“Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise” Galatians 4:28
The Scriptures tell us that when Abraham’s wife Sarah heard from the Lord a promise that she would bear a son in the course of a year, she “laughed within herself, saying, ‘After I have grown old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also’” (Genesis 18:12). It was not a derisive laugh, but as if she was saying, “This I’ve got to see!” She was old and past her normal time of childbearing. Further, the Apostle Paul described Abraham as, “already dead (since he was about a hundred years old)”, and he also wrote of the “deadness of Sarah’s womb” (Romans 4:19).
But in the course of time, when Isaac was born, the absolutely amazed Sarah would exclaim, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? For I have borne him a son in his old age” (Genesis 21:7). Indeed, Isaac was a child of promise, a son born under impossible circumstances, but brought into existence by God for whom nothing is too hard, and who is faithful to His promises.
Now the Apostle calls believers children of promise. Just like Isaac, a true believer’s becoming a child of God is the result of God’s will. Isaac did not choose to be born. So too, those who have been born again, did not will this for themselves, but were loved, predestined and effectually called forth by God through His word and the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:29-30). Jesus, in speaking of being born again, spoke of those “born of the Spirit”, adding, “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit” (John 3:6,8). Jesus also spoke of, “All that the Father gives Me”, and the Apostle John wrote of the “children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:12-13; 6:37).
Additionally, believers too are called children of promise like Isaac because, by human reckoning, they are born under impossible circumstances. After all, these are ones who are stone cold spiritually “dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1). They do not, cannot, and will not seek God (Romans 3:10-12). They cannot stand in the presence of God because God is holy and they are not. Only those with clean hands and a pure heart may ascend into His holy place (Psalm 24:3-4). They are cursed by God because, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them” (Galatians 3:10). To state it briefly, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
So how is it possible that anyone would become His reconciled child of promise? Does the guilt of sin, and a hopelessly morally corrupted nature prevent God from bringing forth His children in a way that preserves His justice, holiness, and righteousness? Or as the Lord said to Abraham, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” (Genesis 18:14).
The answer is a resounding “No!” God, who is just, is able to justify sinners justly because Jesus Christ has stood in the place of the fallen children of promise, taking the full weight of God’s wrath and justice for their sin on the cross. He also lived the life they didn’t live by fully keeping every point of God’s law. As such, for believers, their sins are blotted out in that they are fully forgiven, and are now being cleansed in the blood of Christ. They have a righteousness outside of themselves which is now credited by God Himself to their account. The High Priest Jesus, who also became the sacrifice, has now arisen from the dead and gone to the Father to present Himself as the true Passover Lamb. And the Father is satisfied that His justice has been carried out for His children of promise. Now, it is no longer we who live, but Christ living in us, and the life which we now live in the flesh, we live by faith in the Son of God, who loved us and gave Himself for us (Galatians 3:20).
Believers, shouldn’t we be amazed that in the midst of deadness, hopeless guilt, and condemnation, new life has come forth as the result of God’s faithfulness in fulfilling His word that He would have a people for Himself, and He would be their God, and dwell among them (Revelation 21:3)? God didn’t cause you to be born again because you were smarter, more attractive, loveable, or good. He did it out of love, and that should be a motivation for worship, thanksgiving, and zealous service. And not only that, but “everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure” (1 John 3:3). That means that if we’re truly children of promise, having been born again, then our new life should be apparent in the way we live unto Christ, and not ourselves. If we are truly God’ children, then we should be coming more and more like Him! Are you?
But maybe you’re one who doesn’t know yourself to be a child of promise. You don’t recognize any new principle at work within which causes you to be desirous of being reconciled with God through humble confession, repentance of sin, and faith in Jesus Christ. Or to put it another way, you’ve not yet cast yourself on Jesus as your only hope of eternal life. You may even be trying to appease God by your attempts at “good works.”
If that describes you, then in utter helplessness, ask God to open your eyes, and to change your heart so that you might be able and willing to come to God on His terms by repenting of your sins and placing your faith in Jesus Christ alone. If you do, then you too will be in awe and wonder that you’ve become a child of promise.
The Scriptures tell us that when Abraham’s wife Sarah heard from the Lord a promise that she would bear a son in the course of a year, she “laughed within herself, saying, ‘After I have grown old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also’” (Genesis 18:12). It was not a derisive laugh, but as if she was saying, “This I’ve got to see!” She was old and past her normal time of childbearing. Further, the Apostle Paul described Abraham as, “already dead (since he was about a hundred years old)”, and he also wrote of the “deadness of Sarah’s womb” (Romans 4:19).
But in the course of time, when Isaac was born, the absolutely amazed Sarah would exclaim, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? For I have borne him a son in his old age” (Genesis 21:7). Indeed, Isaac was a child of promise, a son born under impossible circumstances, but brought into existence by God for whom nothing is too hard, and who is faithful to His promises.
Now the Apostle calls believers children of promise. Just like Isaac, a true believer’s becoming a child of God is the result of God’s will. Isaac did not choose to be born. So too, those who have been born again, did not will this for themselves, but were loved, predestined and effectually called forth by God through His word and the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:29-30). Jesus, in speaking of being born again, spoke of those “born of the Spirit”, adding, “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit” (John 3:6,8). Jesus also spoke of, “All that the Father gives Me”, and the Apostle John wrote of the “children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:12-13; 6:37).
Additionally, believers too are called children of promise like Isaac because, by human reckoning, they are born under impossible circumstances. After all, these are ones who are stone cold spiritually “dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1). They do not, cannot, and will not seek God (Romans 3:10-12). They cannot stand in the presence of God because God is holy and they are not. Only those with clean hands and a pure heart may ascend into His holy place (Psalm 24:3-4). They are cursed by God because, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them” (Galatians 3:10). To state it briefly, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
So how is it possible that anyone would become His reconciled child of promise? Does the guilt of sin, and a hopelessly morally corrupted nature prevent God from bringing forth His children in a way that preserves His justice, holiness, and righteousness? Or as the Lord said to Abraham, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” (Genesis 18:14).
The answer is a resounding “No!” God, who is just, is able to justify sinners justly because Jesus Christ has stood in the place of the fallen children of promise, taking the full weight of God’s wrath and justice for their sin on the cross. He also lived the life they didn’t live by fully keeping every point of God’s law. As such, for believers, their sins are blotted out in that they are fully forgiven, and are now being cleansed in the blood of Christ. They have a righteousness outside of themselves which is now credited by God Himself to their account. The High Priest Jesus, who also became the sacrifice, has now arisen from the dead and gone to the Father to present Himself as the true Passover Lamb. And the Father is satisfied that His justice has been carried out for His children of promise. Now, it is no longer we who live, but Christ living in us, and the life which we now live in the flesh, we live by faith in the Son of God, who loved us and gave Himself for us (Galatians 3:20).
Believers, shouldn’t we be amazed that in the midst of deadness, hopeless guilt, and condemnation, new life has come forth as the result of God’s faithfulness in fulfilling His word that He would have a people for Himself, and He would be their God, and dwell among them (Revelation 21:3)? God didn’t cause you to be born again because you were smarter, more attractive, loveable, or good. He did it out of love, and that should be a motivation for worship, thanksgiving, and zealous service. And not only that, but “everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure” (1 John 3:3). That means that if we’re truly children of promise, having been born again, then our new life should be apparent in the way we live unto Christ, and not ourselves. If we are truly God’ children, then we should be coming more and more like Him! Are you?
But maybe you’re one who doesn’t know yourself to be a child of promise. You don’t recognize any new principle at work within which causes you to be desirous of being reconciled with God through humble confession, repentance of sin, and faith in Jesus Christ. Or to put it another way, you’ve not yet cast yourself on Jesus as your only hope of eternal life. You may even be trying to appease God by your attempts at “good works.”
If that describes you, then in utter helplessness, ask God to open your eyes, and to change your heart so that you might be able and willing to come to God on His terms by repenting of your sins and placing your faith in Jesus Christ alone. If you do, then you too will be in awe and wonder that you’ve become a child of promise.