The Children of the Promise

Romans 9:6–9 NKJV

6 But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For they are not all Israel who are of Israel, 7 nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, “In Isaac your seed shall be called.” 8 That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed. 9 For this is the word of promise: “At this time I will come and Sarah shall have a son.”

Last week we looked at Paul great sorrow and continual grief for Israel. He made the shocking statement that he could wish that he could trade places with them as it were. That he could be accursed so that they could be saved. But this in it self was one of the major objections to the gospel at that time and even today it is one of the major reasons that they Jews reject the Gospel.

God’s own people Israel had for the most part rejected Jesus as their Messiah. And to a Jew that was all the evidence necessary to reject Christ. Why? Because Jews are God’s chosen people and it is impossible to think that the greater part of God’s people could be wrong about Jesus especially if according to Paul even God’s own people would be excluded from the blessings of God if they reject Christ. This would mean, according to them, that God’s promises had failed.

See to the Jew everything that Paul said in Rom 8:28-30 applied to Israel. All things work together for the good for Israel. God Foreknew and predestined and called and justified and glorified Israel as a race and because they are Abrahams children. But Paul says that these blessings are for those who love God and are called according to His purpose, and that this calling is to faith in Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of God who God sent into this world to die on the cross.

And since most of Israel rejected Christ then according to Paul’s Gospel most of Israel would be excluded from the promises which to the Jew was proof that the Gospel was false and to the Gentile was grounds to doubt the faithfulness of God.

So we see then the great necessity for Paul to write Rom 9 and the great importance of these truths because the faithfulness of God’s promise hangs in the balance.

I emphasis this point this morning because many Christians avoid the truth that is in this chapter because it is controversial. And they believe that it is unimportant. Whether God choses us or whether we chose God what does it mater? It matters a great deal when it come to our faith in the promises of God concerning us

They are Not All Israel Who are of Israel

So what Paul is saying here is God promise to Israel has not failed. Rather there is a misunderstanding because not all of those who are descendants of Israel are the true chosen people of God. This is the foundation of Paul’s argument though-out this chapter. And he will prove it with Old Testament scriptures, Three accounts of the Jewish Patriarchs and two prophetic writings. The first of which is the account of Abraham and his two sons Isaac and Ishmael.

Romans 9:7 NKJV

7 nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, “In Isaac your seed shall be called.”

This reference is from...

Genesis 21:8–13 NKJV

8 So the child grew and was weaned. And Abraham made a great feast on the same day that Isaac was weaned. 9 And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, scoffing. 10 Therefore she said to Abraham, “Cast out this bondwoman and her son; for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, namely with Isaac.” 11 And the matter was very displeasing in Abraham’s sight because of his son. 12 But God said to Abraham, “Do not let it be displeasing in your sight because of the lad or because of your bondwoman. Whatever Sarah has said to you, listen to her voice; for in Isaac your seed shall be called. 13 Yet I will also make a nation of the son of the bondwoman, because he is your seed.”

So we know the story. God promised Abraham that he would have a son and from that son he would make a great nation and bless those who blessed them and curse those who cursed them and in him all families of the earth would be blessed. The Covenant that God made with Abraham.

But Abraham and Sarah began to doubt God’s promise. The thing seem imposable as they got older. As so Sarah told Abraham to take her handmaiden Hagar so that they could have a son through her. They tried to accomplish in the flesh what God promised to do.

Paul expounds on this scripture in...

Galatians 4:21–31 NKJV

21 Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons: the one by a bondwoman, the other by a freewoman. 23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and he of the freewoman through promise, 24 which things are symbolic. For these are the two covenants: the one from Mount Sinai which gives birth to bondage, which is Hagar— 25 for this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children— 26 but the Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all. 27 For it is written: “Rejoice, O barren, You who do not bear! Break forth and shout, You who are not in labor! For the desolate has many more children Than she who has a husband.” 28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise. 29 But, as he who was born according to the flesh then persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, even so it is now. 30 Nevertheless what does the Scripture say? “Cast out the bondwoman and her son, for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.” 31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman but of the free.

Which things are symbolic. Isaac represents those who are children of the promise. That is, those who are born by the power and according to the purpose of God. Ishmael represents those who try to accomplish God’s purpose in the flesh. Only the children of the promise are heirs.

In our passage in Rom 9 Paul is once again using this account as a symbol.

Romans 9:8 NKJV

8 That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed.

God’s Children are Not of the Flesh

That means that God’s children are not born according to efforts of the flesh.

John 1:12–13 NKJV

12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

What did Jesus say to Nicodemus?

John 3:5–6 NKJV

5 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

Nicodemus was a Jew, a Pharisee and a great teacher and Jesus told him that it is not enough that you are a Jew, or a pharisee or that you keep the law these are all of the flesh. You need to be a child of God, you need to be born of the Spirit. Being born in the flesh has nothing to do with you, you don’t choose your parents, you don’t chose you nationality. You can’t chose to be born. It is the work of God it is a miracle. Just like when Abraham and Sarah gave birth in their old age.

Romans 4:18–20 NKJV

18 who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, “So shall your descendants be.” 19 And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. 20 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God,

He did not take into consideration his own age even though he was about 100 years old or Sarah bareness, even though she was barren her whole life and now close to 100 herself. The birth of Isaac was impossible. no one could do it but God Himself. So that he was not born according to the flesh but according to the promise of God. So is every person who is truly born again. No one is born of the Spirit because of their will or their strength. As Paul says in vs 16

Romans 9:16 NKJV

16 So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy.

God children are not born according to the flesh like Ishmael but according to the Spirit and according to the purpose of God.

Romans 9:8–9 NKJV

8 That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed. 9 For this is the word of promise: “At this time I will come and Sarah shall have a son.”

God’s Children are of The Promise

Just like when God came to Sarah and said at this time I will come and Sarah shall have a son. All those who are born of God are born by the power of God.

Paul point has been that not all that are of Israel are Israel. Meaning that just because a person is born a Israelite a son of Abraham does not mean that he is a true child of God and beneficiary of the promises of God. He makes this point to support his statement that it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. That is

2 Corinthians 1:20 NKJV

20 For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.

God has never failed in any of His promises to Israel but Paul is teaching a mystery here. The Jews believed that because they were Jews by birth that they were God’s chosen people. Paul is teaching that it was never about being a Jew by birth it was always about being called by God

John the Baptist knew this.

Matthew 3:7–9 NKJV

7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, 9 and do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.

John 8:31–47 NKJV

31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” 33 They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?” 34 Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. 35 And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. 36 Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. 37 “I know that you are Abraham’s descendants, but you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you. 38 I speak what I have seen with My Father, and you do what you have seen with your father.” 39 They answered and said to Him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham. 40 But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this. 41 You do the deeds of your father.” Then they said to Him, “We were not born of fornication; we have one Father—God.” 42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. 43 Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. 45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me. 46 Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me? 47 He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.”

Being a child of Abraham did not make them God’s people, nor did their empty attempts to keep God’s law. Because God Children are not of the flesh. No one becomes a child of God by their will or their work or even their faith or their choice. God’s children like Isaac are born completely by the power of God.

Some would say why does it matter? Many, even if they believe this truth will not preach it. Because they think that election is God’s business and so it is not important to the preaching of the Gospel.

Paul proves shows us that the purpose of God according to election is not only important but he shows us why it’s important. It gives us faith in the promises of God. It give us confidence that God will bless us with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places. God’s word of promise stands for Israel and is yes and amen. It causes us to glorify God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ because we know that he is the one who is worthy to be praised for our salvation. Salvation is of the Lord. And all those who are called by God and repent and surrender to God the Father and Jesus Christ His Son are true children of Abraham, we are children of the promise.

The Jews thought that they were Abrahams children and God’s children just because they were Jews, But Christ said they were children of Satan.

How do you know if you are a child of the promise? John the Baptist said bring forth fruit worthy of repentance. Jesus said He who is of God hears God’s words.

Those who respond to the call of God hear His words and repent of their sins and turn to God and follow Jesus are those who are born of God. So if you are born of God praise Him because he has purposed to change you into the image of Jesus Christ.