Romans 9:8-9 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. 9 For this is what the promise said: “About this time next year I will return, and Sarah shall have a son.
Who are part of God’s people? Those who come to God because of the promise of God experienced through Jesus Christ. The true “Israel” is not a political entity or because of ethnic heritage (the “flesh”). This idea is even found in the Old Testament. God was working with many different people groups. Even within political Israel there were only some people who believed in God and not foreign gods. Not all of “Israel” was God’s people because they lacked faith. The New Testament is no different. Paul’s ideas in Romans 9-11 are consistent with the Old Testament record. Some people misread what Paul is saying in these chapters and think that God has a separate plan for Israel and the church (known as “dispensationalism”). In Abraham’s situation, Ishmael was a child of the flesh but the promise did not come through him. Isaac was born through the promise and through him God fulfilled his plan of redemption. The quote from Genesis 18:10,14 helps support Paul’s claim. This idea has significance for some aspects of theology and even politics today. The affect is has upon Jews today should be a wake up call to look to the Messiah who has come. For Christians, it is a reminder that what matters is faith and not heritage. One is not a Christian by physical birth or heritage but by adoption through faith.
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