Children of the Freewoman

Everything in the Scriptures points us toward faith in the Savior, Jesus Christ.

As Paul is closing his argument in Galatians chapter four, he concludes by calling Abraham's two sons into memory. If you remember, Abraham was promised a son by Sarah. This son was to be greatly blessed, having many descendants who would become God's special people.

However, in their lack of faith, Abraham and Sarah sought to fulfill this promise on their own by having a son with Sarah's servant, Hagar. Later on God fulfilled his promise and Sarah had a son. So Abraham had two sons: Ishmael by Hagar and Issac by Sarah. Ishmael was the son of a servant, a son of bondage. Issac was the son of a freewoman, a son of freedom.

Paul uses this account as an allegory to powerfully drive home our position in Christ.

"Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise." (v. 28)

"So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free." (v. 31)

He explains that all those who are outside of faith in Jesus Christ are born into bondage, born into sin, born into the passions and desires of our own will, and are children of physical Jerusalem (v. 25).

But those who are born by faith in Jesus Christ are born into freedom, born into righteousness, born into the will of the father, and are children of spiritual Jerusalem (v. 26).

He has told us over and over again that we are the children of the promise by grace through faith alone in Jesus Christ. We are the citizens of the holy nation Israel. We inhabit spiritual Jerusalem. We are the chosen descendants of Abraham's seed: Jesus Christ. Paul is clear and emphatic; he is not confused. He has interpreted the Scriptures and applied them to us by faith in Jesus Christ! Amen!

We do not achieve this great position by what we have done, but rather, we are adopted into those promises - made equals in our inheritance in Christ. Now we no longer live after the passions and desires of the flesh; we live on in faith, in righteous, loving obedience to God the Father, no longer bound by the limits of our will, but raised to life in the Father's will.

It's a great thing to be a citizen of the kingdom of heaven. I hope you are encouraged today to walk in confidence of your faith. You have nothing to fear in this world, nor the world to come. Everything has been accomplished in Jesus Christ and you are his dear child!

But maybe you are reading this and you know you are not a child of faith. Maybe you know someone who has not been adopted into the family of God by faith in Christ. The invitation is open to believe and confess the Lord Jesus.

"If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised [Jesus] from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (Romans 10:9-10)

God is searching for his lost sheep. Do you hear his voice?