Genesis: Abraham, Covenant, and Promise

The Son Of Abraham

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: Old Testament Studies

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2013-12-15

Synopsis: John Weaver examines Matthew 1:1 to argue that Jesus Christ is the true Son of Abraham and the true Seed to whom all covenant promises were made. He distinguishes between the physical descendants of Abraham and the spiritual seed, teaching that only those who share Abraham's faith and are united to Christ are counted as Abraham's children and heirs of God's promises. The lecture emphasizes that spiritual relationship transcends physical lineage, and believers inherit all things in Christ.

[John Weaver] Well, it's a joy to be here today, and I'm thankful for the opportunity. I thank the pastor for his kindness in inviting me and putting on this conference, and at the same time, Samuel and Joy for putting up with us. And good to be Brother Floyd again, and good to meet Brother McDougall again. I'd met him years and years ago, and we just never stayed in contact. But I trust that after this time, we will. I want you to open your Bibles today, if you would please, to the book of Matthew, Chapter 1.

[John Weaver] We're going to look at verse one, and then we're going to be turning to an awful lot of scripture. So I want you to take your keep your fingers kind of limber this morning, if you would, please. I'm going to bring a message which I've just entitled The Son of Abraham. Actually, this is the first part of a two part message, but I will not have time to During the second part, but notice, if you would, Matthew chapter one in verse one, the Bible in the New Testament begins with the book of generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. So I want to begin by asking two questions. Number one, who is the true son of Abraham? And number two, who is the true seed of Abraham? Now, many are going to respond that Isaac is the true seed of Abraham because he was the son of Abraham and Sarah, while Ishmael was the son of Abraham and Hagar. I suppose that if one thinks carnally, he might could also say that Ishmael is just as much a son of Abraham as Isaac was since he was produced by Abraham.

[John Weaver] Moreover, when I ask this question, who is the true son of Abraham and you begin to think of the sons of Abraham, I would also ask, what about the sons of Abraham and Keturah? And what about the sons of Abraham and his concubines? You say, what are you talking about? Well, turn in your Bibles, if you would, to Genesis chapter 25. Genesis chapter 25, and let's begin reading there with verse 1. Now I want you to note that Abraham had a multitude of sons. Genesis chapter 25, and let's begin reading there with verse 1. Here the Bible says, Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah.

[John Weaver] and she bare him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Midan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah, and Jokshan beget Sheba, and Dedan, and the sons of Dedan were Asherim, and Letashim, and Lemumim, and the sons of Midian, Ephan, and Ephor, and Hanok, and Abida, and Eldahot. All these were children of Keturah, and Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac, but unto the sons of the concubines which Abraham had." Abraham gave gifts and sent them away from Isaac, his son, while he yet lived eastward into the east country. So there were evidently a multitude of sons by Abraham. So Abraham had many sons and consequently also had many seeds. I believe it's imperative at the very beginning that you and I learned to distinguish between the physical seed of Abraham and the spiritual seed of Abraham. You see, Isaac is called the real son of Abraham, not because he was the only son of Abraham, but because he was the son of promise. Moreover, Isaac was a type and a picture and a representative of Jesus Christ.

[John Weaver] If you would look in your Bibles very quickly to the book of Hebrews chapter 11, Hebrews chapter 11 beginning there with verse 17 Hebrews 11 verse 17 notice if you would what is said concerning Abraham and then what is said concerning Isaac Hebrews 11 verse 17 by faith Abraham when he was tried offered up Isaac and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten Son of whom it was said that in Isaac shall thy seed be called."

[John Weaver] Now watch verse 19, accounting that God was able to raise him up even from the dead from whence also he received him in a figure. So Isaac then is a figure or a picture or a type of Jesus Christ. And I want you to note, if you would please, in Genesis chapter 17, That consequently, this covenant was made not just with Abraham, but with Isaac. So in Genesis chapter 17, notice, if you would please, beginning there with verse 15. God tells Abraham, Genesis chapter 17, beginning there with verse 15, And God said unto Abraham, And as for Sarah thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarah, but Sarah shall be her name. And I will bless her and give thee a son also of her. Yea, I will bless her and she shall be a mother of nations.

[John Weaver] Kings of people shall be of her." Then Abraham fell upon his face and laughed and said in his heart, Shall a child be born of him that is a hundred years old? And shall Sarah that is ninety years old bear? And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee. And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed. Now watch. And thou shalt call his name Isaac.

[John Weaver] And I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant and with his seed after him." Now note, if you would, verse 19. He said, and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant and with his seed after him. And as for Ishmael, I've heard thee. Behold, I have blessed him who will make him fruitful and will multiply him exceedingly. Twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation. But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at the set time in the next year." So I want you to note the fact that Isaac is going to be the promised son to Abraham, and he is called specifically the son of promise. Now I want to emphasize again verse 19 where God says, but I will establish my covenant with him and then notice. Secondly, it's going to be an everlasting covenant. And then he said with his seed after him. So this covenant then is not going to be bound just to one person, just to Isaac.

[John Weaver] It is going to be common to all of Isaac's true seed by continual succession. It is going to descend to his posterity. You say, how could that possibly be? I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Galatians chapter four, and I want you to notice what the Apostle Paul said. In fact, just mark the book of Galatians. We will come back there a number of times, but look in Galatians chapter four and verse 28. The Apostle Paul makes an amazing statement. Remember now that Isaac is called the son of promise. Remember now that God gave Isaac this covenant and it's to descend to his seat after him. And now the Apostle Paul says concerning believers, he says in Galatians 4 verse 28, Now we brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise. Isn't that amazing? We brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise. So believers, therefore, are children of promise, just as Isaac. We are the recipients of God's covenantal blessings to Abraham and to Isaac. And I want you to see that true believers are the true Israel of God and also the heirs according to the promise.

[John Weaver] The problem that we have is when you and I hear the phrase, the seed of Abraham or the son of Abraham or the seed of Isaac, we tend to think, first of all, physically, we tend to think of physical seed and physical descendants. And I believe that's where we greatly err. There is indeed an Israel after the flesh. The Bible says in first Corinthians 10 and verse 18, Paul wrote, Behold, Israel after the flesh.

[John Weaver] are not they which eat of the sacrifices, partakers of the altar. So there is indeed a fleshly Israel. There is an Israel after the flesh. But the Apostle Paul is teaching us something that is either purposefully denied or purposefully overlooked. And that something is this, that Israel after the flesh is not the true Israel of God. Let me show you look in your Bibles holding the book of Galatians, but go to Romans chapter 9 and I want you to see what the Apostle Paul says very plainly. Look in Romans chapter 9 beginning there with verse 7. Romans 9 verse well, we'll read verse 6. Look in Romans 9 verse 6. Here the Apostle begins it like this. He says not as though the word of God had taken on effect.

[John Weaver] Now watch this next statement. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel. So actually, you have an election within an election when you're talking about the doctrine of election, you actually have to distinguish distinguish before four different types of election. There was indeed a national election because Israel was chosen to be God's people, that is, as a whole. He did not choose the Assyrians or the Ethiopians or the Chaldeans. He chose Israel. So that is a national election. Do you realize there's also a vocational election?

[John Weaver] Not every Israelite was a Levite. And not every Israelite could be a high priest. Only those of the house of Aaron could be the priest, and only those men of the tribe of Levi could be Levites. So there is not only a national election, there's a vocational election. There's also a messianic election. If you read Isaiah 42 and verse 1, talking about Jesus Christ, he said, behold, my servant, mine elect. So Jesus Christ is the elect Messiah of God. But then there's also a soteriological election or an election of salvation, according to 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 and verse 13. So when the Apostle Paul is saying they're not all Israel, which are Israel, he is saying that national election does not equal personal or soteriological election. So there were a group of people in the national Israel that were indeed the elect of God, but not all of national Israel were God's people. Now watch. There was an external covenant, but there's an internal covenant. Now watch what he says in the next verse. If you don't understand what Paul meant when he said, for they are not all Israel, which are Israel, then he's going to explain it more fully in verse 7.

[John Weaver] Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children. But in Isaac shall thy seed be called."

[John Weaver] Now, he said, if you don't understand this statement, for they are not all Israel, which are of Israel, he said, let me explain it further. Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, that is the physical descendants of Abraham, are they all children. Why? Because in Isaac shall thy seed be called. Now, if you don't understand verse 7, Paul makes it a little plainer in verse eight.

[John Weaver] He says it like this. That is, he's explaining what he said. That is, they which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted for seed. I want you to understand what Paul is saying. Paul is saying adamantly that the physical descendants of Abraham are not the children of God. If the physical descendants of Abraham were the children of God, then Ishmael would be just as much a child of God as would Isaac. Esau would be just as much a child of God as Jacob. But do you realize the Scripture teaches that thousands of flesh and blood Israelites died without faith.

[John Weaver] For instance, look in your Bibles to the book of Hebrews, chapter 4. Hebrews, chapter 4, and let's begin reading there with verse 1. Notice, if you would, what the Bible says. Hebrews, chapter 4, verse 1. The Apostle writes, Let us therefore fear, lest a promise being left us of entering to his rest, and if you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached as well as unto them. Now watch. But the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. For we have believed, we which have believed do enter into rest. As he said, as I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest, although the works were finished from the foundation of the world, for he spake in a certain place on the seventh day on this wise, and God did rest the seventh day from all of his works. And in this place again, if they shall enter into my rest, seeing therefore the remainder that some must enter therein, watch, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief."

[John Weaver] So here were multitudes that died without faith. And if you'll go back to First Corinthians, Chapter 10, the Apostle Paul expands upon this. First Corinthians, Chapter 10. Notice beginning there with verse five. First Corinthians, Chapter 10, verse five. He says, and he's talking about all these people who came out of Egypt, he says, but with many of them, God was not well pleased for they were overthrown in the wilderness.

[John Weaver] Now, I cannot help but smile every time I read that verse. Paul says, but with many of them, God was not well pleased, for they were thrown in the wilderness. Would you care to tell me how many of the original men who came out of Egypt got into Canaan land? Two. Joshua and Caleb. But with many of them, God was not well pleased. All of them except two. Look what he says. Verse five, but with many of them God was not well pleased for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Why?

[John Weaver] Now these things were our examples to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them. As it is written, the people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of the serpents. Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer."

[John Weaver] So there were multitudes that died without faith. So here are physical descendants of Abraham Who are just as lost as a hound dog? Let me tell you something else that may surprise you. Do you realize it is possible to be the physical seed of Abraham, to be the physical descendant of Abraham and yet be a child of the devil? Look in your Bibles, John Chapter 8. John Chapter 8.

[John Weaver] In this passage, which is a powerful passage, These unbelievers, these Jewish people, are attacking the Lord Jesus Christ. And in John, Chapter 8, beginning there with verse 33. After our Lord had said, you shall know the truth and the truth will set you free. Verse 33, they said, they answered him, we be Abraham's seed. We were never in bondage to any man. How sayest thou you shall be made free? Now, wait a minute. How could they say we'd be Abraham's seed? We were never in bondage to any man.

[John Weaver] Did they not go to Egypt? Did they not go to Assyria? Did they not go to Babylon? Read the book of Judges. Look how many times God delivered them into the hands of their enemies and they were servants. To the Moabites, to the Philistines, to all of these people. So they say, We be Abraham's seed. We were never in bondage to any man. How sayest thou you shall be made free?

[John Weaver] Verse 34, Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committed sin is the servant of sin, and the servant abideth not in the house forever, but the Son abideth forever. If the Son, therefore, shall make you free, you shall be free indeed. Now watch in verse 33 again. They said, We be Abraham's seed. Now watch verse 37. Our Lord says, I know that you're Abraham's seed.

[John Weaver] Yet you seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you. I speak that which I have seen with my father, and you do that which you have seen with your father.' They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father." Now watch."'Jesus saith unto them, If you were Abraham's children, you would do the works of Abraham. But now you seek to kill me, a man who hath told you the truth. which I have heard the word of God. This did not Abraham. You do the deeds of your father.

[John Weaver] They say unto him, We be not born of fornication, accusing Christ of being born of fornication. We have one father, even God. Jesus said unto them, If God were your father, you would love me. For I proceeded from him and came from God. Neither came I of myself, but he sent me. Why do you not understand my speech? Even because you cannot hear my word, you are of your father the devil. And the last of your father, you will do.

[John Weaver] He was a murderer from the beginning and a boat not in the truth because there's no truth in him. Now, don't you notice in verse thirty three. They said we're Abraham's seed, verse thirty seven, Christ says, I know that you're Abraham's seed, but when you get to verse thirty nine, he said you may be the seed of Abraham. But you're not Abraham's children. Rather, He then says in verse 44, you're the children of the devil.

[John Weaver] Now, let me ask you a question. How is it possible? To be the seed of Abraham. And not be the children of Abraham. Well, let me answer that, I want you to look in two passages, Romans four, And then back to Galatians, Chapter three, look in Romans, Chapter four, and notice what the Bible says concerning. Abraham, Romans, Chapter four, and look, if you would please, at verse 12. Romans four and verse 12, the Bible says it like this. Romans four, verse 12. Talking about Abraham. and the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.

[John Weaver] So what is Paul teaching? He's saying that the true children of Abraham are those who walk in the steps of Abraham, who walk in the faith of Abraham.

[John Weaver] Now, if you look in the book of Galatians, chapter 3 and verse 7, look what the apostle says very plainly. Galatians 3, verse 7, he says, Know you not, therefore, that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham? Now how can you be a seed of Abraham and not be a child of Abraham? Very obviously, you don't have the faith of Abraham. You don't walk in the steps of Abraham. So these individuals in John chapter 8, they may have been the seed of Abraham, but they certainly were not the children of Abraham. You have to remember what Paul said in Romans 9 in verse 8. That is, they which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God, but, he said, the children of promise. are counted for seed. It's only the children of promise that are counted as the seed of Abraham. The children of promise are strictly those in whom the power and the effect of the covenant are found. On this account, the Apostle Paul denies that the physical seed of Abraham were the children of God, although a covenant had been made with them externally.

[John Weaver] The way to understand this is very easily. Easily understood, when you think of most churches today, do you realize most churches, especially Southern Baptist churches, will have a church covenant and they'll have it on the wall? And when you join that church, you say, in essence, I subscribe to this covenant. Do you realize there are thousands upon thousands of church people who are covenanted with the people of God in a church, but they're lost. They're lost. They are in an external covenant, but there's never, ever been a work in their heart. And so Israel had an external side of a covenant. All the men had been circumcised, but the true circumcision was always that of the heart. So you have then the external covenant, you have the Israelites who were Israelites only in light of their carnal generation, and others were true Israelites who walked in the steps of Abraham and who had the faith of Abraham. So all of the promises that God has made in the Bible are to the true Israel of God, to those who are of the faith of Abraham who walk in that step.

[John Weaver] There are many who claim to be Israel who are not Israel because they do not have the faith of Abraham, nor do they walk in his steps. Listen to what Matthew Henry said. He wrote. Many that descended from the loins of Abraham and Jacob and were of that people who were surnamed by the name of Israel. Yet we're very far from being Israelites, indeed interested in the saving benefits of the New Covenant. These are not all really Israel that are so in name and profession. It does not follow that because they are the seed of Abraham, therefore they must needs be the children of God. That the children of the flesh, as such, by virtue of their relation to Abraham, according to the flesh, are not therefore the children of God, for then Ishmael could have put in a good claim. So what he's saying is very obvious. The physical seed of Abraham are not the children of God.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to go to Romans chapter two, and I want you to look at verses 28 and 29. Romans two verses 28 and 29. Look what the Apostle Paul wrote, and then I want to ask you a question. Romans two, verse 28, Paul says, for he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly, Neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh. But he is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter, whose praise is not of men, but of God." Now, let me first of all tell you what the word Jew means in verse 28 and verse 29. The word actually is Udaios, which literally refers to a Judahite. A Judahite is someone of the tribe of Judah or someone who lives in the region of Judea. OK, we would use the word Jew as a slang word in this sense of the word. But actually, the word is a Judahite. So Paul says, for he is not a Judahite, which is one outwardly, neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh.

[John Weaver] But he is a Judahite, which is one inwardly and circumcision that are hard in the spirit, not in the letter, whose praise is not of men, but of God. So here's my question. Why did the apostle Paul use the word Judahite here? Instead of Israelite. Why did he not say? For he is not an Israelite, which is one outwardly. But he is an Israelite, which is one inwardly. Why did he use the word Judahites and an Israelite?

[John Weaver] Let me play with your minds just for a moment. Do you realize that all true Judahites were Israelites? But not all true Israelites were Judahites. Stop and think. Israel was divided into the Northern Kingdom and the Southern Kingdom. The Northern Kingdom had Samaria as its capital. The Southern Kingdom was Judah or Judea and had Jerusalem as its capital. By the way, when we talk about the Judahites. Just because you were in Judea There were other people of other tribes who lived in Judea as well who also would be called Judahites. Did you know that the tribe of Benjamin and the tribe of Simeon both were in Judea. For instance, don't turn there, but Joshua chapter 19 in verse 1, and the second lot came forth to Simeon, even for the tribe of the children of Simeon, according to their families, and their inheritance was within the inheritance of the children of Judah. And then in Joshua 18 verse 11 and the lot of the tribe of the children of Benjamin came up according to their families and the coast of their lot came forth between the children of Judah and the children of Joseph.

[John Weaver] So if you were in Judah. In Judea, there was a tribe of Judah, but there was a tribe of Benjamin and there was also the tribe of Simeon.

[John Weaver] Now let me just point this out. The Apostle Paul. could rightly call himself a Benjamite, since he was of the tribe of Benjamin. He could also call himself a Judahite, because he lived in Judea. And he could also call himself an Israelite. And if you'll look in Romans 11, verse 1, that is what he has much said. In Romans 11, verse 1, he said, I say, then hath God cast away his people, God forbid, for I also am an Israelite of the seed of Abraham of the tribe of Benjamin. So he calls himself an Israelite and he calls himself a Benjamite, but he could also call himself a Judahite as well, since Benjamin had his possession there in Judea as well.

[John Weaver] I'm still trying to answer the question for you. Why did Paul talk about the Judahites instead of the Israelites? I want you to look in Romans chapter 9 verses 3 and 4. Romans 9 verses 3 and 4. The Apostle Paul said it like this, For I could wish myself a curse from Christ for my brethren, my kidsmen, according to the flesh, who are Israelites, to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises." Now, wait a minute. When we talk about the ceremonies, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, where did all this transpire? And the answer is, in the tribe of Judah, in the land of Judea at Jerusalem, the capital, where the tabernacle was and where the temple was. Now, I want you to think Judah then possessed the tabernacle, possessed the temple, possessed the law, the ordinances and the ceremonies.

[John Weaver] I don't care where you were in Israel. I don't care if you were in Dan, the most northern tribe, or in Beersheba, the most southern town. If you wanted to come and worship God in the Old Testament, you had to come to Jerusalem, to where the tabernacle was and later the temple as well. Thus the Apostle Paul is using the term Judaite in Romans chapter 2. Because that is where the service and the worship of God was carried out in Judea at Jerusalem.

[John Weaver] And so here's what he's saying. If you look back to Romans chapter 2 and verse 28 again, watch carefully now. Remember all the worship of God took place here. That is all the public worship, he said, for he is not a Judahite, which is one outwardly, That is not one that's just been circumcised. Watch. Neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh. But he is a Judahite, which is one inwardly and circumcisions out of the heart, in the spirit and not in the letter, whose praise is not of men, but of God. You have to remember not only the Apostle Paul. No. that was in Jerusalem and Judea, where the worship of God was, he was a Judahite himself.

[John Weaver] He was a Benjamite who lived in Judah. Israel had been commanded in the Old Testament to circumcise their hearts. Turn in your Bibles to the book of Deuteronomy, chapter 10. Deuteronomy, chapter 10, although there was the outward mark of circumcision in the flesh, That may have been the mark of a national covenant, but that was not sufficient. To be in the internal covenant or the covenant of grace, notice in Deuteronomy chapter 10 and verse 16, here's the command circumcised, therefore, the foreskin of your heart.

[John Weaver] And be no more stiff necked. If you would turn right over to the book of Jeremiah chapter four and look at verse four, Jeremiah chapter four and verse four. And God is particularly in this passage speaking to Judah and Jerusalem, notice Jeremiah chapter four and verse four, God says this circumcise yourselves to the Lord and take away the four skins of your heart, you men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, lest my fury come forth like fire and burn that none

[John Weaver] can quench it because of the evil of your doings. So he specifically points out. That the heart is to be circumcised. And he specifically told that to Judah and Jerusalem. So Paul, then in Romans chapter two, says the true Judahite is not one who circumcisions outward in the flesh, but the true Judahite. Is one who's been circumcised in the heart, so the promised seed of Abraham, the spiritual seed, or those who have been circumcised in their heart. And not just in their flesh, I want you to turn very quickly, beginning with 1st Corinthians, Chapter 7.

[John Weaver] Let me show you several verses in the New Testament concerning circumcision. I think you're going to understand this a little more fully when we get to our last two verses on circumcision. Notice 1st Corinthians, Chapter 7 and verse 19. 1st Corinthians 7 and verse 19. The Apostle Paul says this circumcision is nothing he's talking about in the flesh. Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing but the keeping of the commandments of God. What good is your circumcision in an outward covenant in an external relationship if you don't obey God? Turn, if you would, to Galatians chapter five and look in verse six. Galatians 5 and verse 6. Again, the Apostle Paul says it like this. Galatians 5 verse 6. For in Jesus Christ, neither circumcision availeth in his name nor uncircumcision, but faith which worketh by love. So it doesn't do you any good to be circumcised in the flesh if you have no faith and if you do not keep the commandments of God. Now turn right over to the book of Colossians chapter 2.

[John Weaver] Colossians chapter 2. And look, if you would please, at verse 11. Look what the apostle says about true believers, Colossians 2 and verse 11. Watch carefully. In whom you are also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands and putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ. What does the Bible say? The true circumcision is the work of God in the heart. It's when the heart is circumcised and our sins have been put away by the person and work of Jesus Christ. So if you'll flip back just a few pages to Philippians chapter 3 and verse 3, let's begin reading there with verse 1. Watch what the Apostle Paul says, Philippians 3, verse 1.

[John Weaver] Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. And I hope today I'm going to give you something to rejoice in. But watch what he says. Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed, is not grievous, but for you it is safe. Beware of dogs.

[John Weaver] Now, he's not talking about the four-legged kind. He's talking about the two-legged kind. He says beware of dogs. Beware of evil workers. Beware of the concision or the circumcision. And then he says this in verse three, for we are the circumcision. Which worship God in the spirit and rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh. Who are those that are truly, genuinely circumcised, only true believers, those who worship God in the spirit, who rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh. That's why the Apostle Paul said in Romans 2, verse 29, that the true Judahite is the man who's circumcised in the heart, whose praise is not of men, but of God alone. We're the true circumcision of God. We're the true believers of God. We're the true seed of Abraham. So you have to kind of forget nations. You have to kind of forget physical seed. And you have to count the way God counts. That's why he said in Romans 9 in verse 8, let me remind you of this.

[John Weaver] He said it is the children of promise that are counted for the seed. The children of promise that are counted for the seed, not the physical descendants, but the children of promise.

[John Weaver] Now I want you to understand something. Our Lord teaches that our relationship with him transcends physical boundaries. If, for instance, you could prove to me that you were a lineal descendant from Abraham and you could give me father, mother, father, mother, father, mother, father, mother, right on down the line, you could prove that you were a lineal descendant of Abraham. You know what that would mean? Nothing. It means if you're without Christ, you'd just be a lost physical seat of Abraham. That's what it would mean.

[John Weaver] Let me go a step farther. If you could prove to me. That you were a physical descendant of the family of Jesus Christ. That maybe James, the apostle, who's the brother of Christ? Maybe you're in his lineage and you could prove it. You know what that would mean? Nothing. How can I say that? Look in your Bibles to Matthew, chapter 12. I want you to see the emphasis that our Lord placed upon this. Matthew, chapter 12, beginning there with verse 46. Matthew, chapter 12, verse 46. Watch carefully, Matthew 12, verse 46.

[John Weaver] While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without desiring to speak with him. Then one said unto him, Behold, my mother and my brethren stand without desiring to speak with you. Surely you're going to stop teaching and go down and speak to your mother and speak to your brothers. But he answered and said unto them that told him, Who is my mother? And who are my brethren?

[John Weaver] And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples. And he said, behold, my mother and my brethren, for whosoever shall do the will of my father who is in heaven, the same is my brother and my sister and my mother. What does he say? That our spiritual relationship transcends physical relationships. I want you to turn in light of that to the book of Galatians, chapter six, If you really want to know who the Israel of God is. I want you to look at this verse, I want you to pay close attention to it. Watch very carefully, Galatians chapter six and look at verse 16.

[John Weaver] The Apostle Paul writes this statement. And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them and mercy upon the Israel of God. As many as walk according to this rule, peace be upon them and mercy upon the Israel of God. Now, first of all, let me tell you what the word rule is. The word rule is the Greek word kind on. It is where we get our English word canon from, not see a N.N.O.N. That's the kind that shoots. Let's see a N.O.N. We talk about the canon of Scripture. We talk about the Old Testament canon or the New Testament canon. Or. Canon law. But you know what the word canon means, the word canon. Literally means a measuring stick or a measuring rod. And here's what the Apostle Paul says, Galatians 6 verse 16, look at it as many as walk according to this rule, look up here just for a moment, as many as walk according to this rule, this measuring stick, this measuring rod, peace be upon them and mercy upon the Israel of God.

[John Weaver] Who's Israel of God? Who gets the peace? Those that walk according to this rule. Those who bring their lives in conformity to the Word of God by the grace and by the power of God. I want you to understand something. We can only be the true seed of Abraham only as we are in Jesus Christ. Look in your Bibles to the book of John chapter 8. And let's begin reading there with verse 56.

[John Weaver] Again, our Lord is confronting these unbelieving Jews. In John 8, verse 56, look what he tells them. John 8, verse 56, he says, Your father, Abraham, rejoiced to see my day and he saw it and was glad. Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? How could Abraham see Christ when Abraham had been dead? A multitude of years before Christ ever came. Well, he saw him in faith. But don't you know, they said, thou art not yet 50 years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? Watch verse 58. Jesus said of them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, before Abraham was, I am. I am.

[John Weaver] That is, he is God. He is Jehovah. He's the one true in the living God. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day. He rejoiced to see me his true seed. He rejoiced to see me the Savior, the Lord of glory, the King of kings, the God of gods, the great I am, the mighty one. He rejoiced to see my name and he rejoiced to see me. If Christ is a son of God and he is. And since Abraham was born, before Christ became incarnate. And Christ was born after Abraham. How could Christ then be called the son of Abraham?

[John Weaver] That's what the Bible said. The beginning of the generations of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. How then can Christ be the son of Abraham? Exactly the same way that he's the son of David, because Abraham Isaac and David were types and figures of Jesus Christ, and all the promises that God gave to them were given in reality to Jesus Christ.

[John Weaver] Now, let me show you. I want you to turn in your Bibles to Genesis 17 and Galatians chapter 3. I want you to get ready. I want you to go to Genesis 17, and then we're going to Galatians chapter 3. I want you to see these two passages side by side. Genesis 17. And we're going to be looking. At verse seven. Genesis 17 and verse seven, and go ahead and find Galatians chapter three, get ready for that, please.

[John Weaver] All right, here we go. Look in Genesis chapter 17 and verse seven. God is entering into a covenant with Abraham and look what he said. Genesis 17, verse seven, and I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee and their generations for an everlasting covenant to be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee. Now, he said, I'm establishing my covenant with you, Abraham, and with your seed after you. Would you know? That the word seed in Genesis 17 in verse 7 is singular. Now if you look in Galatians chapter 3 and verse 16, the Apostle Paul interprets this promise for us and he says this Galatians 3 verse 16. Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made.

[John Weaver] He saith not and to seeds as of many. But as of one. and to thy seed which is Christ." Who is the true seed of Abraham? Jesus Christ. Who is the true son of Abraham? Jesus Christ. All of those promises that were given to Abraham, and since I can't preach it, all of those promises that were given to David were given to the true seed of Abraham and the true seed of David, which is none other than Jesus Christ Himself. It is not the physical seed of Abraham that inherits all things. It's the spiritual seed.

[John Weaver] Look in Galatians 3, verse 29. Watch this. Galatians 3, verse 29. And if you be Christ's, then you Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise. Let that sink in. And if you be Christ, if you belong to Jesus Christ, then are you Abraham's seed, that is, you are his true spiritual seed. Remember. It was only the seed of the promise that was counted for seed. If you belong to Christ, then you Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise, everything that God promised Abraham, he actually promised Jesus Christ and everything that God promised Abraham and Jesus Christ is now ours in Christ. Jesus Christ. Is the true son of Abraham. If we are only Abraham's seed physically, it means nothing. But where Abraham seeds spiritually. Everything that God promised him belongs to us.

[John Weaver] Let me show you, I want to make just a couple of applications, I want you to go ahead and turn in your Bibles, if you would, to two passages, First Corinthians, Chapter three and Romans, Chapter eight. So mark them, if you would, Romans, Chapter eight, and we'll go to First Corinthians, Chapter three first. Romans chapter eight and then first Corinthians chapter three. Now that you found first Corinthians chapter three, let me just tell you.

[John Weaver] That there are multitudes of people. That are arguing over a little strip of land in the Middle East called Palestine. And they're all claiming title to it. The truth is. It doesn't belong to any of them. It really doesn't. It only belongs to Abraham and his seed. Not his physical seed, but his spiritual seed. And only those who are in Jesus Christ are heirs according to the promise according to Galatians 3 at verse 29.

[John Weaver] But let me tell you something. In Jesus Christ, It is not just that little strip of land that we get. We get everything. Look in 1 Corinthians 3, beginning there at verse 21. Because the Corinthian church were arguing over pastors, preachers. Some said, I like Paul. Some said, I like Apollos. Some said, I like Peter. And some tried to be even a little more spiritual. We just like Jesus, you know. Paul said, I quit doing that. Quit arguing. Look what he said. 1 Corinthians 3, verse 21.

[John Weaver] He says, therefore, let no man glory in men. Why? For all things are yours. Watch. All things are yours. Whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, are you looking? Or the world or life or death or things present or things to come. All are yours. And you're Christ. And Christ is God. We get all the world. We don't get a little strip of land in the Middle East. We get everything. It's all ours in Christ, and if you look in your Bibles, Romans chapter eight. I want you to look particularly verses 16 and 17. Romans 8 verses 16 and 17. Let this thing in Romans 8 verse 16, the Bible says, for the Spirit himself bear witness with our spirit that we are the children of God. Now look. And if children, then heirs, heirs of God, we inherit God. And joint heirs with Jesus Christ.

[John Weaver] If so be that we may suffer with him, we may also be glorified together. Now, notice what the Bible says in verse 17. If we're children, then we're heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ. Do you know what a joint heir is? I have four children. What little bit of property I have, I could say, well, this one gets that, this one gets that, this one gets that, the other one gets this, and that's it. I could do that. But I could say my children are joint heirs. What's that mean? It means what one gets, all the others get. If we're joint heirs with Jesus Christ, Whatever Christ gets, we get. It's all ours.

[John Weaver] Have you stopped to think about that? Whatever God has given Jesus for. That's why when our brother preached the other night, he read from Ephesians 1 that in him are all spiritual blessings in heavenly places. Everything that Christ gets, we get. were his. He's the true son of Abraham. He's a true seed of Abraham. The second application is this. This should really make you rejoice in Christ Jesus. This should really make you thankful and grateful and appreciative of his so great salvation. How can you not be thankful of His loving kindness, His gracious election, His perfect predestination, His justification, His effectual call. How can you not be thankful that God in His infinite grace and mercy has opened your eyes that you might be the true seed of Jesus Christ who is the true seed and the true son of Abraham and you receive everything that God gave to Abraham and to Jesus Christ?

[John Weaver] And may I remind you of this? The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 1, verse 20, concerning Jesus Christ, it says this, And all the promises of God in Him are yea and amen to the glory of God. All the promises. We have them all. And all are in Him and they are yea and amen. They're ours. Can you not be thankful? Can you not be grateful? That God has opened your eyes. And given you light. And given you life.

[John Weaver] I'm going to be honest. I've been to this meeting yesterday as well as Wednesday night. Wednesday night, Thursday night, it was dark. I couldn't see. Yesterday, it was kind of cold. I never noticed. But today, since the sun was shining, I got out and I looked at the outside of the building. And it was the first time I really saw that plaque over the door that said Beth Israel. Do you know the word Beth in the Hebrew means house? The house of Israel. And since you are the true seed of Abraham and Jesus Christ, This is really the house of Israel, because God has made us acceptable in Jesus Christ and given us the promises of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and David.

[John Weaver] Thank you, Father, for your love, your grace, your mercy. Thank you for your so great salvation. Thank you, Father, that we're the true sons of Abraham by faith. because we are the true sons of the Lord Jesus Christ. Help us, enable us, empower us to walk in the steps of our Father Abraham, who is the Father of all them that believe, the Scripture says. And may we be holy and pleasing unto Thee. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray. Amen.

The Son Of Abraham

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	1215131723388
Subject	Old Testament Studies
Course	Genesis: Abraham, Covenant, and Promise
Genre	Sermon
Date	2013-12-15
Dictation Name
Book	Book 077: Genesis: Abraham, Covenant, and Promise — Chapter 6
Source Timed Segments	70

Formatted Transcript

Opening

Well, it's a joy to be here today, and I'm thankful for the opportunity. I thank the pastor for his kindness in inviting me and putting on this conference, and at the same time, Samuel and Joy for putting up with us. And good to be Brother Floyd again, and good to meet Brother McDougall again. I'd met him years and years ago, and we just never stayed in contact. But I trust that after this time, we will. I want you to open your Bibles today, if you would please, to the book of Matthew, Chapter 1.

Introduction and Two Key Questions

Weaver introduces the message from Matthew 1:1 and poses two questions: Who is the true son of Abraham? Who is the true seed of Abraham?

We're going to look at verse one, and then we're going to be turning to an awful lot of scripture. So I want you to take your keep your fingers kind of limber this morning, if you would, please. I'm going to bring a message which I've just entitled The Son of Abraham. Actually, this is the first part of a two part message, but I will not have time to During the second part, but notice, if you would, Matthew chapter one in verse one, the Bible in the New Testament begins with the book of generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. So I want to begin by asking two questions. Number one, who is the true son of Abraham? And number two, who is the true seed of Abraham? Now, many are going to respond that Isaac is the true seed of Abraham because he was the son of Abraham and Sarah, while Ishmael was the son of Abraham and Hagar. I suppose that if one thinks carnally, he might could also say that Ishmael is just as much a son of Abraham as Isaac was since he was produced by Abraham.

Abraham's Many Sons and the Distinction Between Physical and Spiritual Seed

Using Genesis 25, Weaver shows Abraham had many sons, but Isaac was the son of promise, a type of Christ. He emphasizes the need to distinguish physical from spiritual seed.

Moreover, when I ask this question, who is the true son of Abraham and you begin to think of the sons of Abraham, I would also ask, what about the sons of Abraham and Keturah? And what about the sons of Abraham and his concubines? You say, what are you talking about? Well, turn in your Bibles, if you would, to Genesis chapter 25. Genesis chapter 25, and let's begin reading there with verse 1. Now I want you to note that Abraham had a multitude of sons. Genesis chapter 25, and let's begin reading there with verse 1. Here the Bible says, Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah.

and she bare him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah. And Jokshan begat Sheba, and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, and Letushim, and Leummim. And the sons of Midian; Ephah, and Epher, and Hanoch, and Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah. And Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac. But unto the sons of the concubines, which Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts, and sent them away from Isaac his son, while he yet lived, eastward, unto the east country. So there were evidently a multitude of sons by Abraham. So Abraham had many sons and consequently also had many seeds. I believe it's imperative at the very beginning that you and I learned to distinguish between the physical seed of Abraham and the spiritual seed of Abraham. You see, Isaac is called the real son of Abraham, not because he was the only son of Abraham, but because he was the son of promise. Moreover, Isaac was a type and a picture and a representative of Jesus Christ.

Isaac as a Type of Christ and the Covenant with Isaac

Hebrews 11:17-19 presents Isaac as a figure of Christ. Genesis 17 establishes God's everlasting covenant with Isaac and his seed.

If you would look in your Bibles very quickly to the book of Hebrews chapter 11, Hebrews chapter 11 beginning there with verse 17. Hebrews 11 verse 17, notice if you would what is said concerning Abraham and then what is said concerning Isaac. Hebrews 11 verse 17,

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 11:17-19

"By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called."

Now watch verse 19,

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 11:17-19

"Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure."

So Isaac then is a figure or a picture or a type of Jesus Christ. And I want you to note, if you would please, in Genesis chapter 17, That consequently, this covenant was made not just with Abraham, but with Isaac. So in Genesis chapter 17, notice, if you would please, beginning there with verse 15. God tells Abraham, Genesis chapter 17, beginning there with verse 15, "And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be. And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations.

Kings of people shall be of her." Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear? And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee! And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; Now watch. And thou shalt call his name Isaac. And I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him." Now note, if you would, verse 19. He said, "and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him. And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation. But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year." So I want you to note the fact that Isaac is going to be the promised son to Abraham, and he is called specifically the son of promise. Now I want to emphasize again verse 19 where God says, "but I will establish my covenant with him" and then notice. Secondly, it's going to be an everlasting covenant. And then he said "with his seed after him." So this covenant then is not going to be bound just to one person, just to Isaac.

Believers as Children of Promise

Galatians 4:28 declares believers are children of promise like Isaac, recipients of the covenant blessings.

It is going to be common to all of Isaac's true seed by continual succession. It is going to descend to his posterity. You say, how could that possibly be? I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Galatians chapter four, and I want you to notice what the Apostle Paul said. In fact, just mark the book of Galatians. We will come back there a number of times, but look in Galatians chapter four and verse 28. The Apostle Paul makes an amazing statement. Remember now that Isaac is called the son of promise. Remember now that God gave Isaac this covenant and it's to descend to his seed after him. And now the Apostle Paul says concerning believers, he says in Galatians 4 verse 28,

Scripture Reading — Galatians 4:28

"Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise."

Isn't that amazing? We brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise. So believers, therefore, are children of promise, just as Isaac. We are the recipients of God's covenantal blessings to Abraham and to Isaac. And I want you to see that true believers are the true Israel of God and also the heirs according to the promise.

Not All Israel Are Israel

Romans 9:6-8 teaches that physical descent from Abraham does not make one a child of God; only the children of promise are counted as seed.

are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar?" So there is indeed a fleshly Israel. There is an Israel after the flesh. But the Apostle Paul is teaching us something that is either purposefully denied or purposefully overlooked. And that something is this, that Israel after the flesh is not the true Israel of God. Let me show you look in your Bibles holding the book of Galatians, but go to Romans chapter 9 and I want you to see what the Apostle Paul says very plainly. Look in Romans chapter 9 beginning there with verse 7. Romans 9 verse well, we'll read verse 6. Look in Romans 9 verse 6. Here the Apostle begins it like this. He says "Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect.

Now watch this next statement. "For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel." So actually, you have an election within an election when you're talking about the doctrine of election, you actually have to distinguish distinguish before four different types of election. There was indeed a national election because Israel was chosen to be God's people, that is, as a whole. He did not choose the Assyrians or the Ethiopians or the Chaldeans. He chose Israel. So that is a national election. Do you realize there's also a vocational election?

Not every Israelite was a Levite. And not every Israelite could be a high priest. Only those of the house of Aaron could be the priest, and only those men of the tribe of Levi could be Levites. So there is not only a national election, there's a vocational election. There's also a messianic election. If you read Isaiah 42 and verse 1, talking about Jesus Christ, he said, "behold my servant, mine elect." So Jesus Christ is the elect Messiah of God. But then there's also a soteriological election or an election of salvation, according to 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 and verse 13. So when the Apostle Paul is saying "they're not all Israel, which are Israel," he is saying that national election does not equal personal or soteriological election. So there were a group of people in the national Israel that were indeed the elect of God, but not all of national Israel were God's people. Now watch. There was an external covenant, but there's an internal covenant. Now watch what he says in the next verse. If you don't understand what Paul meant when he said, "for they are not all Israel, which are Israel," then he's going to explain it more fully in verse 7.

"Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called." Now, he said, if you don't understand this statement, "for they are not all Israel, which are of Israel," he said, let me explain it further. "Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham," that is the physical descendants of Abraham, "are they all children." Why? Because "in Isaac shall thy seed be called." Now, if you don't understand verse 7, Paul makes it a little plainer in verse eight. He says it like this. "That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed." I want you to understand what Paul is saying. Paul is saying adamantly that the physical descendants of Abraham are not the children of God. If the physical descendants of Abraham were the children of God, then Ishmael would be just as much a child of God as would Isaac. Esau would be just as much a child of God as Jacob. But do you realize the Scripture teaches that thousands of flesh and blood Israelites died without faith.

Physical Seed Can Be Children of the Devil

John 8 shows that physical descendants of Abraham can be children of the devil if they lack Abraham's faith and works.

So there were multitudes that died without faith. So here are physical descendants of Abraham Who are just as lost as a hound dog? Let me tell you something else that may surprise you. Do you realize it is possible to be the physical seed of Abraham, to be the physical descendant of Abraham and yet be a child of the devil? Look in your Bibles, John Chapter 8. John Chapter 8. In this passage, which is a powerful passage, These unbelievers, these Jewish people, are attacking the Lord Jesus Christ. And in John, Chapter 8, beginning there with verse 33. After our Lord had said, "you shall know the truth and the truth will set you free." Verse 33, they said, they answered him,

Scripture Reading — John 8:33-44

"We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?"

Now, wait a minute. How could they say

Scripture Reading — John 8:33-44

"we'd be Abraham's seed? We were never in bondage to any man."

Did they not go to Egypt? Did they not go to Assyria? Did they not go to Babylon? Read the book of Judges. Look how many times God delivered them into the hands of their enemies and they were servants. To the Moabites, to the Philistines, to all of these people. So they say, "We be Abraham's seed. We were never in bondage to any man. How sayest thou you shall be made free?"

Verse 34, "Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." Now watch in verse 33 again. They said, "We be Abraham's seed." Now watch verse 37. Our Lord says, "I know that ye are Abraham's seed; yet ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you. I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father." They answered and said unto him, "Abraham is our father." Now watch. "Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham. But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham. Ye do the deeds of your father.

They say unto him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God. Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him." Now, don't you notice in verse thirty three. They said "we're Abraham's seed," verse thirty seven, Christ says, "I know that you're Abraham's seed," but when you get to verse thirty nine, he said you may be the seed of Abraham. But you're not Abraham's children. Rather, He then says in verse 44, you're the children of the devil.

True Children of Abraham Walk in Faith

Romans 4:12 and Galatians 3:7 define Abraham's true children as those who walk in the steps of his faith.

So what is Paul teaching? He's saying that the true children of Abraham are those who walk in the steps of Abraham, who walk in the faith of Abraham. Now, if you look in the book of Galatians, chapter 3 and verse 7, look what the apostle says very plainly. Galatians 3, verse 7, he says,

Scripture Reading — Galatians 3:7

"Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham."

Now how can you be a seed of Abraham and not be a child of Abraham? Very obviously, you don't have the faith of Abraham. You don't walk in the steps of Abraham. So these individuals in John chapter 8, they may have been the seed of Abraham, but they certainly were not the children of Abraham. You have to remember what Paul said in Romans 9 in verse 8.

Scripture Reading — Galatians 3:7

"That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed."

It's only the children of promise that are counted as the seed of Abraham. The children of promise are strictly those in whom the power and the effect of the covenant are found. On this account, the Apostle Paul denies that the physical seed of Abraham were the children of God, although a covenant had been made with them externally.

The True Circumcision Is of the Heart

Romans 2:28-29 teaches that a true Jew is one inwardly, with heart circumcision. Philippians 3:3 identifies believers as the true circumcision.

Now, I want you to go to Romans chapter two, and I want you to look at verses 28 and 29. Romans two verses 28 and 29. Look what the Apostle Paul wrote, and then I want to ask you a question. Romans two, verse 28, Paul says,

Scripture Reading — Romans 2:28-29

"For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God."

Now, let me first of all tell you what the word Jew means in verse 28 and verse 29. The word actually is Ioudaios, which literally refers to a Judahite. A Judahite is someone of the tribe of Judah or someone who lives in the region of Judea. OK, we would use the word Jew as a slang word in this sense of the word. But actually, the word is a Judahite. So Paul says,

Scripture Reading — Romans 2:28-29

"for he is not a Judahite, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh.

But he is a Judahite, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God." So here's my question. Why did the apostle Paul use the word Judahite here? Instead of Israelite. Why did he not say? "For he is not an Israelite, which is one outwardly. But he is an Israelite, which is one inwardly." Why did he use the word Judahites and not Israelite? Let me play with your minds just for a moment. Do you realize that all true Judahites were Israelites? But not all true Israelites were Judahites. Stop and think. Israel was divided into the Northern Kingdom and the Southern Kingdom. The Northern Kingdom had Samaria as its capital. The Southern Kingdom was Judah or Judea and had Jerusalem as its capital. By the way, when we talk about the Judahites. Just because you were in Judea There were other people of other tribes who lived in Judea as well who also would be called Judahites. Did you know that the tribe of Benjamin and the tribe of Simeon both were in Judea. For instance, don't turn there, but Joshua chapter 19 in verse 1, "And the second lot came forth to Simeon, even for the tribe of the children of Simeon according to their families: and their inheritance was within the inheritance of the children of Judah." And then in Joshua 18 verse 11 "And the lot of the tribe of the children of Benjamin came up according to their families: and the coast of their lot came forth between the children of Judah and the children of Joseph."

So if you were in Judah. In Judea, there was a tribe of Judah, but there was a tribe of Benjamin and there was also the tribe of Simeon. Now let me just point this out. The Apostle Paul. could rightly call himself a Benjamite, since he was of the tribe of Benjamin. He could also call himself a Judahite, because he lived in Judea. And he could also call himself an Israelite. And if you'll look in Romans 11, verse 1, that is what he has much said. In Romans 11, verse 1, he said, "I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin." So he calls himself an Israelite and he calls himself a Benjamite, but he could also call himself a Judahite as well, since Benjamin had his possession there in Judea as well.

I'm still trying to answer the question for you. Why did Paul talk about the Judahites instead of the Israelites? I want you to look in Romans chapter 9 verses 3 and 4. Romans 9 verses 3 and 4. The Apostle Paul said it like this, "For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises." Now, wait a minute. When we talk about the ceremonies, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, where did all this transpire? And the answer is, in the tribe of Judah, in the land of Judea at Jerusalem, the capital, where the tabernacle was and where the temple was. Now, I want you to think Judah then possessed the tabernacle, possessed the temple, possessed the law, the ordinances and the ceremonies.

I don't care where you were in Israel. I don't care if you were in Dan, the most northern tribe, or in Beersheba, the most southern town. If you wanted to come and worship God in the Old Testament, you had to come to Jerusalem, to where the tabernacle was and later the temple as well. Thus the Apostle Paul is using the term Judahite in Romans chapter 2. Because that is where the service and the worship of God was carried out in Judea at Jerusalem. And so here's what he's saying. If you look back to Romans chapter 2 and verse 28 again, watch carefully now. Remember all the worship of God took place here. That is all the public worship, he said, "for he is not a Judahite, which is one outwardly," That is not one that's just been circumcised. Watch. "Neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Judahite, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God." You have to remember not only the Apostle Paul. No. that was in Jerusalem and Judea, where the worship of God was, he was a Judahite himself.

He was a Benjamite who lived in Judah. Israel had been commanded in the Old Testament to circumcise their hearts. Turn in your Bibles to the book of Deuteronomy, chapter 10. Deuteronomy, chapter 10, although there was the outward mark of circumcision in the flesh, That may have been the mark of a national covenant, but that was not sufficient. To be in the internal covenant or the covenant of grace, notice in Deuteronomy chapter 10 and verse 16, here's the command

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 10:16

"Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked."

If you would turn right over to the book of Jeremiah chapter four and look at verse four, Jeremiah chapter four and verse four. And God is particularly in this passage speaking to Judah and Jerusalem, notice Jeremiah chapter four and verse four, God says this "Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and take away the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn that none

can quench it, because of the evil of your doings." So he specifically points out. That the heart is to be circumcised. And he specifically told that to Judah and Jerusalem. So Paul, then in Romans chapter two, says the true Judahite is not one who circumcisions outward in the flesh, but the true Judahite. Is one who's been circumcised in the heart, so the promised seed of Abraham, the spiritual seed, or those who have been circumcised in their heart. And not just in their flesh, I want you to turn very quickly, beginning with 1st Corinthians, Chapter 7. Let me show you several verses in the New Testament concerning circumcision. I think you're going to understand this a little more fully when we get to our last two verses on circumcision. Notice 1st Corinthians, Chapter 7 and verse 19. 1st Corinthians 7 and verse 19. The Apostle Paul says this "Circumcision is nothing," he's talking about in the flesh. "Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God." What good is your circumcision in an outward covenant in an external relationship if you don't obey God? Turn, if you would, to Galatians chapter five and look in verse six. Galatians 5 and verse 6. Again, the Apostle Paul says it like this. Galatians 5 verse 6. "For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.

Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 7:19

" So it doesn't do you any good to be circumcised in the flesh if you have no faith and if you do not keep the commandments of God. Now turn right over to the book of Colossians chapter 2.

Colossians chapter 2. And look, if you would please, at verse 11. Look what the apostle says about true believers, Colossians 2 and verse 11. Watch carefully. "In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ." What does the Bible say? The true circumcision is the work of God in the heart. It's when the heart is circumcised and our sins have been put away by the person and work of Jesus Christ. So if you'll flip back just a few pages to Philippians chapter 3 and verse 3, let's begin reading there with verse 1. Watch what the Apostle Paul says, Philippians 3, verse 1.

"Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord." And I hope today I'm going to give you something to rejoice in. But watch what he says. "Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe. Beware of dogs,

Now, he's not talking about the four-legged kind. He's talking about the two-legged kind. He says "beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision." Or the circumcision. And then he says this in verse three, "For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh." Who are those that are truly, genuinely circumcised, only true believers, those who worship God in the spirit, who rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh. That's why the Apostle Paul said in Romans 2, verse 29, that the true Judahite is the man who's circumcised in the heart, whose praise is not of men, but of God alone. We're the true circumcision of God. We're the true believers of God. We're the true seed of Abraham. So you have to kind of forget nations. You have to kind of forget physical seed. And you have to count the way God counts. That's why he said in Romans 9 in verse 8, let me remind you of this.

Spiritual Relationship Transcends Physical Lineage

Matthew 12:46-50 shows that doing God's will defines spiritual family, surpassing physical ties.

Let me go a step farther. If you could prove to me. That you were a physical descendant of the family of Jesus Christ. That maybe James, the apostle, who's the brother of Christ? Maybe you're in his lineage and you could prove it. You know what that would mean? Nothing. How can I say that? Look in your Bibles to Matthew, chapter 12. I want you to see the emphasis that our Lord placed upon this. Matthew, chapter 12, beginning there with verse 46. Matthew, chapter 12, verse 46. Watch carefully, Matthew 12, verse 46.

"While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him. Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee." Surely you're going to stop teaching and go down and speak to your mother and speak to your brothers. "But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?" "And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother." What does he say? That our spiritual relationship transcends physical relationships. I want you to turn in light of that to the book of Galatians, chapter six, If you really want to know who the Israel of God is. I want you to look at this verse, I want you to pay close attention to it. Watch very carefully, Galatians chapter six and look at verse 16.

The Apostle Paul writes this statement. "And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God." As many as walk according to this rule, peace be upon them and mercy upon the Israel of God. Now, first of all, let me tell you what the word rule is. The word rule is the Greek word kanon. It is where we get our English word canon from, not C-A-N-N-O-N. That's the kind that shoots. Let's see C-A-N-O-N. We talk about the canon of Scripture. We talk about the Old Testament canon or the New Testament canon. Or. Canon law. But you know what the word canon means, the word canon. Literally means a measuring stick or a measuring rod. And here's what the Apostle Paul says, Galatians 6 verse 16, look at it "as many as walk according to this rule," look up here just for a moment, "as many as walk according to this rule," this measuring stick, this measuring rod, "peace be upon them and mercy upon the Israel of God."

The Israel of God Walks by the Rule of Faith

Galatians 6:16 identifies the Israel of God as those who walk according to the rule (canon) of faith in Christ.

"And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother." What does he say? That our spiritual relationship transcends physical relationships. I want you to turn in light of that to the book of Galatians, chapter six, If you really want to know who the Israel of God is. I want you to look at this verse, I want you to pay close attention to it. Watch very carefully, Galatians chapter six and look at verse 16. The Apostle Paul writes this statement. "And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God." As many as walk according to this rule, peace be upon them and mercy upon the Israel of God. Now, first of all, let me tell you what the word rule is. The word rule is the Greek word kanon. It is where we get our English word canon from, not C-A-N-N-O-N. That's the kind that shoots. Let's see C-A-N-O-N. We talk about the canon of Scripture. We talk about the Old Testament canon or the New Testament canon. Or. Canon law. But you know what the word canon means, the word canon. Literally means a measuring stick or a measuring rod. And here's what the Apostle Paul says, Galatians 6 verse 16, look at it "as many as walk according to this rule," look up here just for a moment, "as many as walk according to this rule," this measuring stick, this measuring rod, "peace be upon them and mercy upon the Israel of God."

Who's Israel of God? Who gets the peace? Those that walk according to this rule. Those who bring their lives in conformity to the Word of God by the grace and by the power of God. I want you to understand something. We can only be the true seed of Abraham only as we are in Jesus Christ. Look in your Bibles to the book of John chapter 8. And let's begin reading there with verse 56.

Christ Is the True Seed of Abraham

Galatians 3:16 interprets the singular 'seed' in Genesis 17:7 as Christ. All promises to Abraham are fulfilled in Him.

Now, let me show you. I want you to turn in your Bibles to Genesis 17 and Galatians chapter 3. I want you to get ready. I want you to go to Genesis 17, and then we're going to Galatians chapter 3. I want you to see these two passages side by side. Genesis 17. And we're going to be looking. At verse seven. Genesis 17 and verse seven, and go ahead and find Galatians chapter three, get ready for that, please.

All right, here we go. Look in Genesis chapter 17 and verse seven. God is entering into a covenant with Abraham and look what he said. Genesis 17, verse seven, "And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee." Now, he said, I'm establishing my covenant with you, Abraham, and with your seed after you. Would you know? That the word seed in Genesis 17 in verse 7 is singular. Now if you look in Galatians chapter 3 and verse 16, the Apostle Paul interprets this promise for us and he says this Galatians 3 verse 16. "Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made.

He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ." Who is the true seed of Abraham? Jesus Christ. Who is the true son of Abraham? Jesus Christ. All of those promises that were given to Abraham, and since I can't preach it, all of those promises that were given to David were given to the true seed of Abraham and the true seed of David, which is none other than Jesus Christ Himself. It is not the physical seed of Abraham that inherits all things. It's the spiritual seed.

Believers Are Heirs of All Things in Christ

Galatians 3:29, 1 Corinthians 3:21-23, and Romans 8:16-17 show that those in Christ inherit all things as joint-heirs with Him.

Look in Galatians 3, verse 29. Watch this. Galatians 3, verse 29. "And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." Let that sink in. And if you be Christ, if you belong to Jesus Christ, then are you Abraham's seed, that is, you are his true spiritual seed. Remember. It was only the seed of the promise that was counted for seed. If you belong to Christ, then you Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise, everything that God promised Abraham, he actually promised Jesus Christ and everything that God promised Abraham and Jesus Christ is now ours in Christ. Jesus Christ. Is the true son of Abraham. If we are only Abraham's seed physically, it means nothing. But where Abraham seeds spiritually. Everything that God promised him belongs to us.

Let me show you, I want to make just a couple of applications, I want you to go ahead and turn in your Bibles, if you would, to two passages, 1 Corinthians, Chapter three and Romans, Chapter eight. So mark them, if you would, Romans, Chapter eight, and we'll go to 1 Corinthians, Chapter three first. Romans chapter eight and then first Corinthians chapter three. Now that you found first Corinthians chapter three, let me just tell you. That there are multitudes of people. That are arguing over a little strip of land in the Middle East called Palestine. And they're all claiming title to it. The truth is. It doesn't belong to any of them. It really doesn't. It only belongs to Abraham and his seed. Not his physical seed, but his spiritual seed. And only those who are in Jesus Christ are heirs according to the promise according to Galatians 3 at verse 29.

But let me tell you something. In Jesus Christ, It is not just that little strip of land that we get. We get everything. Look in 1 Corinthians 3, beginning there at verse 21. Because the Corinthian church were arguing over pastors, preachers. Some said, I like Paul. Some said, I like Apollos. Some said, I like Peter. And some tried to be even a little more spiritual. We just like Jesus, you know. Paul said, I quit doing that. Quit arguing. Look what he said. 1 Corinthians 3, verse 21.

He says, "Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's." We get all the world. We don't get a little strip of land in the Middle East. We get everything. It's all ours in Christ, and if you look in your Bibles, Romans chapter eight. I want you to look particularly verses 16 and 17. Romans 8 verses 16 and 17. Let this thing in Romans 8 verse 16, the Bible says, "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ;

if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together." Now, notice what the Bible says in verse 17. If we're children, then we're heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ. Do you know what a joint heir is? I have four children. What little bit of property I have, I could say, well, this one gets that, this one gets that, this one gets that, the other one gets this, and that's it. I could do that. But I could say my children are joint heirs. What's that mean? It means what one gets, all the others get. If we're joint heirs with Jesus Christ, Whatever Christ gets, we get. It's all ours.

Study Guide

Major Themes

Distinction between physical and spiritual seed of Abraham

Summary: Weaver emphasizes that physical descent from Abraham does not guarantee spiritual sonship; only those with Abraham's faith are true children.

Evidence: Romans 9:8: 'They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.'

Jesus Christ as the true Son and Seed of Abraham

Summary: All covenant promises to Abraham were made to Christ, the singular seed, and are fulfilled in Him.

Evidence: Galatians 3:16: 'Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.'

Believers as heirs of the promises through union with Christ

Summary: Those who belong to Christ become Abraham's spiritual seed and inherit all things as joint-heirs with Christ.

Evidence: Galatians 3:29: 'And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.'

Circumcision of the heart as the mark of true Israel

Summary: True circumcision is inward, of the heart, by the Spirit, not merely outward in the flesh.

Evidence: Romans 2:29: 'But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter.'

Spiritual relationship transcends physical lineage

Summary: Doing the will of God defines spiritual family, not physical descent from Abraham or even Jesus' earthly family.

Evidence: Matthew 12:50: 'For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.'

The Israel of God defined by faith, not ethnicity

Summary: The true Israel of God are those who walk according to the rule of faith in Christ, not physical Israelites.

Evidence: Galatians 6:16: 'And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.'

Key Arguments

Physical descent from Abraham does not make one a child of God

Summary: Paul argues in Romans 9 that not all physical Israelites are true Israel; only children of promise are counted as seed.

Evidence: Romans 9:6-8: 'For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel... That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God.'

The singular 'seed' in Genesis 17:7 refers to Christ

Summary: Paul interprets the promise to Abraham's 'seed' as singular, pointing to Christ, not multiple physical descendants.

Evidence: Galatians 3:16: 'He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.'

Faith, not fleshly circumcision, identifies Abraham's children

Summary: Galatians 3:7 states that those of faith are the children of Abraham, and Romans 4:12 says true children walk in Abraham's faith.

Evidence: Galatians 3:7: 'Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.'

Believers are the true circumcision who worship in the Spirit

Summary: Philippians 3:3 declares believers are the circumcision who worship God in the Spirit and have no confidence in the flesh.

Evidence: Philippians 3:3: 'For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.'

Union with Christ makes believers heirs of all things

Summary: 1 Corinthians 3:21-23 and Romans 8:17 teach that all things belong to believers because they are Christ's and joint-heirs with Him.

Evidence: 1 Corinthians 3:21-22: 'For all things are yours; Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours.'

Scripture References

Matthew 1:1

Context: Introduction of the message; Jesus Christ is the son of David, the son of Abraham.

Genesis 25:1-6

Context: Abraham had many sons by Keturah and concubines, but Isaac was the heir of the promise.

Hebrews 11:17-19

Context: Isaac is a figure or type of Christ; Abraham offered his only begotten son.

Genesis 17:15-21

Context: God establishes His covenant with Isaac and his seed, not Ishmael.

Galatians 4:28

Context: Believers, like Isaac, are children of promise.

1 Corinthians 10:18

Context: There is an Israel after the flesh.

Romans 9:6-8

Context: Not all physical Israel are true Israel; children of promise are counted as seed.

Hebrews 4:1-6

Context: Many Israelites died without faith and did not enter God's rest.

1 Corinthians 10:5-10

Context: Most Israelites who came out of Egypt were overthrown in the wilderness due to unbelief.

John 8:33-44

Context: Physical descendants of Abraham can be children of the devil if they lack Abraham's faith.

Romans 4:12

Context: Abraham is father of those who walk in the steps of his faith.

Galatians 3:7

Context: Those of faith are the children of Abraham.

Romans 2:28-29

Context: A true Jew is one inwardly, with circumcision of the heart.

Deuteronomy 10:16

Context: Command to circumcise the foreskin of the heart.

Jeremiah 4:4

Context: Call to circumcise the heart, addressed to Judah and Jerusalem.

1 Corinthians 7:19

Context: Circumcision is nothing; keeping God's commandments matters.

Galatians 5:6

Context: In Christ, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails, but faith working through love.

Colossians 2:11

Context: Believers are circumcised with the circumcision of Christ, made without hands.

Philippians 3:1-3

Context: Believers are the true circumcision who worship in the Spirit and have no confidence in the flesh.

Matthew 12:46-50

Context: Spiritual family is defined by doing God's will, not physical relationship.

Historical References

Matthew Henry

Context: Weaver quotes Matthew Henry's commentary on Romans 9, affirming that many physical descendants of Abraham are not true Israelites.

Important Quotes

Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.

Significance: Establishes that believers share the same status as Isaac as recipients of God's covenant promises.

For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel.

Significance: Key verse showing that physical descent does not guarantee spiritual membership in God's people.

That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.

Significance: Clarifies that only children of promise, not physical descendants, are considered Abraham's true seed.

Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.

Significance: Defines Abraham's true children as those who share his faith.

For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

Significance: Redefines Jewish identity in terms of inward heart transformation rather than outward ritual.

For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.

Significance: Identifies believers as the true circumcision who rely on Christ alone.

And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Significance: Connects union with Christ to inheritance of all covenant promises made to Abraham.

For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.

Significance: Affirms that every divine promise is fulfilled and secured in Christ for believers.

Discussion Questions

Why does Paul insist that not all physical descendants of Abraham are true Israel?

Context: Based on Romans 9:6-8, Weaver explains that only children of promise are counted as seed.

How does Galatians 3:16 change our understanding of the promises to Abraham?

Context: Weaver highlights that the singular 'seed' refers to Christ, not multiple physical descendants.

What does it mean to be a 'true Jew' according to Romans 2:28-29?

Context: Weaver discusses inward circumcision of the heart versus outward physical circumcision.

How does union with Christ make believers heirs of all things?

Context: Weaver references 1 Corinthians 3:21-23 and Romans 8:17 to show believers inherit everything in Christ.

Why does Jesus say that doing the will of God defines spiritual family?

Context: In Matthew 12:46-50, Jesus prioritizes spiritual obedience over physical family ties.

Applications

Rejoice in Christ as the fulfillment of all promises

Summary: Believers should be thankful that all God's promises are 'yes' in Christ and that they inherit everything as joint-heirs with Him.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'This should really make you rejoice in Christ Jesus... How can you not be thankful of His loving kindness...'

Walk in the steps of Abraham's faith

Summary: True children of Abraham are those who walk in the faith of Abraham, not merely physical descendants.

Evidence: Romans 4:12 and Galatians 3:7 are cited to show that faith identifies Abraham's children.

Recognize the church as the true Israel of God

Summary: Weaver applies the name 'Beth Israel' to the church, seeing believers as the house of Israel through faith in Christ.

Evidence: Weaver notes the plaque 'Beth Israel' and says, 'This is really the house of Israel, because God has made us acceptable in Jesus Christ.'

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T18:03:09Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T10:08:49Z

Clean Transcript

The Son Of Abraham

Clean readable transcript. This view follows the Commentary.net cleaned segment text while preserving timestamps for audio follow-along.

Well, it's a joy to be here today, and I'm thankful for the opportunity. I thank the pastor for his kindness in inviting me and putting on this conference, and at the same time, Samuel and Joy for putting up with us. And good to be Brother Floyd again, and good to meet Brother McDougall again. I'd met him years and years ago, and we just never stayed in contact. But I trust that after this time, we will. I want you to open your Bibles today, if you would please, to the book of Matthew, Chapter 1.
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We're going to look at verse one, and then we're going to be turning to an awful lot of scripture. So I want you to take your keep your fingers kind of limber this morning, if you would, please. I'm going to bring a message which I've just entitled The Son of Abraham. Actually, this is the first part of a two part message, but I will not have time to During the second part, but notice, if you would, Matthew chapter one in verse one, the Bible in the New Testament begins with the book of generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. So I want to begin by asking two questions. Number one, who is the true son of Abraham? And number two, who is the true seed of Abraham? Now, many are going to respond that Isaac is the true seed of Abraham because he was the son of Abraham and Sarah, while Ishmael was the son of Abraham and Hagar. I suppose that if one thinks carnally, he might could also say that Ishmael is just as much a son of Abraham as Isaac was since he was produced by Abraham.
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Moreover, when I ask this question, who is the true son of Abraham and you begin to think of the sons of Abraham, I would also ask, what about the sons of Abraham and Keturah? And what about the sons of Abraham and his concubines? You say, what are you talking about? Well, turn in your Bibles, if you would, to Genesis chapter 25. Genesis chapter 25, and let's begin reading there with verse 1. Now I want you to note that Abraham had a multitude of sons. Genesis chapter 25, and let's begin reading there with verse 1. Here the Bible says, Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah.
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and she bare him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah. And Jokshan begat Sheba, and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, and Letushim, and Leummim. And the sons of Midian; Ephah, and Epher, and Hanoch, and Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah. And Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac. But unto the sons of the concubines, which Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts, and sent them away from Isaac his son, while he yet lived, eastward, unto the east country. So there were evidently a multitude of sons by Abraham. So Abraham had many sons and consequently also had many seeds. I believe it's imperative at the very beginning that you and I learned to distinguish between the physical seed of Abraham and the spiritual seed of Abraham. You see, Isaac is called the real son of Abraham, not because he was the only son of Abraham, but because he was the son of promise. Moreover, Isaac was a type and a picture and a representative of Jesus Christ.
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If you would look in your Bibles very quickly to the book of Hebrews chapter 11, Hebrews chapter 11 beginning there with verse 17. Hebrews 11 verse 17, notice if you would what is said concerning Abraham and then what is said concerning Isaac. Hebrews 11 verse 17, "By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called."
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Now watch verse 19, "Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure." So Isaac then is a figure or a picture or a type of Jesus Christ. And I want you to note, if you would please, in Genesis chapter 17, That consequently, this covenant was made not just with Abraham, but with Isaac. So in Genesis chapter 17, notice, if you would please, beginning there with verse 15. God tells Abraham, Genesis chapter 17, beginning there with verse 15, "And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be. And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations.
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Kings of people shall be of her." Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear? And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee! And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; Now watch. And thou shalt call his name Isaac.
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And I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him." Now note, if you would, verse 19. He said, "and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him. And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation. But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year." So I want you to note the fact that Isaac is going to be the promised son to Abraham, and he is called specifically the son of promise. Now I want to emphasize again verse 19 where God says, "but I will establish my covenant with him" and then notice. Secondly, it's going to be an everlasting covenant. And then he said "with his seed after him." So this covenant then is not going to be bound just to one person, just to Isaac.
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It is going to be common to all of Isaac's true seed by continual succession. It is going to descend to his posterity. You say, how could that possibly be? I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Galatians chapter four, and I want you to notice what the Apostle Paul said. In fact, just mark the book of Galatians. We will come back there a number of times, but look in Galatians chapter four and verse 28. The Apostle Paul makes an amazing statement. Remember now that Isaac is called the son of promise. Remember now that God gave Isaac this covenant and it's to descend to his seed after him. And now the Apostle Paul says concerning believers, he says in Galatians 4 verse 28, "Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise." Isn't that amazing? We brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise. So believers, therefore, are children of promise, just as Isaac. We are the recipients of God's covenantal blessings to Abraham and to Isaac. And I want you to see that true believers are the true Israel of God and also the heirs according to the promise.
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The problem that we have is when you and I hear the phrase, the seed of Abraham or the son of Abraham or the seed of Isaac, we tend to think, first of all, physically, we tend to think of physical seed and physical descendants. And I believe that's where we greatly err. There is indeed an Israel after the flesh. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 10 and verse 18, Paul wrote, "Behold Israel after the flesh:
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are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar?" So there is indeed a fleshly Israel. There is an Israel after the flesh. But the Apostle Paul is teaching us something that is either purposefully denied or purposefully overlooked. And that something is this, that Israel after the flesh is not the true Israel of God. Let me show you look in your Bibles holding the book of Galatians, but go to Romans chapter 9 and I want you to see what the Apostle Paul says very plainly. Look in Romans chapter 9 beginning there with verse 7. Romans 9 verse well, we'll read verse 6. Look in Romans 9 verse 6. Here the Apostle begins it like this. He says "Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect.
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Now watch this next statement. "For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel." So actually, you have an election within an election when you're talking about the doctrine of election, you actually have to distinguish distinguish before four different types of election. There was indeed a national election because Israel was chosen to be God's people, that is, as a whole. He did not choose the Assyrians or the Ethiopians or the Chaldeans. He chose Israel. So that is a national election. Do you realize there's also a vocational election?
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Not every Israelite was a Levite. And not every Israelite could be a high priest. Only those of the house of Aaron could be the priest, and only those men of the tribe of Levi could be Levites. So there is not only a national election, there's a vocational election. There's also a messianic election. If you read Isaiah 42 and verse 1, talking about Jesus Christ, he said, "behold my servant, mine elect." So Jesus Christ is the elect Messiah of God. But then there's also a soteriological election or an election of salvation, according to 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 and verse 13. So when the Apostle Paul is saying "they're not all Israel, which are Israel," he is saying that national election does not equal personal or soteriological election. So there were a group of people in the national Israel that were indeed the elect of God, but not all of national Israel were God's people. Now watch. There was an external covenant, but there's an internal covenant. Now watch what he says in the next verse. If you don't understand what Paul meant when he said, "for they are not all Israel, which are Israel," then he's going to explain it more fully in verse 7.
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"Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called."
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Now, he said, if you don't understand this statement, "for they are not all Israel, which are of Israel," he said, let me explain it further. "Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham," that is the physical descendants of Abraham, "are they all children." Why? Because "in Isaac shall thy seed be called." Now, if you don't understand verse 7, Paul makes it a little plainer in verse eight.
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He says it like this. "That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed." I want you to understand what Paul is saying. Paul is saying adamantly that the physical descendants of Abraham are not the children of God. If the physical descendants of Abraham were the children of God, then Ishmael would be just as much a child of God as would Isaac. Esau would be just as much a child of God as Jacob. But do you realize the Scripture teaches that thousands of flesh and blood Israelites died without faith.
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For instance, look in your Bibles to the book of Hebrews, chapter 4. Hebrews, chapter 4, and let's begin reading there with verse 1. Notice, if you would, what the Bible says. Hebrews, chapter 4, verse 1. The Apostle writes, "Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works. And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest. Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief."
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So here were multitudes that died without faith. And if you'll go back to 1 Corinthians, Chapter 10, the Apostle Paul expands upon this. 1 Corinthians, Chapter 10. Notice beginning there with verse five. 1 Corinthians, Chapter 10, verse five. He says, and he's talking about all these people who came out of Egypt, he says, "But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness."
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Now, I cannot help but smile every time I read that verse. Paul says, "but with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness." Would you care to tell me how many of the original men who came out of Egypt got into Canaan land? Two. Joshua and Caleb. But with many of them, God was not well pleased. All of them except two. Look what he says. Verse five, "but with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness." Why?
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"Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer."
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So there were multitudes that died without faith. So here are physical descendants of Abraham Who are just as lost as a hound dog? Let me tell you something else that may surprise you. Do you realize it is possible to be the physical seed of Abraham, to be the physical descendant of Abraham and yet be a child of the devil? Look in your Bibles, John Chapter 8. John Chapter 8.
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In this passage, which is a powerful passage, These unbelievers, these Jewish people, are attacking the Lord Jesus Christ. And in John, Chapter 8, beginning there with verse 33. After our Lord had said, "you shall know the truth and the truth will set you free." Verse 33, they said, they answered him, "We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?" Now, wait a minute. How could they say "we'd be Abraham's seed? We were never in bondage to any man."
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Did they not go to Egypt? Did they not go to Assyria? Did they not go to Babylon? Read the book of Judges. Look how many times God delivered them into the hands of their enemies and they were servants. To the Moabites, to the Philistines, to all of these people. So they say, "We be Abraham's seed. We were never in bondage to any man. How sayest thou you shall be made free?"
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Verse 34, "Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." Now watch in verse 33 again. They said, "We be Abraham's seed." Now watch verse 37. Our Lord says, "I know that ye are Abraham's seed;
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yet ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you. I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father." They answered and said unto him, "Abraham is our father." Now watch. "Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham. But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham. Ye do the deeds of your father.
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They say unto him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God. Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do.
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He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him." Now, don't you notice in verse thirty three. They said "we're Abraham's seed," verse thirty seven, Christ says, "I know that you're Abraham's seed," but when you get to verse thirty nine, he said you may be the seed of Abraham. But you're not Abraham's children. Rather, He then says in verse 44, you're the children of the devil.
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Now, let me ask you a question. How is it possible? To be the seed of Abraham. And not be the children of Abraham. Well, let me answer that, I want you to look in two passages, Romans four, And then back to Galatians, Chapter three, look in Romans, Chapter four, and notice what the Bible says concerning. Abraham, Romans, Chapter four, and look, if you would please, at verse 12. Romans four and verse 12, the Bible says it like this. Romans four, verse 12. Talking about Abraham. "And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised."
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So what is Paul teaching? He's saying that the true children of Abraham are those who walk in the steps of Abraham, who walk in the faith of Abraham.
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Now, if you look in the book of Galatians, chapter 3 and verse 7, look what the apostle says very plainly. Galatians 3, verse 7, he says, "Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham." Now how can you be a seed of Abraham and not be a child of Abraham? Very obviously, you don't have the faith of Abraham. You don't walk in the steps of Abraham. So these individuals in John chapter 8, they may have been the seed of Abraham, but they certainly were not the children of Abraham. You have to remember what Paul said in Romans 9 in verse 8. "That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed." It's only the children of promise that are counted as the seed of Abraham. The children of promise are strictly those in whom the power and the effect of the covenant are found. On this account, the Apostle Paul denies that the physical seed of Abraham were the children of God, although a covenant had been made with them externally.
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The way to understand this is very easily. Easily understood, when you think of most churches today, do you realize most churches, especially Southern Baptist churches, will have a church covenant and they'll have it on the wall? And when you join that church, you say, in essence, I subscribe to this covenant. Do you realize there are thousands upon thousands of church people who are covenanted with the people of God in a church, but they're lost. They're lost. They are in an external covenant, but there's never, ever been a work in their heart. And so Israel had an external side of a covenant. All the men had been circumcised, but the true circumcision was always that of the heart. So you have then the external covenant, you have the Israelites who were Israelites only in light of their carnal generation, and others were true Israelites who walked in the steps of Abraham and who had the faith of Abraham. So all of the promises that God has made in the Bible are to the true Israel of God, to those who are of the faith of Abraham who walk in that step.
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There are many who claim to be Israel who are not Israel because they do not have the faith of Abraham, nor do they walk in his steps. Listen to what Matthew Henry said. He wrote. "Many that descended from the loins of Abraham and Jacob and were of that people who were surnamed by the name of Israel. Yet we're very far from being Israelites, indeed interested in the saving benefits of the New Covenant. These are not all really Israel that are so in name and profession. It does not follow that because they are the seed of Abraham, therefore they must needs be the children of God. That the children of the flesh, as such, by virtue of their relation to Abraham, according to the flesh, are not therefore the children of God, for then Ishmael could have put in a good claim." So what he's saying is very obvious. The physical seed of Abraham are not the children of God.
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Now, I want you to go to Romans chapter two, and I want you to look at verses 28 and 29. Romans two verses 28 and 29. Look what the Apostle Paul wrote, and then I want to ask you a question. Romans two, verse 28, Paul says, "For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God." Now, let me first of all tell you what the word Jew means in verse 28 and verse 29. The word actually is Ioudaios, which literally refers to a Judahite. A Judahite is someone of the tribe of Judah or someone who lives in the region of Judea. OK, we would use the word Jew as a slang word in this sense of the word. But actually, the word is a Judahite. So Paul says, "for he is not a Judahite, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh.
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But he is a Judahite, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God." So here's my question. Why did the apostle Paul use the word Judahite here? Instead of Israelite. Why did he not say? "For he is not an Israelite, which is one outwardly. But he is an Israelite, which is one inwardly." Why did he use the word Judahites and not Israelite?
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Let me play with your minds just for a moment. Do you realize that all true Judahites were Israelites? But not all true Israelites were Judahites. Stop and think. Israel was divided into the Northern Kingdom and the Southern Kingdom. The Northern Kingdom had Samaria as its capital. The Southern Kingdom was Judah or Judea and had Jerusalem as its capital. By the way, when we talk about the Judahites. Just because you were in Judea There were other people of other tribes who lived in Judea as well who also would be called Judahites. Did you know that the tribe of Benjamin and the tribe of Simeon both were in Judea. For instance, don't turn there, but Joshua chapter 19 in verse 1, "And the second lot came forth to Simeon, even for the tribe of the children of Simeon according to their families: and their inheritance was within the inheritance of the children of Judah." And then in Joshua 18 verse 11 "And the lot of the tribe of the children of Benjamin came up according to their families: and the coast of their lot came forth between the children of Judah and the children of Joseph."
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So if you were in Judah. In Judea, there was a tribe of Judah, but there was a tribe of Benjamin and there was also the tribe of Simeon.
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Now let me just point this out. The Apostle Paul. could rightly call himself a Benjamite, since he was of the tribe of Benjamin. He could also call himself a Judahite, because he lived in Judea. And he could also call himself an Israelite. And if you'll look in Romans 11, verse 1, that is what he has much said. In Romans 11, verse 1, he said, "I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin." So he calls himself an Israelite and he calls himself a Benjamite, but he could also call himself a Judahite as well, since Benjamin had his possession there in Judea as well.
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I'm still trying to answer the question for you. Why did Paul talk about the Judahites instead of the Israelites? I want you to look in Romans chapter 9 verses 3 and 4. Romans 9 verses 3 and 4. The Apostle Paul said it like this, "For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises." Now, wait a minute. When we talk about the ceremonies, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, where did all this transpire? And the answer is, in the tribe of Judah, in the land of Judea at Jerusalem, the capital, where the tabernacle was and where the temple was. Now, I want you to think Judah then possessed the tabernacle, possessed the temple, possessed the law, the ordinances and the ceremonies.
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I don't care where you were in Israel. I don't care if you were in Dan, the most northern tribe, or in Beersheba, the most southern town. If you wanted to come and worship God in the Old Testament, you had to come to Jerusalem, to where the tabernacle was and later the temple as well. Thus the Apostle Paul is using the term Judahite in Romans chapter 2. Because that is where the service and the worship of God was carried out in Judea at Jerusalem.
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And so here's what he's saying. If you look back to Romans chapter 2 and verse 28 again, watch carefully now. Remember all the worship of God took place here. That is all the public worship, he said, "for he is not a Judahite, which is one outwardly," That is not one that's just been circumcised. Watch. "Neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Judahite, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God." You have to remember not only the Apostle Paul. No. that was in Jerusalem and Judea, where the worship of God was, he was a Judahite himself.
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He was a Benjamite who lived in Judah. Israel had been commanded in the Old Testament to circumcise their hearts. Turn in your Bibles to the book of Deuteronomy, chapter 10. Deuteronomy, chapter 10, although there was the outward mark of circumcision in the flesh, That may have been the mark of a national covenant, but that was not sufficient. To be in the internal covenant or the covenant of grace, notice in Deuteronomy chapter 10 and verse 16, here's the command "Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart,
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and be no more stiffnecked." If you would turn right over to the book of Jeremiah chapter four and look at verse four, Jeremiah chapter four and verse four. And God is particularly in this passage speaking to Judah and Jerusalem, notice Jeremiah chapter four and verse four, God says this "Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and take away the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn that none
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can quench it, because of the evil of your doings." So he specifically points out. That the heart is to be circumcised. And he specifically told that to Judah and Jerusalem. So Paul, then in Romans chapter two, says the true Judahite is not one who circumcisions outward in the flesh, but the true Judahite. Is one who's been circumcised in the heart, so the promised seed of Abraham, the spiritual seed, or those who have been circumcised in their heart. And not just in their flesh, I want you to turn very quickly, beginning with 1st Corinthians, Chapter 7.
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Let me show you several verses in the New Testament concerning circumcision. I think you're going to understand this a little more fully when we get to our last two verses on circumcision. Notice 1st Corinthians, Chapter 7 and verse 19. 1st Corinthians 7 and verse 19. The Apostle Paul says this "Circumcision is nothing," he's talking about in the flesh. "Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God." What good is your circumcision in an outward covenant in an external relationship if you don't obey God? Turn, if you would, to Galatians chapter five and look in verse six. Galatians 5 and verse 6. Again, the Apostle Paul says it like this. Galatians 5 verse 6. "For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love." So it doesn't do you any good to be circumcised in the flesh if you have no faith and if you do not keep the commandments of God. Now turn right over to the book of Colossians chapter 2.
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Colossians chapter 2. And look, if you would please, at verse 11. Look what the apostle says about true believers, Colossians 2 and verse 11. Watch carefully. "In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ." What does the Bible say? The true circumcision is the work of God in the heart. It's when the heart is circumcised and our sins have been put away by the person and work of Jesus Christ. So if you'll flip back just a few pages to Philippians chapter 3 and verse 3, let's begin reading there with verse 1. Watch what the Apostle Paul says, Philippians 3, verse 1.
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"Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord." And I hope today I'm going to give you something to rejoice in. But watch what he says. "Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe. Beware of dogs,
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Now, he's not talking about the four-legged kind. He's talking about the two-legged kind. He says "beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision." Or the circumcision. And then he says this in verse three, "For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh." Who are those that are truly, genuinely circumcised, only true believers, those who worship God in the spirit, who rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh. That's why the Apostle Paul said in Romans 2, verse 29, that the true Judahite is the man who's circumcised in the heart, whose praise is not of men, but of God alone. We're the true circumcision of God. We're the true believers of God. We're the true seed of Abraham. So you have to kind of forget nations. You have to kind of forget physical seed. And you have to count the way God counts. That's why he said in Romans 9 in verse 8, let me remind you of this.
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He said "it is the children of promise that are counted for the seed." The children of promise that are counted for the seed, not the physical descendants, but the children of promise.
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Now I want you to understand something. Our Lord teaches that our relationship with him transcends physical boundaries. If, for instance, you could prove to me that you were a lineal descendant from Abraham and you could give me father, mother, father, mother, father, mother, father, mother, right on down the line, you could prove that you were a lineal descendant of Abraham. You know what that would mean? Nothing. It means if you're without Christ, you'd just be a lost physical seed of Abraham. That's what it would mean.
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Let me go a step farther. If you could prove to me. That you were a physical descendant of the family of Jesus Christ. That maybe James, the apostle, who's the brother of Christ? Maybe you're in his lineage and you could prove it. You know what that would mean? Nothing. How can I say that? Look in your Bibles to Matthew, chapter 12. I want you to see the emphasis that our Lord placed upon this. Matthew, chapter 12, beginning there with verse 46. Matthew, chapter 12, verse 46. Watch carefully, Matthew 12, verse 46.
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"While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him. Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee." Surely you're going to stop teaching and go down and speak to your mother and speak to your brothers. "But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?"
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"And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother." What does he say? That our spiritual relationship transcends physical relationships. I want you to turn in light of that to the book of Galatians, chapter six, If you really want to know who the Israel of God is. I want you to look at this verse, I want you to pay close attention to it. Watch very carefully, Galatians chapter six and look at verse 16.
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The Apostle Paul writes this statement. "And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God." As many as walk according to this rule, peace be upon them and mercy upon the Israel of God. Now, first of all, let me tell you what the word rule is. The word rule is the Greek word kanon. It is where we get our English word canon from, not C-A-N-N-O-N. That's the kind that shoots. Let's see C-A-N-O-N. We talk about the canon of Scripture. We talk about the Old Testament canon or the New Testament canon. Or. Canon law. But you know what the word canon means, the word canon. Literally means a measuring stick or a measuring rod. And here's what the Apostle Paul says, Galatians 6 verse 16, look at it "as many as walk according to this rule," look up here just for a moment, "as many as walk according to this rule," this measuring stick, this measuring rod, "peace be upon them and mercy upon the Israel of God."
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Who's Israel of God? Who gets the peace? Those that walk according to this rule. Those who bring their lives in conformity to the Word of God by the grace and by the power of God. I want you to understand something. We can only be the true seed of Abraham only as we are in Jesus Christ. Look in your Bibles to the book of John chapter 8. And let's begin reading there with verse 56.
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Again, our Lord is confronting these unbelieving Jews. In John 8, verse 56, look what he tells them. John 8, verse 56, he says, "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad." Then said the Jews unto him, "Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?" How could Abraham see Christ when Abraham had been dead? A multitude of years before Christ ever came. Well, he saw him in faith. But don't you know, they said, "thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?" Watch verse 58. "Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am." I am.
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That is, he is God. He is Jehovah. He's the one true and the living God. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day. He rejoiced to see me his true seed. He rejoiced to see me the Savior, the Lord of glory, the King of kings, the God of gods, the great I am, the mighty one. He rejoiced to see my name and he rejoiced to see me. If Christ is a son of God and he is. And since Abraham was born, before Christ became incarnate. And Christ was born after Abraham. How could Christ then be called the son of Abraham?
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That's what the Bible said. The beginning of the generations of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. How then can Christ be the son of Abraham? Exactly the same way that he's the son of David, because Abraham Isaac and David were types and figures of Jesus Christ, and all the promises that God gave to them were given in reality to Jesus Christ.
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Now, let me show you. I want you to turn in your Bibles to Genesis 17 and Galatians chapter 3. I want you to get ready. I want you to go to Genesis 17, and then we're going to Galatians chapter 3. I want you to see these two passages side by side. Genesis 17. And we're going to be looking. At verse seven. Genesis 17 and verse seven, and go ahead and find Galatians chapter three, get ready for that, please.
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All right, here we go. Look in Genesis chapter 17 and verse seven. God is entering into a covenant with Abraham and look what he said. Genesis 17, verse seven, "And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee." Now, he said, I'm establishing my covenant with you, Abraham, and with your seed after you. Would you know? That the word seed in Genesis 17 in verse 7 is singular. Now if you look in Galatians chapter 3 and verse 16, the Apostle Paul interprets this promise for us and he says this Galatians 3 verse 16. "Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made.
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He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ." Who is the true seed of Abraham? Jesus Christ. Who is the true son of Abraham? Jesus Christ. All of those promises that were given to Abraham, and since I can't preach it, all of those promises that were given to David were given to the true seed of Abraham and the true seed of David, which is none other than Jesus Christ Himself. It is not the physical seed of Abraham that inherits all things. It's the spiritual seed.
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Look in Galatians 3, verse 29. Watch this. Galatians 3, verse 29. "And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." Let that sink in. And if you be Christ, if you belong to Jesus Christ, then are you Abraham's seed, that is, you are his true spiritual seed. Remember. It was only the seed of the promise that was counted for seed. If you belong to Christ, then you Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise, everything that God promised Abraham, he actually promised Jesus Christ and everything that God promised Abraham and Jesus Christ is now ours in Christ. Jesus Christ. Is the true son of Abraham. If we are only Abraham's seed physically, it means nothing. But where Abraham seeds spiritually. Everything that God promised him belongs to us.
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Let me show you, I want to make just a couple of applications, I want you to go ahead and turn in your Bibles, if you would, to two passages, 1 Corinthians, Chapter three and Romans, Chapter eight. So mark them, if you would, Romans, Chapter eight, and we'll go to 1 Corinthians, Chapter three first. Romans chapter eight and then first Corinthians chapter three. Now that you found first Corinthians chapter three, let me just tell you.
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That there are multitudes of people. That are arguing over a little strip of land in the Middle East called Palestine. And they're all claiming title to it. The truth is. It doesn't belong to any of them. It really doesn't. It only belongs to Abraham and his seed. Not his physical seed, but his spiritual seed. And only those who are in Jesus Christ are heirs according to the promise according to Galatians 3 at verse 29.
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But let me tell you something. In Jesus Christ, It is not just that little strip of land that we get. We get everything. Look in 1 Corinthians 3, beginning there at verse 21. Because the Corinthian church were arguing over pastors, preachers. Some said, I like Paul. Some said, I like Apollos. Some said, I like Peter. And some tried to be even a little more spiritual. We just like Jesus, you know. Paul said, I quit doing that. Quit arguing. Look what he said. 1 Corinthians 3, verse 21.
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He says, "Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's." We get all the world. We don't get a little strip of land in the Middle East. We get everything. It's all ours in Christ, and if you look in your Bibles, Romans chapter eight. I want you to look particularly verses 16 and 17. Romans 8 verses 16 and 17. Let this thing in Romans 8 verse 16, the Bible says, "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ;
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if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together." Now, notice what the Bible says in verse 17. If we're children, then we're heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ. Do you know what a joint heir is? I have four children. What little bit of property I have, I could say, well, this one gets that, this one gets that, this one gets that, the other one gets this, and that's it. I could do that. But I could say my children are joint heirs. What's that mean? It means what one gets, all the others get. If we're joint heirs with Jesus Christ, Whatever Christ gets, we get. It's all ours.
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Have you stopped to think about that? Whatever God has given Jesus for. That's why when our brother preached the other night, he read from Ephesians 1 that in him are all spiritual blessings in heavenly places. Everything that Christ gets, we get. were his. He's the true son of Abraham. He's a true seed of Abraham. The second application is this. This should really make you rejoice in Christ Jesus. This should really make you thankful and grateful and appreciative of his so great salvation. How can you not be thankful of His loving kindness, His gracious election, His perfect predestination, His justification, His effectual call. How can you not be thankful that God in His infinite grace and mercy has opened your eyes that you might be the true seed of Jesus Christ who is the true seed and the true son of Abraham and you receive everything that God gave to Abraham and to Jesus Christ?
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And may I remind you of this? The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 1, verse 20, concerning Jesus Christ, it says this, "For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us." All the promises. We have them all. And all are in Him and they are yea and amen. They're ours. Can you not be thankful? Can you not be grateful? That God has opened your eyes. And given you light. And given you life.
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I'm going to be honest. I've been to this meeting yesterday as well as Wednesday night. Wednesday night, Thursday night, it was dark. I couldn't see. Yesterday, it was kind of cold. I never noticed. But today, since the sun was shining, I got out and I looked at the outside of the building. And it was the first time I really saw that plaque over the door that said Beth Israel. Do you know the word Beth in the Hebrew means house? The house of Israel. And since you are the true seed of Abraham and Jesus Christ, This is really the house of Israel, because God has made us acceptable in Jesus Christ and given us the promises of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and David.
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Thank you, Father, for your love, your grace, your mercy. Thank you for your so great salvation. Thank you, Father, that we're the true sons of Abraham by faith. because we are the true sons of the Lord Jesus Christ. Help us, enable us, empower us to walk in the steps of our Father Abraham, who is the Father of all them that believe, the Scripture says. And may we be holy and pleasing unto Thee. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray. Amen.
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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T18:03:09Z

The Son Of Abraham

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

John Weaver examines Matthew 1:1 to argue that Jesus Christ is the true Son of Abraham and the true Seed to whom all covenant promises were made. He distinguishes between the physical descendants of Abraham and the spiritual seed, teaching that only those who share Abraham's faith and are united to Christ are counted as Abraham's children and heirs of God's promises. The lecture emphasizes that spiritual relationship transcends physical lineage, and believers inherit all things in Christ.

Opening

Introduction and Two Key Questions

Weaver introduces the message from Matthew 1:1 and poses two questions: Who is the true son of Abraham? Who is the true seed of Abraham?

Abraham's Many Sons and the Distinction Between Physical and Spiritual Seed

Using Genesis 25, Weaver shows Abraham had many sons, but Isaac was the son of promise, a type of Christ. He emphasizes the need to distinguish physical from spiritual seed.

Isaac as a Type of Christ and the Covenant with Isaac

Hebrews 11:17-19 presents Isaac as a figure of Christ. Genesis 17 establishes God's everlasting covenant with Isaac and his seed.

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 11:17-19

"By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called."

Now watch verse 19,

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 11:17-19

"Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure."

Believers as Children of Promise

Galatians 4:28 declares believers are children of promise like Isaac, recipients of the covenant blessings.

Scripture Reading — Galatians 4:28

"Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise."

Not All Israel Are Israel

Romans 9:6-8 teaches that physical descent from Abraham does not make one a child of God; only the children of promise are counted as seed.

Physical Seed Can Be Children of the Devil

John 8 shows that physical descendants of Abraham can be children of the devil if they lack Abraham's faith and works.

Scripture Reading — John 8:33-44

"We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?"

Now, wait a minute. How could they say

Scripture Reading — John 8:33-44

"we'd be Abraham's seed? We were never in bondage to any man."

True Children of Abraham Walk in Faith

Romans 4:12 and Galatians 3:7 define Abraham's true children as those who walk in the steps of his faith.

Scripture Reading — Galatians 3:7

"Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham."

Scripture Reading — Galatians 3:7

"That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed."

The True Circumcision Is of the Heart

Romans 2:28-29 teaches that a true Jew is one inwardly, with heart circumcision. Philippians 3:3 identifies believers as the true circumcision.

Scripture Reading — Romans 2:28-29

"For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God."

Scripture Reading — Romans 2:28-29

"for he is not a Judahite, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh.

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 10:16

"Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked."

Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 7:19

" So it doesn't do you any good to be circumcised in the flesh if you have no faith and if you do not keep the commandments of God. Now turn right over to the book of Colossians chapter 2.

Spiritual Relationship Transcends Physical Lineage

Matthew 12:46-50 shows that doing God's will defines spiritual family, surpassing physical ties.

The Israel of God Walks by the Rule of Faith

Galatians 6:16 identifies the Israel of God as those who walk according to the rule (canon) of faith in Christ.

Christ Is the True Seed of Abraham

Galatians 3:16 interprets the singular 'seed' in Genesis 17:7 as Christ. All promises to Abraham are fulfilled in Him.

Believers Are Heirs of All Things in Christ

Galatians 3:29, 1 Corinthians 3:21-23, and Romans 8:16-17 show that those in Christ inherit all things as joint-heirs with Him.

The Son Of Abraham

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	1215131723388
Subject	Old Testament Studies
Course	Genesis: Abraham, Covenant, and Promise
Genre	Sermon
Date	2013-12-15
Dictation Name
Book	Book 077: Genesis: Abraham, Covenant, and Promise — Chapter 6
Source Timed Segments	70

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction and Two Key Questions: Weaver introduces the message from Matthew 1:1 and poses two questions: Who is the true son of Abraham? Who is the true seed of Abraham?
Abraham's Many Sons and the Distinction Between Physical and Spiritual Seed: Using Genesis 25, Weaver shows Abraham had many sons, but Isaac was the son of promise, a type of Christ. He emphasizes the need to distinguish physical from spiritual seed.
Isaac as a Type of Christ and the Covenant with Isaac: Hebrews 11:17-19 presents Isaac as a figure of Christ. Genesis 17 establishes God's everlasting covenant with Isaac and his seed.
Believers as Children of Promise: Galatians 4:28 declares believers are children of promise like Isaac, recipients of the covenant blessings.
Not All Israel Are Israel: Romans 9:6-8 teaches that physical descent from Abraham does not make one a child of God; only the children of promise are counted as seed.
Physical Seed Can Be Children of the Devil: John 8 shows that physical descendants of Abraham can be children of the devil if they lack Abraham's faith and works.
True Children of Abraham Walk in Faith: Romans 4:12 and Galatians 3:7 define Abraham's true children as those who walk in the steps of his faith.
The True Circumcision Is of the Heart: Romans 2:28-29 teaches that a true Jew is one inwardly, with heart circumcision. Philippians 3:3 identifies believers as the true circumcision.
Spiritual Relationship Transcends Physical Lineage: Matthew 12:46-50 shows that doing God's will defines spiritual family, surpassing physical ties.
The Israel of God Walks by the Rule of Faith: Galatians 6:16 identifies the Israel of God as those who walk according to the rule (canon) of faith in Christ.
Christ Is the True Seed of Abraham: Galatians 3:16 interprets the singular 'seed' in Genesis 17:7 as Christ. All promises to Abraham are fulfilled in Him.
Believers Are Heirs of All Things in Christ: Galatians 3:29, 1 Corinthians 3:21-23, and Romans 8:16-17 show that those in Christ inherit all things as joint-heirs with Him.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

Physical descent from Abraham does not make one a child of God

Paul argues in Romans 9 that not all physical Israelites are true Israel; only children of promise are counted as seed.

Romans 9:6-8: 'For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel... That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God.'

The singular 'seed' in Genesis 17:7 refers to Christ

Paul interprets the promise to Abraham's 'seed' as singular, pointing to Christ, not multiple physical descendants.

Galatians 3:16: 'He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.'

Faith, not fleshly circumcision, identifies Abraham's children

Galatians 3:7 states that those of faith are the children of Abraham, and Romans 4:12 says true children walk in Abraham's faith.

Galatians 3:7: 'Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.'

Believers are the true circumcision who worship in the Spirit

Philippians 3:3 declares believers are the circumcision who worship God in the Spirit and have no confidence in the flesh.

Philippians 3:3: 'For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.'

Union with Christ makes believers heirs of all things

1 Corinthians 3:21-23 and Romans 8:17 teach that all things belong to believers because they are Christ's and joint-heirs with Him.

1 Corinthians 3:21-22: 'For all things are yours; Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours.'

Scripture References

Matthew 1:1: Introduction of the message; Jesus Christ is the son of David, the son of Abraham.
Genesis 25:1-6: Abraham had many sons by Keturah and concubines, but Isaac was the heir of the promise.
Hebrews 11:17-19: Isaac is a figure or type of Christ; Abraham offered his only begotten son.
Genesis 17:15-21: God establishes His covenant with Isaac and his seed, not Ishmael.
Galatians 4:28: Believers, like Isaac, are children of promise.
1 Corinthians 10:18: There is an Israel after the flesh.
Romans 9:6-8: Not all physical Israel are true Israel; children of promise are counted as seed.
Hebrews 4:1-6: Many Israelites died without faith and did not enter God's rest.
1 Corinthians 10:5-10: Most Israelites who came out of Egypt were overthrown in the wilderness due to unbelief.
John 8:33-44: Physical descendants of Abraham can be children of the devil if they lack Abraham's faith.
Romans 4:12: Abraham is father of those who walk in the steps of his faith.
Galatians 3:7: Those of faith are the children of Abraham.
Romans 2:28-29: A true Jew is one inwardly, with circumcision of the heart.
Deuteronomy 10:16: Command to circumcise the foreskin of the heart.
Jeremiah 4:4: Call to circumcise the heart, addressed to Judah and Jerusalem.
1 Corinthians 7:19: Circumcision is nothing; keeping God's commandments matters.
Galatians 5:6: In Christ, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails, but faith working through love.
Colossians 2:11: Believers are circumcised with the circumcision of Christ, made without hands.
Philippians 3:1-3: Believers are the true circumcision who worship in the Spirit and have no confidence in the flesh.
Matthew 12:46-50: Spiritual family is defined by doing God's will, not physical relationship.

Historical References

Matthew Henry: Weaver quotes Matthew Henry's commentary on Romans 9, affirming that many physical descendants of Abraham are not true Israelites.

Important Quotes

Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.

Establishes that believers share the same status as Isaac as recipients of God's covenant promises.

For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel.

Key verse showing that physical descent does not guarantee spiritual membership in God's people.

That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.

Clarifies that only children of promise, not physical descendants, are considered Abraham's true seed.

Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.

Defines Abraham's true children as those who share his faith.

For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

Redefines Jewish identity in terms of inward heart transformation rather than outward ritual.

For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.

Identifies believers as the true circumcision who rely on Christ alone.

And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Connects union with Christ to inheritance of all covenant promises made to Abraham.

For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.

Affirms that every divine promise is fulfilled and secured in Christ for believers.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

Why does Paul insist that not all physical descendants of Abraham are true Israel?

[Context]

Based on Romans 9:6-8, Weaver explains that only children of promise are counted as seed.

[Question]

How does Galatians 3:16 change our understanding of the promises to Abraham?

[Context]

Weaver highlights that the singular 'seed' refers to Christ, not multiple physical descendants.

[Question]

What does it mean to be a 'true Jew' according to Romans 2:28-29?

[Context]

Weaver discusses inward circumcision of the heart versus outward physical circumcision.

[Question]

How does union with Christ make believers heirs of all things?

[Context]

Weaver references 1 Corinthians 3:21-23 and Romans 8:17 to show believers inherit everything in Christ.

[Question]

Why does Jesus say that doing the will of God defines spiritual family?

[Context]

In Matthew 12:46-50, Jesus prioritizes spiritual obedience over physical family ties.

Applications

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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T10:08:49Z