Children of Promise

 “This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭9‬:‭8‬ ‭ESV‬‬

The Jews of Jesus’ day believed themselves to be the children of God. They believed this even though he said otherwise. He told them, in fact, that they were children of the devil (John 8:44).

They believed this, however, because they were descended from Abraham. They believed this because they had been saved from their bondage in Egypt and given the Promised Land. They believed this because, to them, God had given his promise. And they believed this because, to them, God had given his Word.

American Christians tend to make the same mistake, when it comes to the Jews. We give them a higher status than the rest of us. And we assume that they’re saved, even apart from faith in Christ.

Paul tells us, however, that not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel. He tells us that not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring. It’s not at all an issue of descent or lineage.

 He explains, in the passage above, that it is not the children of flesh who are the children of God. It isn’t those who possess the right bloodline or heritage who are children of God. It’s the children of promise, he tells us, who are counted as offspring.

What makes a person a part of Israel, what makes him part of the people of God, then, is faith. What makes a person a child of Abraham, then, is faith. And what makes a person a child of God, then, is his faith. 

Gentile believers, like most of us, are part of Israel. We are children of Abraham. And we are children of God.

At the same time, Jews who do not believe in Jesus, are not truly Jews. They are not truly a part of Israel. They are not truly children of Abraham. And they are not truly children of God.

God, of course, desires their salvation as much as anyone’s. And he works for their salvation as much as anyone’s. But their heritage does not set them apart, nor does it set them above the rest of us.

That being said, we must take care that we don’t become arrogant, as they were. We must take care that we don’t believe ourselves to be better or above others. Just as we become the children of God by faith, so too can anyone.

And, in the same way, if we turn from this faith, no longer are we his children. If we begin to trust in our heritage, if we begin to trust in our bloodline, we’re no longer his children. Each of these blessings is received through faith in Christ alone.