1 I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost,
2 That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.
3 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:
4 Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;
5 Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.
Romans 9:1-5 (KJV)
Many times, it seems that churches are surrounded by people that are in desperate need of help to hear the Gospel. Yet Christians are content to share it only with those that manage to come inside their church. Many people today are burdened down, concerned and preoccupied with a lot of things. Some are burdened with their own problems, predicaments, lack of prosperity, pursuit of money, and many times, by their own physical, financial or even family problems.
There’s not enough people today that call themselves Christians and are burdened by the plight of the unsaved. But in this passage of the Scripture, we find a man that had a burden for people.
The Verification of the Spirit
Some people talk about having a burden for the lost. They believe in their heart that they are concerned for souls. They would gladly identify with the soul winners in their church even though they’ve never led a single soul to Christ. They truly think that they are doing all they can do to win the lost, but they really are not doing anything.
Paul’s burden for the lost was vocalized in his mouth, validated by his conscience and verified by the Holy Ghost when he said, “I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost.”
A burden for souls is impossible to hide, it will be evident. It’s not something you just say, but something you show. It’s not something you just declare, but something you demonstrate. If you’re not taking people to heaven with you, you’re not a soul winner. If you never share the Gospel to a lost person, you do not have a burden for the lost. You can’t profess to believe in soulwinning if you’ve never done it. You can’t pretend to be supportive of evangelism if you are not involved in evangelism.
Paul not only had a burden, but had the Holy Ghost as a witness to verify that burden. A true burden for the lost will not be squelched by fear, quietened by personal limitations, nor hidden behind excuses.
The Vexation Over the Sinners
Paul’s burden produced a heaviness. “Heaviness” means sorrow, pain, grief, annoyance, affliction; of persons mourning. There wasn’t just a heaviness. Paul said, “I have great heaviness.” It wasn’t just a nagging thought, but something significant.His heart was broken all the time.It was always on his mind.Paul never stopped thinking about souls.
The Volunteering for Separation
Paul’s burden produced a wish that he could go to hell in the place of his countrymen – his kinsmen, the Israelites. He knew that those that are not saved are doomed to an eternity in hell; separated from God. The thought of that was a great heaviness and a continual sorrow to Paul.
The Value of their Soul
Do you have a burden for souls? If so, what wish has your burden produced?