Children of the Promise, Children of Grace, Children of God

July 18, 2018

Children of the Promise, Children of Grace, Children of God

Romans 9:6–8

Chris Hyland

Central Truth

God's promises of salvation and eternal life are not based on our last name—to whom we are born, our past, our actions—but on His name and His perfect righteousness imputed to us by faith.

6 But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, 7 and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” 8 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.

God has given us exceedingly great promises! He has given us the power to become children of God—to be adopted into God's family. As the apostle Peter tells us, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you" (1 Peter 1:3-4).

God's promise of an eternal inheritance that is incorruptible and undefiled is amazing and often unfathomable. Who are these promises for? What do we need to do to obtain them? That is the most beautiful part. The promises are for all "who believed in His name" (John 1:12). They are not based on our last name, as Paul tries to tell the Jews. We do not have to be born into a particular family or to a particular race or in a particular part of the world. Neither are the promises based on our merit or our actions; they are based on our faith in Jesus Christ who lived the perfect life for us and who gives us His righteousness in the most beautiful transaction ever.

I am living proof. For many years, I lived apart from God. I tried to find life in money and success and sex, but those were all traps that lured me in only to imprison me. Yet despite my rebellion, God, because of His great love and mercy, sent Jesus Christ to live the life I could not and die the death that I was due. He gave to me the precious promises that come only by grace through faith. "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)

This month's memory verse

24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.

– Romans 7:24–25

1. Have you believed in God and had it accounted to you for righteousness, or are you still counting on your last name or your Christian résumé? If you haven't trusted Jesus Christ for your eternal future, what is holding you back?

2. Do you live today knowing you have an inheritance—incorruptible and undefiled that does not fade away—reserved in heaven for you? Or do you live in anxiety, fear, depression, etc.? Whatever your situation today, remember that Jesus is in the midst of it with you, and you can rest knowing that He has you in the palm of His hand.

3. Whom can you tell today about the amazing, unmatchable love of God? Contact them and tell them about the rich inheritance you have received and invite them to do the same!