s which are called cha&ters( where the co!!ectio! is ofte! com&letely se-ered( a!d yet we ca!!ot hel& ima'i!i!' there must e a !ew su 2ect at the e'i!!i!' of a !ew cha&ter. *oreo-er( we are accustomed to hear short &assa'es ta%e! as te"ts( a!d too ofte! i!ter&reted without re'ard to the co!!ectio!. The co!!ectio! is sometimes the e!tire oo%. I dou t if there is o!e se!te!ce i! the e&istle to the He rews( a!d there are -ery few i! the e&istle to the Roma!s( which ca! e really u!derstood without ta%i!' accou!t of the whole e&istle. )ut ofte! the co!!ectio! is o!ly some se!te!ces efore a!d after. Now( if you co!sider the co!!ectio!( it is wo!derful how it will hel& you to u!dersta!d a difficult &assa'e. +ou 'o a o-e the difficult &lace3 you lau!ch o! the stream a o-e( a!d come floati!' dow!( a!d your oat is or!e o-er the roc%s. If you ca!!ot determi!e the &recise mea!i!' of the words( you will see what is the 'e!eral thou'ht of the &assa'e as a whole( a!d that is the mai! co!sideratio!. The last hi!t I shall me!tio! is( that we must ta%e 'ood accou!t of the state of the writer/s mi!d( whe! he says these thi!'s. .hat is he thi!%i!' a out1 .hat is he aimi!' at1 How is he feeli!'( whe! he uses this la!'ua'e1 I am sure( if a!y

of you ha-e tried it( you will fi!d that the more care you e"ercise( whe! readi!' the Scri&tures( i! tryi!' to e!ter i!to sym&athy with the thou'ht a!d feeli!' of the sacred writer( the etter you will e &re&ared to see what he really mea!s. Now( all these hi!ts I ha-e -e!tured to offer are of im&orta!ce to us i! studyi!' the te"t# , I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my rethre!., O ser-e he does !ot say , I wish., Not he. He could !ot say that. )ut he almost says it. The ori'i!al could !ot e etter tra!slated i! a!y other words tha! those used i! our -ersio!. The a&ostle seems to e li%e o!e who is o! the &oi!t of sayi!' somethi!' wro!'. He rushes( as it were( towards the ri!% of sayi!' that he wishes to e accursed for his rethre!( o!ly he does !ot say it sto&&i!' o! the ri!% ecause it would e wro!'( ecause his de-out heart would shri!% ac% from the idea of ei!' accursed from Christ( e-e! for his rethre!. Now( why does the i!s&ired a&ostle use this stra!'e la!'ua'e1 .hy does 4aul almost say a terri le thi!'( so terri le that ma!y &eo&le( as they come u&o! it( a!d e'i! to i!5uire i!to the mea!i!'( all out of sym&athy with the &assio! of the writer( ima'i!e that they must e"&lai! it away that it must e im&ossi le for him to a&&roach e-e! to the ri!% of sayi!' what would e so dreadful. The e&istle to the Roma!s is ta%e! u& i! its doctri!al &ortio! with the 'reat thou'ht of 2ustificatio! y faith( that me! are 2ustified sim&ly y elie-i!' i! 6esus. The a&ostle discusses that i! the first fi-e cha&ters. .e had a te"t from that &ortio! some Su!days a'o. The!( i! the !e"t three cha&ters he discusses the eari!' of this 2ustificatio! y faith u&o! the matter of sa!ctificatio!( showi!' how it wor%s i! hel&i!' us to e 'ood. .e had a te"t from that &ortio! !ot lo!' a'o. I! three more cha&ters he !ow discusses the eari!' of 2ustificatio! y faith u&o! the &ri-ile'es of the 6ews. The 6ews co!sidered themsel-es far su&erior( i! &oi!t of reli'io!( to a!y !atio! i! the world( a!d they would e'i! to see at o!ce that if the a&ostle/s doctri!e e true( a!d a ma! is acce&ted throu'h sim&le faith i! 6esus Christ( the! a 7e!tile mi'ht e"ercise that as well as a 6ew( a!d so a 7e!tile would e as 'ood as a 6ew. .e ca!!ot ima'i!e how they would shri!% ac% from a!y doctri!e with such a co!clusio!( that a 7e!tile is as 'ood as a 6ew. .e do !ot %!ow of a!y !atio!al or race &re2udices i! our time that are so stro!' as the &re2udices the! e"isti!' etwee! 6ew a!d 7e!tile. They would es&ecially disli%e such teachi!' from 4aul the a&ostle. They would say he is a re!e'ade himself to the reli'io! of his fathers. He is a traitor to his &eo&le. They were i!di'!a!t at the idea of his sayi!' that a 7e!tile could e sa-ed as well as a 6ew. .he! 4aul said( the followi!' s&ri!'( i! his address at 6erusalem( that 6esus had told him to 'o to the 7e!tiles( they ro%e out i! ra'e( a!d he had to e sa-ed y the Roma! 'arriso!. The a&ostle %!ew how i!te!sely they would disli%e this idea( a!d so he wa!ted to assure them i! e!teri!' u&o! this to&ic the eari!' of 2ustificatio! y faith u&o! the &ri-ile'es of the 6ews he wa!ted to assure them that he lo-ed his ow! &eo&le( a!d althou'h he is ou!d to ac%!owled'e( 8as he is 'oi!' to ac%!owled'e( that the 'reat mass of his &eo&le are re2ecti!' the *essiah( while 7e!tiles all arou!d are elie-i!' u!to sal-atio!( yet he ac%!owled'es this with i!e"&ressi le &ai! a!d 'rief.

That is the way he feels. That is what he wa!ts to im&ress u&o! them. He sees what is comi!' for his !atio!. This e&istle was writte! twel-e years efore the destructio! of 6erusalem( a!d o!ly ei'ht years efore the war that led to that destructio!. The a&ostle saw that soo! their hot fa!aticism would rea% out i! des&erate re ellio! a'ai!st the Roma! authority( a!d soo!er or later they must e crushed out a!d 'rou!d to atoms. Here was a ma! who saw that his ow! !atio!( his ow! race( ou!d to him !ot merely y !atio!ality i! the ordi!ary se!se( ut y ties of lood throu'h lo!' a!d &ure desce!t( was 'oi!' to rui!. His race alo!e of all the 'reat races of the earth ca! trace their history ac% to a historic a!cestor3 for all the other &eo&les fi!d their a!cestry lost i! dar%!ess( ut the 6ews could 'o ac% i! history to their commo! father. His race had 'reat a!d 'lorious deeds co!!ected with its history i! the &ast( a!d had yet more 'lorious &romises for the future i! co!!ectio! with the *essiah. A!d this ma!( who lo-ed his &eo&le( who lo-ed them so i!te!sely that whe! the Lord a&&eared to him i! a -isio!( a!d said( , 7o &reach to the heathe!(, he remo!strated a!d did !ot wa!t to o ey( a!d had to e dri-e! y &ersecutio!( clearly sees that the 6ewish !atio! is a out to &erish. Not o!ly does he see that !atio!al destructio! awaits them( ut he sees that the 'reat mass of them are sli'hti!' their ow! *essiah( !ow that he is come( are re2ecti!' the sal-atio! that is i! him alo!e( a!d &lu!'i!' madly i!to the dar%!ess of eter!ity. He feels all that. A!d liste! how he s&ea%s( i! i!troduci!' this su 2ect( , I say the truth i! Christ I lie !ot., A ma! of self8res&ect !e-er co!desce!ds to assure &eo&le that he is telli!' the truth a!d !ot lyi!'( u!less there is some e"traordi!ary reaso! for it. , I say the truth i! Christ I lie !ot( my co!scie!ce also eari!' me wit!ess i! the Holy 7host( that I ha-e 'reat hea-i!ess a!d co!ti!ual sorrow i! my heart. For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my rethre!( my %i!sme! accordi!' to the flesh3 who are Israelites3 to whom &ertai!eth the ado&tio!( a!d the 'lory( a!d the co-e!a!ts( a!d the 'i-i!' of the law( a!d the ser-ice of 7od( a!d the &romises3 whose are the fathers( a!d of whom as co!cer!i!' the flesh the *essiah came( who is o-er all( 7od lessed fore-er., +ou see that ordi!ary la!'ua'e does !ot suffice to e"&ress his emotio!. I! his swelli!' &assio! of soul he rushes to the -ery ri!% of sayi!' what would e wro!' to say( a!d shri!%s ac% from sayi!' it. That seems to me to e the &lai! mea!i!' of the &assa'e( a!d all that is !ecessary to u!dersta!d it is sym&athy with the sacred writer/s state of mi!d. Now( as thus e"&lai!ed( the &assa'e t is rich i! i!structio!. I shall o!ly 'ather out three or four of its lesso!s( all of which co!!ect themsel-es with o!e thou'ht# i!te!se co!cer! for the sal-atio! of others. 9. A!d first. Co!cer! for the sal-atio! of others is !aturally e!ha!ced y &atriotism. If a ma! feels at all as a Christia! ou'ht to feel i! the way of desire for the sal-atio! of all his fellow8me!( throu'h commo! huma! sym&athies a!d commo! wa!ts a!d desti!ies( the! he will !aturally feel more of such co!cer! for those who are allied to him y ties of !atio!ality3 dear to him throu'h feeli!'s of &atriotism his ow! &eo&le. A!d all the more if they are also dear to him y ties of &erso!al affectio! if they li-e i! his ow! locality( if they share all his &eculiar i!terest:( his difficulties( his 2oys. Still more if they are his frie!ds( a!d most of all if they are his %i!dred. All the reaso!s we ha-e for desiri!' the sal-atio! of ma!%i!d at lar'e e"ist i! such

cases( a!d the! all these additio!al reaso!s e!ha!ce the co!cer! we !aturally feel for their sal-atio!. *y frie!ds( !ot o!ly 4aul felt thus( ut he who stood o! Oli-et a!d loo%ed out o! the s&le!did ca&ital of his cou!try( which he %!ew was doomed to destructio!( shall we !ot su&&ose that he felt some &eculiar i!terest i! his ow! &eo&le1 .hy !ot1 ;. A'ai!. Co!cer! for the sal-atio! of others is !ot &re-e!ted y a elief i! what we call the doctri!es of 'race3 is !ot &re-e!ted y elie-i!' i! di-i!e so-erei'!ty( a!d &redesti!atio! a!d electio!. *a!y &erso!s i!te!sely disli%e the ideas which are e"&ressed y these &hrases. *a!y &erso!s shri!% away from e-er acce&ti!' them( ecause those ideas are i! their mi!ds associated with the !otio! of stolid i!differe!ce. They say if &redesti!atio! e true( the! it follows that a ma! ca!!ot do a!ythi!' for his ow! sal-atio!3 that if he is to e sa-ed he will e sa-ed( a!d he has !othi!' to do with it( a!d !eed !ot care( !or !eed a!y o!e else care. Now( this does !ot at all follow( a!d I will &ro-e that it does !ot follow( y the fact that 4aul himself( the 'reat oracle of this doctri!e i! the Scri&ture( has uttered these words of ur!i!' &assio!ate co!cer! for the sal-atio! of others( so close y the &assa'es i! which he has tau'ht the doctri!es i! 5uestio!. Loo% ac% from the te"t( ru! ac% a few se!te!ces a!d you will fi!d the -ery &assa'e u&o! which ma!y stum le# , *oreo-er( whom he did &redesti!ate, there are &eo&le who shudder at the -ery words , them he also called( a!d whom he called( them he also 2ustified3 a!d whom he 2ustified( them he also 'lorified., 6ust a little while after he uttered those words from which me! wa!t to i!fer that the ma! who elie-es it !eed !ot feel co!cer!ed for his sal-atio! or the sal-atio! of others( 2ust a little after( came the &assio!ate words of the te"t. Nor is that all( for you will fi!d 2ust followi!' the te"t( where he s&ea%s of Esau a!d 6aco ( that 7od made a differe!ce etwee! them efore they were or!( a!d where he says of 4haraoh that 7od raised him u& that he mi'ht show his &ower i! him( a!d that 7od/s !ame mi'ht e declared throu'hout all the earth. , Therefore he hath mercy o! whom he will( a!d whom he will he harde!eth., Some 'ood &eo&le fairly shi-er at the i!fere!ce( which seems to them to e i!e-ita le from such la!'ua'e as that. )ut I say the i!fere!ce must e wro!'( for the i!s&ired ma! who uttered this la!'ua'e( o!ly a few mome!ts efore had uttered these words of the te"t. A!d whe!e-er you fi!d your heart or the heart of your frie!d i!cli!ed to shri!% away from these 'reat teachi!'s of di-i!e Scri&ture co!cer!i!' so-erei'!ty a!d &redesti!atio!( the! I &ray you ma%e !o ar'ume!t a out it( ut tur! to this la!'ua'e of co!cer! for the sal-atio! of others( so i!te!sely &assio!ate that me! wo!der a!d thi!% surely it ca!!ot mea! what it says. The trou le is i! this a!d ma!y cases that we draw u!warra!ted i!fere!ces from the teachi!'s of the )i le( a!d the! cast all the odium of those i!fere!ces u&o! the truths from which we draw them. Now( I say that whate-er e true( for or a'ai!st the a&ostle/s doctri!es of &redesti!atio! a!d di-i!e so-erei'!ty i! sal-atio!( it is !ot true that they will ma%e a ma! careless as to his ow! sal-atio! or that of others3 seei!' that they had !o such effect o! 4aul himself( ut ri'ht i! etwee! these two 'reat &assa'es come the wo!derful words of the te"t.

$. The third lesso! is( that co!cer! for the sal-atio! of others will sometimes rise to i!te!se &assio!. The A&ostle 4aul is !ot always sayi!'( , .oe is me if I &reach !ot the 'os&el., He said that u!der certai! circumsta!ces. Nor does he a!ywhere else use such a! e"&ressio! as this of the te"t. So( as I said( co!cer! for the sal-atio! of others will sometimes rise to i!te!se &assio!. A!d more 'e!erally( let us say( &iety has eleme!ts of &assio!ate feeli!'. I su&&ose that &iety is threefold( there is thou'ht( a!d feeli!'( a!d actio!. <iffere!t &erso!s are i!cli!ed to &refer o!e or the other of these three( accordi!' to their ow! !atural co!stitutio!( their educatio!( &re2udices( etc.3 ut all three are !ecessary to a symmetrical Christia! character a!d Christia! life. Some &erso!s will say( if you tal% with them( ,O( I do lo-e Christia! thou'ht I lo-e to hear a &reacher who &rese!ts to me i!s&iri!' thou'hts( es&ecially if there is some !ew thou'ht., A!d the! some of them are carried away with the idea that they wa!t moder! thou'ht( as they call it( i!stead of Scri&ture. )ut mea!time it is true that we also !eed feeli!'. A ma! who fi!ds himself i!cli!ed to &refer what he calls thou'ht i! co!!ectio! with Christia!ity( a!d to !e'lect Christia! feeli!' a!d Christia! actio!( ou'ht to see to it lest his character e deformed ecause wa!ti!' i! esse!tial eleme!ts( a!d ou'ht to culti-ate i! himself a re'ard for feeli!' a!d for actio!. *a!y culti-ated &eo&le i! our time( as they loo% with ill8co!cealed dis'ust u&o! the &oor !e'roes( with their wild &assio!ate way of e"&ressi!' reli'ious feeli!'( had etter see to it lest they themsel-es e rui!ously lac%i!' i! the eleme!t which a&&ears i! the lac%s to e too e"clusi-e. The! there are those who care !othi!' a out a!ythi!' ut feeli!'. They say( , I lo-e to hear a ma! that ma%es me feel., : Their da!'er is that they will !ot %!ow what they are feeli!' a out( ecause it is !ot Scri&ture truths that ma%e them feel( a!d such feeli!' will !ot lead to &ious actio!. Emotio! i! reli'io! is &ro&er a!d !ecessary( a!d I do !ot co!dem! those who -alue it hi'hly3 ut such &erso!s must see to it that they ha-e truth( which is the circulati!' life8 lood of &iety( a!d that their feeli!'s shall lead to corres&o!di!' ear!est a!d i!te!se acti-ity3 for emotio! a out reli'io!( as i! a!ythi!' else( if it does !ot e"&ress itself i! acti-ity( will !ot o!ly e worthless( ut will i!2ure the character. Others there are who tal% of !othi!' ut actio!( wor%( wor%. Now( wor% is a !o le word( ut the da!'er of these &erso!s is( that they will for'et to lo-e Christia! truth a!d to culti-ate Christia! feeli!'. The same thi!' is true as to odies of me!. +ou ca! easily thi!% of a 'reat reli'ious de!omi!atio! i! our cou!try( who care mai!ly for thou'ht( i!structio!( %!owled'e. A !o le idea it is( ut &ossi ly their da!'er may e that they will u!derrate Christia! feeli!'. +ou ca! -ery easily thi!% of a!other &owerful a!d useful de!omi!atio! of Christia!s whose 'reat idea is feeli!'. E-erythi!' is made to co!tri ute to wor%i!' u& emotio!( a!d their da!'er is that they will !e'lect the im&orta!ce of holdi!' truth( e-e! if they do !ot !e'lect the im&orta!ce of acti-ity. The same thi!' is also true a out certai! &eriods of Christia! history. +ou ca! fi!d &eriods whe! all the Christia! world seemed de-oted to the idea of doctri!e( whe! me! dis&uted throu'h a lifetime a out the doctri!es of Christia!ity( whe! all the 'reat di-isio!s of the time ce!tred themsel-es u&o! the differe!ce etwee! two words of Scri&ture. +ou ca! fi!d other &eriods where

Christia!ity seemed to ru! alto'ether i!to mystical feeli!'3 whe! 'ood &eo&le 'a-e themsel-es u& to solitary li-es( or retired to the &ri-acy of their homes( a!d thou'ht that all that could e do!e was to try to culti-ate Christia! se!time!t i! &ri-ate. A!d ours is a! a'e which ru!s towards acti-ity. The Christia! idea !ow is wor%. I tha!% 7od that we li-e i! such a! a'e. It is 'ood to li-e i! a time whe! the idea is to wor%. It is a !o le &ri-ile'e to li-e i! such a &eriod. )ut our da!'er is that we shall !ot care for Christia! truth( a!d that i! our fa!cied su&eriority to all mere emotio! /we shall shri!% away from those 'reat se!time!ts( that &assio!ate Christia! feeli!'( which alo!e will stir us u& to i!te!se( lo-i!' a!d &erse-eri!' Christia! acti-ity. =. O!e more lesso!. Co!cer! for the sal-atio! of others( such as 4aul here e"&resses( must ha-e had some 'ood 'rou!d i! the !ature of thi!'s. Ah0 my frie!ds( you ca!!ot tell me that the ma! who wrote those words thou'ht that e-ery ody was 'oi!' to e sa-ed at last. If he did !ot elie-e i! di-i!e mercy a!d di-i!e lo-e3 if he did !ot elie-e i! the sal-atio! that is i! 6esus Christ i! the 'lory a!d the &ower of his 'race( a!d his e-erlasti!' i!tercessio! the! who e-er did1 He did elie-e i! these. A!d yet do you thi!% a ma! could ha-e felt that &assio!ate distress to which he here 'i-es such stro!' uttera!ce( if he had thou'ht( as so ma!y well8mea!i!' &eo&le thi!% !ow8a8days( that 7od is so 'ood a!d merciful( that somehow or other( may e !ot at first whe! they die( ut sometime or other( it will e well with e-ery ody at last1 4aul did !ot thi!% so. He could !ot ha-e thou'ht so. A!d I -e!ture to say 6esus Christ did !ot thi!% so. If we are determi!ed that we will cli!' to certai! ideas( ecause they suit our !atural feeli!'( the! I am &ersuaded we must tur! our ac% u&o! the authority of the word of 7od. There must e some 'rou!d for such co!cer! as 4aul felt. I shri!% from telli!' what it is. I thi!% of the awful terms which the Scri&tures themsel-es sometimes em&loy( the ima'es of horror( the words of e-erlasti!' fire a!d I do !ot wish here a!d !ow to s&ea% of them. )ut there must e some 'rou!d for this &assio!ate co!cer! for me!/s sal-atio! which 4aul e"&resses. A!d if me! ou'ht to feel so( a!d if de-out &eo&le do feel so with refere!ce to others( the! tell me how those others ou'ht to feel as re'ards themsel-es1 *y frie!ds( who do !ot care a!ythi!' a out your souls( you must e madme! a!d irres&o!si le( or else you ou'ht to care. I hum ly co!fess to8day( i! ehalf of my Christia! hearers( that we do !ot feel o! this su 2ect as we ou'ht to feel. It is o!ly !ow a!d the! that we catch 'lim&ses of the reality. , Life is oft so li%e a dream( we %!ow !ot where we are(, a!d we do !ot reali>e thi!'s( a!d so we do !ot feel the co!cer! we ou'ht to feel. .e are wa!ti!' i! our duty to you i! this res&ect. A!d yet you do !ot %!ow how much co!cer! we do feel. *a!y a!d ma!y a time ha-e &erso!s who are here to8 day( whe! they fou!d themsel-es i! the &rese!ce of those they lo-ed( wa!ted to say somethi!'( their -ery life has trem led with the desire to say somethi!'( a!d they ha-e shru!% ac%. *ay e they were afraid they would meet !o sym&athy. This may ha-e ee! true i! some cases. A!d yet( my rethre!( I sus&ect it has sometimes ha&&e!ed that you shra!% from s&ea%i!' whe! that -ery o!e you lo-ed was secretly wishi!' that you would s&ea%( ut from a li%e shri!%i!' to yours( &erha&s from a fear that you would su&&ose he cared more tha! he did( or from a stra!'e se!siti-e!ess with re'ard to the feeli!'s that lie dee&est i! our

hearts( would offer you !o e!coura'eme!t. )ut I -e!ture to say to such as are !ot Christia!s( there are those that do feel a dee& year!i!'( a! u!uttera le co!cer! sometimes for your sal-atio!( a!d O( my frie!ds( you ou'ht to feel co!cer! for yoursel-es.