Children of Promise

Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise. At that time the son born in the ordinary way persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit. It is the same now. But what does the Scripture say? "Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman's son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman's son." Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.

- Galatians 4:28-31

What does it mean to be children of promise except that we are eagerly looked for by our Father, who has waited not only the 9 months whilst we were in the womb but, indeed, since the beginning of time. We are the favoured children.

Having said that, Jesus is the firstborn of the "free woman", that is, the Kingdom of Heaven. Where we are favoured children he is the Favoured Child, the ultimate Child of Promise. The Bible says that we are "heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ" (Romans 8:17), but there is no doubt that he is the Heir.

Sadly, we who are born of a promise, and born by the power of the Spirit can expect to be persecuted by those born in the ordinary way - that is, those who are still living under the judgement of the law. On the other hand, Paul promises, we will like Isaac share in the inheritance with Jesus. Indeed, the two are not unrelated - "we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory" (Romans 8:17).