We are Children of the Promise

Monday, October 5th, 2026

4:34 am

Good morning! Today I am in Galatians 4:21-31. Paul asks the Galatians that were wanting to live under the law, if they knew what the law actually said? He tells them that the Scriptures say that Abraham had 2 sons, one from his slave wife and one from his freeborn wife. The son of the slave wife was born in an attempt to bring about the fulfillment of God's promise. But the son of the freeborn wife was born as God's own fulfillment of His promise. These two women illustrate God's two covenants. Hagar represents Mount Sinai where the people received the law that enslaved them. He tells them that now Jerusalem is just like Mount Sinai because she and her children live in slavery to the law. But Sarah represents the heavenly Jerusalem. And all who believe in Jesus Christ and accept the gift that He gives us is like the son of Sarah, children of the promise. But those who are trying to keep the law, are just like the child born by human effort. And those who are children of the Promise are being persecuted by the ones enslaved by the law. He tells them that the Scriptures say that the son of the slave woman will not share the inheritance with the free woman's son.

Paul was giving this illustration to help the people understand the difference between those who insisted on keeping the laws in order to be saved, to those who received God's promise. The son born to Hagar was born through human effort. But the son born to Isaac was born by the power of the Spirit, God's will. When we are trying to be saved by keeping the law, and not putting our trust in God, we are doing exactly what Sarah and Abraham were trying to do. Trying to receive God's promise through our own human effort, which just like it did for Sarah and Abraham, only brings us problems. As flawed humans, we cannot save ourselves by our own efforts, God is the only one who can. When we stop trying to do everything on our own, in our own way, and start turning to God, seeking Him for His help, He hears us and receives us. He receives us as His children, children of the promise. He wants us to know that He is the one that created us and He is the one that provides what we need, and it is only through Him that we are set free from the chains of sin. Our own human efforts are worth nothing if we are not putting our faith and trust in Jesus, He is the only way.