ADDRESSES ON ROMANS
Robert Murray McCheyne, through reading the biog- raphy of David Brainerd dedicated his life to winning souls. If you want to read something that will. stir your heart, my friend, read the story of this missionary to the Indians. He burned his life out like a candle in the service of the Lord, and died at the age of twenty-eight. Would to God we preachers of today had this passion for lost souls! The Son of God knew this concern. He shed tears for the lost men and women of Israel. Paul also had this continual sorrow, but I am afraid many of us do not have it today. I am sure that greater numbers would be saved if we shed tears over the lost. Paul knew about tears. Here he is addressing his own nation, and with what tenderness! If we sorrowed for the lost, it would make us more like Paul-more like Christ, for Paul was conformed to the image of his Lord. The inspired writer goes on to say that he could wish himself accursed for his kinsmen. Did he really mean that he was willing to become anathema, to be accursed of God, if by doing so, he could save his brethren? Yes, that is what he meant. My! what a passion! There was also another man in Bible history who cried something like this. That man was Moses. The Israelites had sinned against God in worshipping the golden calf. And when God threatened to cut them off, Moses went up on the mountain and prayed: "Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold. Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin.-; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written" (Ex. 32: 31, 32). Moses and Paul were men that God could use in win- ning souls for Christ. But their becoming anathema could never have saved those people. God ever requires personal faith. There is One who did become anathema for us. Our Lord Jesus was "made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree" (Gal. 3: 13). Thank God! Israel will one day look upon Him, and a fountain of cleansing will be opened for her! She will be washed as white [Page 173
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