Romans 9:3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh.
This is a passage that amazes many Christians. As far as many Christians are concerned, THE reason for being a Christian is personal salvation. So how can Paul say that he would be willing to be lost for the sake of saving others?
The goal of personal salvation is nearly always prominent in conversion, and there is nothing wrong with that (Acts 2:37-40). But Paul has reached a point, and every Christian should reach a point, where the glory of God is more important than their own salvation. Paul being lost would not cause his nation to be saved, but if it were possible, and if their being saved would honour God more than Paul’s personal salvation, then Paul is willing to be lost for the sake of this greater good. Of course, Paul wants to be saved, and expects to be saved, but his personal salvation is not the most important thing to him.
It does not disturb me that a new-born is self-focused. For the sake of survival, new-borns must be, and there is nothing they can do to serve others anyway. But when a child of eight or ten is still fully self-focused, we should be concerned. When a teenager is still fully self-focused, it is alarming. When an adult is self-focused, it is depressing.
It does not disturb me that a new convert is focused on personal salvation. But it alarms me when I meet Christians who ought to have grown beyond that point who are still totally preoccupied with their own salvation. It alarms me because they ought to have enough confidence in Christ that they would not be doubting their salvation; and because they ought to have grown to the point of being more focused on helping others and glorifying God.
Yes, we want to be saved, that is appropriate. But it is not all about us. It is about the glory of God (Isa 43:21; Phil 1:10-11; 1 Peter 2:9; 4:1-11).