Sovereign Grace Chapel, located
at 135 Annabel Lane in Beaver, West Virginia, invites you to
listen to a gospel message concerning Jesus Christ our Lord. Alright,
if you If you wish to follow along,
turn to Romans chapter nine. Romans chapter nine. Now I will
be absent for a couple, the next two Sundays, but I plan on trying
to take a little time as I go through Romans chapter nine.
The first three verses, Paul, of course, is continuing his
letter to the believers there at Rome. He's continuing the
letter, but I want to just read these first three verses of chapter
nine. I say the truth in Christ, I
lie not. My conscience also bearing me
witness in the Holy Ghost, that I have great heaviness and continual
sorrow in my heart. For I could wish that myself
were a curse from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according
to the flesh. The words that the Apostle Paul
was writing here, and of course, I'm sure everyone here understands
this and maybe everyone live streaming, but in case there's
someone that doesn't know this, Paul did not, none of the Bible
was written in chapters. It was just a letter. This specifically was just a
letter. And some studious people somewhere along the line seemed
fit to put in chapters and verses. I do greatly appreciate that
because it makes things a whole lot easier to find. But the words
of chapter 9 are just as much words written to convey God's
truth in plain language as all the rest of the chapters here.
In other words, there's no hidden mystical meaning but just the
conveyance of truth in straightforward language. I say that because
in some commentaries, just some, not all of course, in some commentaries,
but especially amongst the religionists of this world, they get to chapter
9 and they come up with all kinds of hidden meaning or mystical
meaning. And the reason is not because
Paul writes in such language. The book of the revelation of
Jesus Christ is written in a lot of such language. And some of
it's hard to grasp. And most of these people who
think they know all about the book of the revelation of Jesus
Christ are just wet behind the ears, as we say. But this is
simply a letter written to a church in Rome. And the very fact that
Paul starts out this great exposition of the absolute sovereignty of
God by expressing the fact that he has great heaviness and continual
sorrow in his heart, lets me know a couple of things. The
sovereignty of God does not take away all grief and heaviness. It does not. And there are those
who try to play man's grief and heaviness, especially for other
individuals, and especially even further, for individuals who
are not saved, they try to play that against the sovereignty
of God. But Paul does not do that here. So again, without
spending more time there, this is simply straightforward language.
It's straightforward language. And Paul expresses his concern
for his kinsmen. My title and what I want to try
to deal with this morning is this, emotion only versus spiritual
concern. There is nothing wrong with emotion
unless that emotion is misplaced concerning the truth of God.
God made us to be emotional creatures. But remember, we fail in our
Father Adam. Therefore, our emotions at best
are distorted, if not in fact absolutely depraved apart from
the grace of God. So again, Paul says, I say the
truth in Christ, I lie not. And I gather from this, I just
gather from this, he doesn't deal with that a lot, but I gather
from this that there were those, because of who Paul was, because
of what he preached, and because of what he's about to write right
here, because he taught these things, he didn't just write
these things. He preached these things, Mac, he didn't just write
about them in his letters, that there were some who said, well,
Paul doesn't really care about other people. Paul doesn't really care about
other people. He said, I say the truth, in Christ I lie not. My conscience also bear me witness
in the Holy Ghost. And he doesn't need to give any
man any more explanation than that. Because trying to prove
it to someone else is to no avail. And here's what I, I'm not lying,
that I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.
We know that he also, in the next chapter, that chapter begins
with Paul saying this, brethren, my heart's desire and prayer
to God for Israel is that they might be saved. Paul cared about
his kinsmen. But oh, God help us to remember
this. And I'm not trying to be too picky, but maybe I am being
picky. Paul did not say my family. He
said, my kinsmen. Because God's people, those who
are regenerated and converted by the gospel, they are our family. And I wish we could all learn
to start using that kind of language. Call our brothers and sisters
our family, call everybody else, if they are kin to us, our kinsmen. Our kinsmen. As a matter of fact,
I think one individual preacher pointed out when he stood behind
this podium many years ago, that the word family, especially in
the New Testament, is never used to describe the relationship
between individual blood, people of the same individual bloodline.
You understand what I'm saying? It never is used that way. So
Paul expresses his concern. But he says this about Israel,
for I bear them record, they have a zeal of God. Let me just,
this is my thoughts about the matter. It's not what Paul wrote,
but they're so close and yet so far away. You know the old
phrase? They're so close and just yet so far away. And your
heart grieves for people like that. But Paul also knew there
were some amongst Israel who had heard the truth. who had
begun to respond to the truth favorably. And that's the only
way I could put it. It looked just like everyone
else's response to the truth. But then they turned their back
on that truth. And I'm sure that grieved Paul
as well. He was not happy over such a
thing. But he knew that our God is in
absolute sovereign control. And no matter what our concern
for others is, we must remember some of those little spiritual
tidbit lessons that our Lord taught us. He told the disciples,
you go into this town and you preach the truth to them, you
preach the gospel to them. If they don't receive it, what
do you do? Just keep begging them, just keep begging them,
just keep begging them. Shake the dust off your feet when you
leave. That doesn't mean you stop to
be concerned for them either, does it? But our actions, our
concern, our concern must not dictate our actions. Do you hear
what I'm saying? Our concern must not dictate
our actions. For I bear them record that they
have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. I will say this
again. Men and women are not saved by
knowledge. But men and women are not converted
apart from some knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Because you can't believe on one, or you can't call on one
that you don't believe in. And you can't believe on one
you ain't never heard about. And you can't hear about it unless
God sends somebody with the message to you. So just a few things,
I'll try to be brief. I said I will try to be brief.
Paul's intent, listen to me now, Paul's intent, Paul is confessing
here to us that his intent at one time was misplaced. That's
right. He says, he wrote these words.
He is being straightforward. I say the truth in Christ, I
lie not. My conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost
that I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart
for I could wish that myself. This is one of the only places
the word wish is used in the scripture. And it is simply that,
a wish. A wish. We wish for a lot of
things. But thank God he don't give us all of it. Thank God he's not giving me
everything I've ever wished for. Because I know this, it would
have ruined my life as well as my soul. Because I do not know
what is best to wish for. We don't even know what to pray
for as we all do. How much more are our wishes
eschewed? But he says that. Now, I don't
want to get too convoluted here. Literally, what Paul wrote, he
said, for I could wish, remember that word, wish? Literally, Paul
wrote this, and I did check it. I've heard other people say it.
I checked it in the Greek that the KJV was basically based upon. The actual rendering is this,
for I was wishing. The emphasis here in the direct
statement of Paul is, I'm not wishing this anymore. Now, I
still have a prayer to God for Israel that they might be saved,
but I'm not wishing what? That I myself could be a curse
from Christ for my kinsmen, according to the flesh. And we'll look
at why here in a moment. For I could wish, the KJV puts it.
Literally, Paul wrote, for I was wishing. The KJV is okay because
it emphasizes this, for I am capable of wishing. That's the
way the KJV put it. Paul, the wording, whether it's
directly from the accepted text or whether it's from the KJV
itself, the rendering lets us know that the capability to wish
is there, but something's happened that caused him to quit wishing.
Not wishing that they might be saved, because he even prayed
that they might be saved. Yes, sir. But wishing what? That
I could be accursed for my kids' money. That's a cat of a different
color. Why? Because there he is. This
same man wrote to Timothy and says, there he is, but one mediator
between God and men. That's the man, Christ Jesus.
No matter how faithful we are and devoted to others and concern
we have, how much concern we have for others, we cannot stand
in as a substitute or mediator or surety for anyone. At one time, I'm not saying Paul
didn't grasp that Christ was the only mediator, but we're
capable of wishing a lot of things. Because that's what he says,
for I could wish that myself were a curse for Christ for my
brethren, my kinsmen, according to the flesh. He cared about
them that much. But God sending Paul to hell
would not save one of his Jewish kinsmen. Not one. And Paul is quite clear that
he knows this, for he says in verse six, not as though the
word of God has taken none effect, for they are not all Israel,
which are of Israel. I will paraphrase. They are not
all the elect of God who were born of Jewish or Israelite ancestry. That's what he's talking about.
That's the whole context. I mean, I even know of some Calvinists,
now they may have changed their minds by now, I hope so, that
go into some Jewish fantasy in Romans chapter nine. Paul is
writing to mainly Gentiles. Now there were Jews there as
well. He spoke about that, chapter one and two. This is not some
Jewish fantasy. No man or woman was ever saved
by, or born of God, or born of blood. whereby they would believe
Christ. Never! Jews are not saved because
they're Jews. They're saved because God chose
to save them before the world began. And He didn't choose all
Jews. Never has, never will. I was of that false idea at one
time that one day in the future God will save all the Jews simply
because they're Jews. That is not so. It was not so. There is but one mediator. Now let me say this concerning
this one thing. Paul's intent at one time was
misplaced. Now listen to me. Believing the
absolutely sovereign God does not stifle concern for others. Now we are told it does that.
Someone says, well, I believe what you believe. I never would
preach or pray or do anything again. Don't call them a liar. If they believed what you believed
in the state that they are presently in, they would use it as an excuse.
Because they're unregenerate that respond like that. And unregenerate
men always twist the truth. But I'm saying this, believing
the absolutely sovereign God does not stifle concern for others. Just believing in sovereignty
may If your key to all this is just
sovereignty, I believe in sovereignty, I've heard people say that, I
believe in sovereignty. That may be good, that may not be
good. It is believing the sovereign God that works and instills within
the soul a concern for others, is believing the sovereign God,
not just believing in the sovereignty of God. Just believing in sovereignty
may stifle concern for others, but believing the sovereign God
does not. But let me just jump right to
the next thing. But I want you to note what Paul
writes of Elias' words. Here's the second point. Not
all intent is always for others. Not all concern is always for
others. Look at what even Paul writes.
Romans chapter 11. Let's turn there for a moment. Remember, not all intent, not
all concern is always for others. Elias, according to the scripture,
and Paul quotes Elias here in chapter 11, Elias made intercession
to God, you notice the word, against Israel. I say then, hath God cast away
his people? God forbid. For I am also an
Israelite of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. Let
me stop a moment. Somebody said, there's arguments out there.
You got one person casting aspersion against other people. And meanwhile,
has God cast away the Jew? One man says yes, another man
says no. Look at what Paul writes. Has
God cast away his people? God forbid. I'm also an Israelite
of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. He's talking
about bloodline, is he not? But look at what he said, God
hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Now he's already
wrote to these people of the people who God foreknew. They're
the same ones he did what? He predestinated. You see that? So the truth is, yes, God has
cast away Israel as a national people. But he's not done with
all Israelites. He's not done with all Jews.
there is still the remnant according to the election of grace. And
this is exactly what it goes on to say. Now folks, that's
the truth. And why do men argue and cast aspersions against others?
Simply because we're trying to prove our point, me included,
when I have ever done such a thing. I say then, if God cast away
his people, God forbid, for I am also an Israelite of the seed
of Abraham of the tribe of Benjamin. God hath not cast away his people
which he foreknew, what ye not? What the scripture saith of Elias,
how that he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying. So he wasn't praying for him,
he was praying against him. And rightfully so. They had rebelled
under Ahab and his wife Jezebel in some of the most heinous of
ways. And Elias, as it's put here,
Elijah, that's all he seen. Now bless God, if that's all
you see, you and I, if that's all I see, we're gonna be just
like Elijah. Let's not think we're living
on some higher plane than Elijah. saying, Lord, they have killed
thy prophets and dig down thine altars, and I am left alone.
Now, notice how he's got part truth and part emotion, part
spiritual concern and part emotion only. Do you see what I'm saying?
That's my title, my thought, emotion only versus spiritual
concern. Lord, they've killed thy prophets. That was right. They have dig down thine altars.
That was right. And they offered up, they had
offered to bail and all these other Look, but here's the problem. And I am left alone. Poor me. Now folks, by what he's seen,
I understand the feeling. Don't you? Listen to me. Sometimes loneliness and trouble
can cause us to become very self-centered and jaundiced. Right? Now I'm left alone. Everything
else was right. And they seek my life. That was
correct too. But he thought I'm the only one. God let him know, you're not.
But he didn't let him know until Elijah had already belly ached
about the situation. But what saith the answer of
God unto him? I have reserved to myself 7,000
men who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. That's
it. All of this, and God was in absolute
sovereign control while Elijah was bellyaching, before he bellyached,
while he was bellyaching, and after he stopped bellyaching.
Do you understand what God's saying here? I'm in control of
this. I don't have to reveal to you everything I'm doing.
And in most cases, Mac, he does not. Just with this small group
of people, God gives us a little glimpse here or there of someone
we've helped, someone that just enjoys the messages. He's been
blessed by it. But folks, we got the internet
now. We don't know what God's doing
out there. You know that? But if he does nothing else, it's
all been grace and mercy and compassion. He doesn't owe us
or anybody else any of this. Why? Even so then at this present
time, Paul writes, there also, present time also, there is a
remnant according to the election of grace. So there we see where our emotions
need to be brought in line. brought under the halter, if
you will. Emotion only will, I didn't say can, it can, but
it will lead us astray. It will lead us astray. Now I
don't realize that most people connect concern for others, spiritual
concern, just concerns for someone else's soul, whether they're
saved or they're lost. And if you don't have concern
for others, you are a heartless individual. I mean, that's just
a fact. But I also know that the attitude
and the emotion that religion connects to this concern is all
dead wrong. Most people's praying, whether
it's out of concern for others or themselves, is their prayers
are trying to extort something from God. They're trying to pray
to get God to do something. Is that not often how we pray? We pray asking God to do something. He's done, Joe, whatever He's
pleased. And He's still doing whatever
He pleased. And the judge of the earth always
has been doing right. The old phrase, prayer changes
things, it may change things, but it don't change God. Prayer may change you and your
attitude. That's a good thing if it changes you to bow to the
feet of Christ. Prayer may change you to think
you're gonna get God to do something. It don't work that way. So again, I say not all intent
is always for others, but it's even more than that. Here's the
third thing. Not all intent and or complaint
is misdirected. Turn to 2 Timothy chapter four. Now I realize there's a lot more
to this thing about emotion only versus spiritual concern, that
is concern for other people's souls. I realize there's a lot
more to it than I have time to give you this morning. But again,
I'm telling you, I've given you some tidbits from scripture that
are giving us some I don't like the word, but guidelines, Joe,
to keep our emotions in check, to make sure the concern we have
is true spiritual concern and not emotion only. Again, not
all intent and or complaint is misdirected. 2 Timothy chapter
four and verse 14, Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil.
The Lord reward him according to his works. That's not a positive
thing. If this guy, the coppersmith,
did a lot of evil to Paul, and then Paul says, ah, the Lord
reward him according to his works, Alexander the coppersmith, if
God answers that prayer, he's in trouble. But let me tell you
this, now listen, Alexander the coppersmith was in trouble whether
Paul prayed this or not. Do you see what I'm saying? Paul's
prayer didn't cause what Alexander did to be evil. He's just praying
because he's got no reason to believe this man loved the truth
at all. Look, Alexander the coppersmith
did me much evil, the Lord reward him according to his works, of
whom be thou aware also. Watch out for him. But I thought
we're supposed to love everybody. He was, he was loving Timothy.
By warning Timothy about this huckster. Do you see what I'm
saying? Of whom be thou also, for here
it is, for he hath greatly withstood our words. Now let's listen to a few words
of the master himself. Turn to Matthew chapter 11. Matthew
chapter 11. Now this is nothing new. This
has always been in God's book. but our emotions causes us to
think clearly by emotion until God then brings us back to the
book and our emotions are laid flat before God and understood
to be what they really are. They're our emotions and then
we are given true spiritual concern according to the word of God.
Listen to what the master himself prayed. He prayed this. Verse 25 of Matthew 11. At that
time, Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord
of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from
the wise and the prudent. And I'm just gonna stop right
there. He thanked God for it. You see that? I rarely find myself praying
such a prayer. Because usually what I'm thinking
or I have concern, it's about someone I care about very deeply.
And I don't like the thought that God may have hid some of
these things from them. Are you gonna be honest this
morning? Boy, I'm glad God hid these things from my kids. No, but the master did. The master did. So again, I'm telling you, all
intent, For or against is not always misdirected. The problem
is when we delve into either one of these, we've got to be
careful because we're not God. We're not God. Here's the fourth thing. We must
consider our intent, whether it's for or against. We must
consider our intent, whether it's for or against, because
we could have concern but we must always acknowledge God's
sovereign purpose in all matters.