From abaptist.org:
Daily Devotional:
Galatians 4:28-31
Sunday, December 12
Children of Promise
KEY VERSE: "Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise," Galatians 4:28.
Many people are fascinated by their genealogy. They spend hours and a lot of money to learn about their ancestry. The Jews of New Testament times were fanatics on this subject. No doubt that is why Paul wrote as he did in this chapter.
It was important to the Jews that they be considered the children of promise. But sometimes, they took the wrong stance on this issue. Paul himself, called by God to be a missionary to the Gentiles, publicly rebuked Peter for his hypocrisy. "But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision" (Gal. 2:11, 12).
So, what is the answer for us? Is it more important that we be the descendants of Isaac and not of Ishmael? Paul answers the question with these words, "Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise" (Gal. 3:7, 26, 28, 29).
LIVING IT: Your ancestry does not affect your standing before God. Your faith does.
Mary McCalister
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