Before his conversion, Paul lived as a Pharisee and openly persecuted the early church. After surrendering his life to the Lord on the Damascus road, he went on to become the Beloved Apostle to the Gentiles.
But, he continued to have a tremendous burden for Israel because of their rejection of Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah.
I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit, that I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh, Romans 9:1-3
The Jews believed that they had a divine birthright when it came to salvation. Were they not of Abraham's seed? Paul himself was from the tribe of Benjamin but understood that God's grace was not granted to him because of his heritage.
Spurgeon - Paul never thought about his unbelieving brethren, without the deepest imaginable regret. How far is this from the spirit of those who look upon the ungodly without tears, settle it down as a matter that cannot be altered, take it as a question of hard fate, and are never troubled about it. Not so the Apostle. He had great heaviness and continual sorrow in his heart.
Do we have the same concern for lost souls that was expressed by Jesus in Matthew 9:36 ... But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.
If we truly abide in Him, our hearts should weep for those who don't know the Savior.
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