THE CHILDREN OF PROMISE
"Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise." (Gal 4:28 KJV)
Devotion 5 of 15

CHILDREN OF PROMISE

The "children of the promise" are the individuals to whom the promise applies! They are inheritors of the inheritance! These are the "children" to whom the promised blessing belongs. How succinctly Paul states the case: "That is, it is NOT the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise are regarded as descendants" (Rom 9:8).

Israel was a covenanted people, chosen by God, blessed by Him, and directed by Him. He gave them every advantage flesh could possibly have. Hear the words of the Spirit! "Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, Who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen" (Rom 9:4-5). He gave them a name, a beginning, a law, and a land. By Divine decree they had a favored status. Hear the remarkable statements concerning their position before God. "And the LORD hath avouched thee this day to be His peculiar people, as He hath promised thee, and that thou shouldest keep all His commandments; And to make thee high above all nations which He hath made, in praise, and in name, and in honor; and that thou mayest be an holy people unto the LORD thy God, as He hath spoken" (Deut 26:18-19).

Think of it! Of all humanity, Israel alone was associated with the Living God- "THE adoption." When it came to agreements between God and man, they held exclusive rights--to them belonged "the glory and the covenants." The approach to God, according to revelation, belonged to them--"the giving of the Law and the service of God." Even the promises of the coming Messiah and reconciliation belonged to them--"and the promises, whose are the fathers." The ultimate benefit was the coming of the Messiah from their ranks--"from whom is Christ according to the flesh." When it comes to the children of flesh, it simply is not possible to be in a more favorable position.

However, when the Lord Jesus came, they summarily rejected Him and crucified Him. Why? Because Law cannot qualify you to partake of the promise. It cannot impart or sustain faith (Gal 3:12). The Law cannot sensitize the heart to God, or induce trust in Him. Under its administration, even those who "died in faith" did not "receive the promises" (Heb 11:13). Law--any law--cannot qualify you for the promise, and the promise is everything!

Those who are only born naturally do not qualify for spiritual blessings--regardless of their supposed achievements! The state of nature, even at its highest level (the children of Israel) is not capable of qualifying us for "eternal life." Those born of the flesh can be cultured, disciplined in the most rigid religion, and taught to speak in the most orthodox manner--but they still are not the children of promise! Unless a person is born again, they do not qualify for the promise, which is expressly defined as "eternal life" (1 John 2:25). The right religious movement does not qualify one for eternal life. The right "church" also fails in this regard. "That which is born of flesh is flesh" (John 3:6), and it can never be anything else.

The "children of the promise" are the result of Divine activity. They are "His workmanship, created unto good works"--a spiritually "new creation" (Eph 2:10; 2 Cor 5:17). They were "begotten of God," according to "His own will," by the Word of truth (James 1:18). God delivered them from the power of darkness, and translated them into the Kingdom of His dear Son (Col 1:13). He put them into Christ, making the Son to be their wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption (1 Cor 1:30). Israel is a nation in the flesh. The children of promise are a holy nation in the Spirit. They are not self-made, but God-made. In even a greater sense than afforded to Israel, they can say, "it is He that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture" (Psa 100:3).

PRAYER POINT: Father, I praise Your holy name through Jesus Christ for making me a child of promise in Your beloved Son!

-- Tomorrow: A POWERFUL ALLEGORY --