by Russell Young
Paul wrote that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman following which he went on to teach about the hope that comes through the free woman, Sarah. Accordingly, he said that the women represent two covenants; the Old Covenant is the covenant of the Law (Hagar) and the New Covenant is a covenant of the Spirit (Sarah). This understanding is important when it comes to understanding his teaching concerning the “children of promise.” They are descendants of Abraham through Sarah and enjoy the New Covenant.
The promise of salvation comes through God’s promise given to Sarah concerning her son, Isaac. It is through Isaac that the Lord, Jesus Christ is descended. The promise and the hope for humankind is established in the New Covenant which comes through Christ from the line of Isaac. The children of promise are those who are honoring the New Covenant which is a covenant of the Spirit and which was availed through the blood of Christ. In addressing the church in Galatia, Paul wrote: “Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.” (Gal 4:31 NIV) He referred to the “children of the free woman” as “brothers.”
Paul has addressed much of his writing to those he calls “brothers.” Certainly, not all of those who attended the churches would fit his classification. Not all would have been fully committed to the New Covenant and to its requirements because he would have been delivering his message to a broad assortment of people. The distinction between brothers and others is important because many accept that Paul’s promises apply to them even though they lack knowledge of the New Covenant or lack commitment to satisfying its conditions. It is easy to accept that all who profess belief have been grafted into the line of the Jews and have become children of promise, however, Paul also wrote to the Romans, “Do not be arrogant, but be afraid. For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.” (Rom 11:21 NIV) The Lord also taught, “I am the true vine, and my father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that does not bear fruit.” (Jn 15:1 NIV) Concerning the Jewish family that bears the children of promise, Paul presented: “[A] man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code.” (Rom 2:29 NIV) The children of promise from the Gentiles are those who will have been grafted into Israel.
When addressing his “brothers” in Galatia, Paul was speaking to those who were circumcised of the heart, the few (Mt 7:14) who are satisfying the requirements of the New Covenant. It is through this covenant that God’s righteous requirements will be met and through this covenant, the covenant of the Spirit (2 Cor 3:6), that the children of promise will be identified. “And he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.” (Rom 8:4 NIV) Circumcision of the heart refers to those who have embraced the Holy Spirit to put to death the misdeeds of the body (Rom 8:13) so that righteousness might prevail. Circumcision of the heart requires “effort” (Lk 13:24) and commitment (Phil 2:12) so that sin is being removed from the believer’s practices. Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has not permanent place in the family, but a son–the one led by the Spirit (Rom 8:14)— belongs to it forever.” (Jn 8:34─35 NIV)
The children of promise are those who are born of the power of the Spirit (Gal 4:28─2) and remain engrafted in Christ. Their state remains provided they honor the provision of the New Covenant and the Holy Spirit who empowers it. They may be “cut off” or removed from Israel if the natural spirit emerges once again so that sin takes possession, and the ministry of Christ– the fulfiller of all promises and the Seed of Abraham– is denied and fruit no longer produced.
Believers are those who are obedient and humble followers of Christ (Heb 5:9; Mt 7:21; Rom 6:16; Rev 22:14 KJV). They will be the circumcised of heart and “the children of promise.” Care must be taken to properly assign the promises of God only to the children of promise. They are not Hagar’s children, those who will be sent away; but to the legitimate family of Isaac and of Christ-to those who are led by him as Holy Spirit (2 Cor 3:17; Rom 8:14) so that the requirements of God through the New Covenant will be accomplished. All believers need to have certain understanding of the New Covenant. They do not have to obey the law but do have to obey Christ.
Christianity 201 