“Well then, has God failed to fulfill his promise to Israel? No, for not all who are born into the nation of Israel are truly members of God’s people! Being descendants of Abraham doesn’t make them truly Abraham’s children. For the Scriptures say, “Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted,” though Abraham had other children, too. This means that Abraham’s physical descendants are not necessarily children of God. Only the children of the promise are considered to be Abraham’s children.”
Romans 9:6-8 NLT Just because my children are born into a Pastor's family doesn't make them automatic Christians. I can teach them Bible songs and help them memorize verses but each child must personally come to know Jesus as their Savior and Lord. Now, of course, there is a distinct advantage that a child like this has. They are exposed to the gospel from birth. There are other factors that affect their understanding as well. Things like hypocrisy. Just because someone is a church goer or even a Pastor doesn't mean that the child is getting a healthy dose of Jesus. The parents must demonstrate genuine love for Jesus and let the life they live evidence their discipleship. Simply being religious can, frankly, drive the child away from Jesus. Religion never saved anyone. Only a relationship with the Almighty can truly convey the power of God! You can sit on a church pew, sing the songs, be a church member, give in the offering, and even hold a church position, but this doesn't mean you are truly saved from your wretched sin. The only ones who are truly "The Church" are those who are "born again". This means "Born of the Holy Spirit". You see, you can be born into a religious family in the flesh, go through all of the religious motions the rest of your life, and die lost and separated eternally from God, Those who acknowledge the Lord Jesus Christ as the very God who became a man to take upon Himself their sin, then repent (change their thinking and direction) of their sin, and invite Jesus into their lives are truly the children of God. This applies to everyone, regardless of nationality, race, or religion. We all must face the reality that only through Jesus Christ can we be saved. There is no other way. (See John 14:6, Acts 4:12, and I Timothy 2:5). He (Jesus) is the promised seed of Abraham. “God gave the promises to Abraham and his child. And notice that the Scripture doesn’t say “to his children, ” as if it meant many descendants. Rather, it says “to his child”—and that, of course, means Christ.” Galatians 3:16 NLT “And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God’s promise to Abraham belongs to you.” Galatians 3:29 NLT
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March 2020
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