Children of Promise

A sermon on Galatians 4:28 preached on Sunday 21st August, 2022 by Pastor Enoch Awuku Anti

This morning I want us to look at v.28 of the texts we read for our sermon. 

Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise

I will use the last phrase of the verse as my title: Children Of Promise. And I will attempt to identify who these children of promise are. When Paul says “you are children of promise” who was he referring to? 

While I was growing up as a child,  I read a book just for the sake of reading (or so I thought). Now I am an adult and I have come to discover that this book I read as a child growing up is actually a great book in the Christian world that engages the attention of theologians and is on the reading of some seminaries. Just in case you think I am talking about the Bible, no, it’s not the Bible. I am talking about another book. For those of you who may have read this book, I am sure this excerpt from the book will let you know what book I am talking about. Listen to this. 

As I walked through the wilderness of this world, I lighted on a certain place where was a Den, and I laid me down in that place to sleep: and, as I slept, I dreamed a dream. I dreamed, and behold, I saw a man clothed with rags, standing in a certain place, with his face from his own house, a book in his hand, and a great burden upon his back. [Isa. 64:6; Luke 14:33; Ps. 38:4; Hab. 2:2; Acts 16:30,31] 

I looked, and saw him open the book, and read therein; and, as he read, he wept, and trembled; and, not being able longer to contain, he brake out with a lamentable cry, saying, “What shall I do?” [Acts 2:37] {11} In this plight, therefore, he went home and refrained himself as long as he could, that his wife and children should not perceive his distress; but he could not be silent long, because that his trouble increased. Wherefore at length he brake his mind to his wife and children; and thus he began to talk to them: O my dear wife, said he, and you the children of my bowels, I, your dear friend, am in myself undone by reason of a burden that lieth hard upon me; moreover, I am for certain informed that this our city will be burned with fire from heaven; in which fearful overthrow, both myself, with thee my wife, and you my sweet babes, shall miserably come to ruin, except (the which yet I see not) some way of escape can be found, whereby we may be delivered. 

At this his relations were sore amazed; not for that they believed that what he had said to them was true, but because they thought that some frenzy distemper had got into his head; therefore, it drawing towards night, and they hoping that sleep might settle his brains, with all haste they got him to bed. But the night was as troublesome to him as the day; wherefore, instead of sleeping, he spent it in sighs and tears. So, when the morning came, they would know how he did. He told them, Worse and worse: he also set to talking to them again; but they began to be hardened. They also thought to drive away his distemper by harsh and surly carriages to him; sometimes they would deride, sometimes they would chide, and sometimes they would quite neglect him. Wherefore he began to retire himself to his chamber, to pray for and pity them, and also to condole his own misery; he would also walk solitarily in the fields, sometimes reading, and sometimes praying: and thus for some days he spent his time. {12} Now, I saw, upon a time, when he was walking in the fields, that he was, as he was wont, reading in his book, and greatly distressed in his mind; and, as he read, he burst out, as he had done before, crying, “What shall I do to be saved?”

This is the picture of a man greatly burdened by sin: he was in rags. Had a book in his hands and was carrying a great burden. All these depicts a man who has come under a great conviction of sin from reading the Bible and was seeking help. See how on  two occasions he cried out:

“I looked, and saw him open the book, and read therein; and, as he read, he wept, and trembled; and, not being able longer to contain, he brake out with a lamentable cry, saying, “What shall I do?” 

Now, I saw, upon a time, when he was walking in the fields, that he was, as he was wont, reading in his book, and greatly distressed in his mind; and, as he read, he burst out, as he had done before, crying, “What shall I do to be saved?”

While reading this, I said to myself, this is the real meaning of what our Pentecostal and Charismatic friends call slain in the Spirit: it is an unbearable weight of sin, rather than people falling over, screaming and acting hysterically, this is truly what it means to be slain in the Spirit: the holiness of God grips and  rips you apart. It tears and shreds you.  When Isaiah saw the glory of God, he cried out “Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.” (Isaiah 6:5). 

The apostle Peter, when he had experienced the power of Christ, he cried out  “Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” (Luke 5:8). Paul writing about his experience in Romans 7:24 cried out “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death” And the publican, praying together with the Pharisee, couldn’t lift up. But bowed his, beat his chest and  “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ Have you felt these before? Have you been overwhelmed by the weight of your sins? Not because you looked at your sins. But because the holiness of God, overwhelmed and enveloped you. “What shall I do to be saved?” The guy cried out. 

Are you wondering what book this is? Just in case you don’t know, it is  Pilgrim’s progress! This is  one of the greatest Christian classics ever written. And why am I quoting from  it? Because it has some relationship with the Scriptures we read. It’s an allegory (Galatians 4:24-26).

Now this may be interpreted allegorically: these women are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; she is Hagar. Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, she corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother 

What is an allegory? Remember we studied literary devices in our Sunday School the last two Sundays to help us in interpreting Scripture. And one of the things we looked at is metaphors and allegories. And this morning, we see an allegory in front of us. The question still remains unanswered, What is an allegory

A story, poem, or picture which can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one (Oxford Dictionary).

An allegory basically means drawing a hidden lesson from a story. So we see clearly that Bunyan wrote a fictional story to teach some truths about the Christian faith. Note however that, there is a difference between what Paul did and how we understand allegories in general. In the Scriptures, Paul took a historical narrative and brought out of it spiritual truths. So Hagar, Ishmael, Isaac, Abraham, Sarah are all historical figures who lived. 

This is a caution to us in our interpretation of Scripture. We don’t have the right to allegorise or spiritualise where Scripture doesn’t allegorise or spiritualise. Spiritualisation of texts can be dangerous and we must be warned. We must stick to the plain literal meaning of a text to interpret it unless of course a text contains metaphor etc. Hear my companion through this series in Galatians. Martin Luther the Reformer.

Paul  knows people like illustrations and stories. He knows that Christ Himself made ample use of parables. Paul is an expert at allegories. They are dangerous things. Unless a person has a thorough knowledge of Christian doctrine he had better leave allegories alone.

Having said all that, let’s attend to the text before us.

Now, you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise. (Galatians 4:28)

Who Are The Children Of Promise?

Let’s now attempt to identify who the children of promise are. Note that Paul has been rebuking the Galatians up to this point and here he  brings out things that perhaps they have not considered. And often we’re all like that. We may believe and accept things without thoughtful consideration. That’s how people are deceived. They accept things hook, line and sinker.

We know what Galatians is about right? Law and Faith. Works and Grace. And Paul in the v.21 sharply rebukes the ignorance of the Galatians in wanting to bring themselves again under the law due to the influence of the Jews. “Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not listen to the law” 

What Paul is saying is “Don’t you understand, don’t you consider, don’t you pay attention, don’t you hear what the law teaches? Paul now goes ahead to instruct them on the reality of the law and faith. It is like Paul saying, if you want to be under the law, let me tell you further what you want to bring yourself under. Please note carefully here that when Paul refers to the law here in verse 21, he wasn’t speaking of the regulations. But rather he was speaking about Genesis since what he quotes is from Genesis. The reason he refers to the law while speaking about the incident is simply because the Hebrews refer to the five books of Moses as Torah. Which is law.

Now as you consider the context of the text, there are some consistent contrasts you will notice.

Slave & Free (v.22)

Flesh &  Promise (v.23)

Old Covenant & New Covenant (v.24)

Earthly & Heavenly(v.25-26)

Mount Sinai & Mount Zion v.25-26)

All these have biblical significance and as we go on some of them will flesh out.  And indeed if you read through Scriptures, you see these contrasts constantly. Now we know this letter was written to the Galatians. So in this context, the Children of Promise are the Galatian Christians just as Isaac is a Child of promise. 

• Now you, brothers, like Isaac are children of promise (v.28)
• So, brothers, we are not children of the slave but of the free woman (v.31).

You know the narrative. God called Abraham,  promised to bless all nations through him.  Abraham believed, it was counted to him as righteousness. But there is a problem. Abraham and Sarah have no child yet. So Sarah decided to help God (just as all of us try to help God sometimes in our lives)  and asked Abraham to take Hagar their maid  for a wife. Out of that a child came out—Ishmael. Yet, God still says Ishmael shall not inherit Abraham. Then eventually in Old Age, Abraham and Sarah conceived and bore Isaac who will inherit Abraham and through whom Abraham’s seed will multiply.

In Chapter 3, this argument about offspring or children of Abraham has been going on throughout and even as we enter Chapter 4 (Galatians 3:6-9; Galatians 3:14-18; Galatians 3:29). The children of promise therefore from the context of the book are those who have believed in Christ. More specifically, the Galatian Christians. This then means every believer is a Child of Promise.

Here are certain things we can say about the children of promise.

They are

Regenerated

Have been regenerated and born of the spirit. They are born again.  We see two kinds of births in these texts: A natural birth and a Spiritual birth. Ishmael was born according to the flesh, Isaac according to the Spirit ((Galatians 4:23; Galatians 4:29). And the Bible clearly in other places speaks of the reality of these two types of birth. We are first born into the world as sinners, separated from God and unless the Spirit of God has regenerated us, we are lost ( John 1:12-13; 3:3; 5). Paul speaks of the natural man and the spiritual man in 1 Corinthians 2:14). This is a clear biblical teaching we see here. 

What can we say of those who have been regenerated?

1. They have believed in Christ. Those who are of faith (Galatians 3:7;9)
2. This follows that they have been justified: made right with God
3. They have been baptised into Christ (3:27)
4. They have been redeemed from the curse of the law (3:3:13)
5. They know God (4:8)
6. They are known by God (4:8)
7. They have received the Spirit (4:6)
8. They  have been redeemed from sin (4:5)
9. They  have been adopted as children of God (3:26-28)
10. They are  counted as heirs of God (3:29).

Under A Covenant Of Grace 

There are two covenants in the text and we know by Christian beliefs that there is the Old covenant and the new covenant. The Children of Promise are under a new covenant (4:24). The old covenant which is earthly given on Mount Sinai, and the New Covenant which is heavenly, ushered in by Christ. The old covenant brings slavery, but the new brings freedom. Remember the terror that accompanied the giving of the Ten commandments in Sinai? 

Hagar and Sarah foreshadowed earthly, unbelieving Jerusalem and the heavenly Jerusalem, respectively…Hagar is a fitting representative of of unbelieving Jerusalem because her son, Ishmael was born as a result of human effort and the citizens of unbelieving Jerusalem seek to be justified by their works. Sarah is a fitting representative of believing Jerusalem — “Jerusalem above— because her son Isaac was born as a result of trusting in God’s promises  (Study Notes: Reformation Study Bible)

What must be our response then if we are under a new covenant? “Cast out…” (Galatians 4:30). We must put away any form of legalism in our quest to please God. We can’t find acceptance with God by the law and by the flesh. That struggle will forever rage on that we will fine justification by what we do…or by the efforts of the flesh. No Scripture doesn’t teach us that.

Members of Christ’s Church

The children of Promise have the New Jerusalem as their mother. This is significant. This points to the fact that the children of promise are members of Christ’s church. The verse 26 speaks of the fact that children of promise have the Jerusalem above as it’s mother. We know this Jerusalem above corresponds to Sarah… (not Mary). And this new Jerusalem represents the church—the universal church.  The writer in Hebrews makes this point so clearly concerning the heavenly Jerusalem. And makes a beautiful contrast between the law given on Mount Sinai and the privileges of the new covenant. Hebrews 12 

18 For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest 19 and the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them. 20 For they could not endure the order that was given, “If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.” 21 Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I tremble with fear.”

22But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, 23 and to the assembly[a] of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

Here is a clear picture of the universal church. Luther in his commentary of Galatians identifies the new Jerusalem as indeed the church:

The earthly Jerusalem with its ordinances and laws represents Hagar and her offspring. They are slaves to the Law, sin and death. But the heavenly Jerusalem is Sarah, the free woman. This heavenly Jerusalem is the Church, that is to say the number of all believers throughout the world, having one and the same Gospel, one and the same faith in Christ, one and the same Holy Ghost, and the same sacraments. Do not mistake this one word “above” to refer to the triumphant Church in heaven, but to the militant Church on earth. In Philippians 3:20, the Apostle uses the phrase: “Our conversation is in heaven,” not locally in heaven, but in spirit. When a believer accepts the heavenly gifts of the Gospel he is in heaven. So also in Ephesians 1:3, “Who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.” Jerusalem here means the universal Christian Church on earth. Sarah, the Church, as the bride of Christ bears free children who are not subject to the Law.

 Throughout church history, the church  has been considered as the mother of believers. Why so? Because it is through the work and ministry of the church sinners are regenerated–born again. It is in the ministry of the church people are discipled to growth. It is through the church God feeds his children. 

The Church is a mother because it is her privilege to bring forth into the world the spiritual children of the Lord Jesus Christ…He, who hath taken the Church to be his spouse and his bride, has chosen to bring men to himself by means; and thus it is, through God’s using the Church, her ministers, her children, her works, her sufferings, her prayers, — through making these the means of the increase of his spiritual kingdom, she proves her right to take to herself the title of mother. But when these little ones are born, the Church’s business is, next, to feed them. It is not enough that she has brought them to Christ; it is not sufficient that, through her agency, they have been quickened, and begotten again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead; it is her work to feed them. She gives to them the unadulterated milk of the Word. Through her ministers, through her servants, through the different agencies which she employs, she endeavours to satisfy their longing souls with the bread of life. She gives them food convenient for them; she feeds them by her doctrine, by her ordinances; she bids them come and eat and drink at her table, and it is her earnest desire and effort to supply all their spiritual wants by feeding their understandings, their affections, their hearts; every part and power of the mind and soul, the Church labours to feed (The Church A Mother, Charles Spurgeon, April 8th 1860, THe Spurgeon Center For Biblical Preaching At Midwestern UNiversity)

Are you a Child of Promise? There is something that must be evident in your life. 

1. Have you been regenerated?
2. Are you under a new covenant?
3. Are you a member of Christ’s church?
4. Have you  believed in Christ? Are you of faith?
5. Have you  been justified: made right with God?
6. Have been baptised into Christ? Are you in union with Christ? Have you identified with the death and resurrection of Christ?
7. Have you been redeemed from the curse of the law? Do you even understand what that means?
8. Do you know God ?
9. Are you known by God?
10. Have you received the Spirit?
11. Have been redeemed from sin?
12. Have you been adopted as a child of God?
13. Are you counted as heirs of God?

If yor answer is no, or if you are not sure you can say yes to all these, then like the character in Pilgrim’s progress, you ought to be worried about your sins for they are heavy, will  way you down and land you in the city of destruction: hell. I quote Bunyan again

I am for certain informed that this our city will be burned with fire from heaven; in which fearful overthrow, both myself, with thee my wife, and you my sweet babes, shall miserably come to ruin, except (the which yet I see not) some way of escape can be found, whereby we may be delivered. 

Yes! Some way of escape can be found. And this way of escape is in Christ.

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me (John 14:6)

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28)