LIVING WATERS
For the proclamation of the Gospel and the edification of the Body of Christ
Sons According to the Flesh
and Sons of Promise
Romans chapter 9 clearly illustrates that there is a great difference between the children of the flesh and the children of promise. "Not those who are children according to the flesh are the children of God, but those who are children according to the promise are counted as descendants" (9:8). Both have, humanly speaking, the same parents; however, for God some are children and the others are not. And this refers to the three greatest patriarchs, that is, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and the children they had.
Abraham had two sons: one according to the flesh, Ishmael, and one according to the promise, Isaac ("In Isaac shall thy seed be called", 9:7). Isaac had two sons: one according to the flesh, Esau, and one according to the promise, Jacob ("As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated", 9:13). So also, Jacob had sons according to the flesh and sons according to the promise ("Not all who are descended from Israel are Israelites", 9:6).
The principle that governs all this is: the children of God are not the children according to the flesh, but the children according to the promise. What counts for God (those who become his children) are those whom he himself begets. It was so with Isaac, whom Abraham begot, not in the strength of the flesh, but in the strength of God. We may have many children, spiritually speaking, but perhaps not all of them are children of God.
Only those or that which proceeds from God in the powerlessness of our flesh are sons of God (God's work). The passage in 1 Corinthians 3 is very illustrative of this: "And if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble, every man's work shall be made manifest". The first three materials are from God; the other three, from man. The first is that which comes from the promise, the second is the works of the flesh.
Like Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, we can have these two kinds of children. To have children according to the flesh, it is enough that we take the initiative, that we plan everything and provide the resources. On the other hand, to have children according to the promise, we must wait. The greatest test for the flesh is waiting on God. The flesh does not know how to wait; it then turns to its own resources... and fails. The fruit that is then harvested is pain and death.
That is why God cries out through the psalmist: "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in the earth" (Ps. 46:10). If we are still; if we wait upon God until our impetus ceases and our carnal zeal and self-righteousness arrests die, then God will act, and as a consequence, he will be exalted and exalted (and not we) among the nations.