Weekly Devotional - July 7th

I am telling the truth in Christ; I am not lying; my conscience testifies with me in the Holy

Spirit that I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart.   For I could wish that I myself

were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my countrymen, my kinsmen according

to the flesh,   who are Israelites, to whom belongs the adoption as sons and daughters, the

glory, the covenants, the giving of the Law, the temple service, and the promises;   whose

are the fathers, and from whom is the Christ according to the flesh, who is over

all, God blessed forever. Amen.

Romans 9:1-5

As a point of clarification, I would recommend that someone reading Romans refer to Martin

Luther’s work “Bondage of the Will” and Johnathan Edwards’ “Freedom of the Will” for a

deeper understanding of Romans 9.

In this section, the opening verse from Paul is more of a declaration than an oath. He is speaking as one directed by the Spirit through his conscience. Paul was convicted of the truth. Oh, that all Christians would experience the same conviction when the Gospel is rejected.