Study Desk

So people receive God's promise by having faith. This happens so the promise can be a free gift. Then all of Abraham's children can have that promise. It is not only for those who live under the law of Moses but for anyone who lives with faith like that of Abraham, who is the father of us all.

There was no hope that Abraham would have children. But Abraham believed God and continued hoping, and so he became the father of many nations. As God told him, "Your descendants also will be too many to count."

Abraham was almost a hundred years old, much past the age for having children, and Sarah could not have children. Abraham thought about all this, but his faith in God did not become weak.

The true children of God are those who let God's Spirit lead them.

The Spirit we received does not make us slaves again to fear; it makes us children of God. With that Spirit we cry out, "Father."

And the Spirit himself joins with our spirits to say we are God's children.

If we are God's children, we will receive blessings from God together with Christ. But we must suffer as Christ suffered so that we will have glory as Christ has glory.

that everything God made would be set free from ruin to have the freedom and glory that belong to God's children.

Not only the world, but we also have been waiting with pain inside us. We have the Spirit as the first part of God's promise. So we are waiting for God to finish making us his own children, which means our bodies will be made free.

They are the people of Israel, God's chosen children. They have seen the glory of God, and they have the agreements that God made between himself and his people. God gave them the law of Moses and the right way of worship and his promises.

and only some of Abraham's descendants are true children of Abraham. But God said to Abraham: "The descendants I promised you will be from Isaac."

This means that not all of Abraham's descendants are God's true children. Abraham's true children are those who become God's children because of the promise God made to Abraham.

"They were called, ‘You are not my people,' but later they will be called ‘children of the living God.'" Hosea 1:10

I am not trying to make you feel ashamed. I am writing this to give you a warning as my own dear children.

The husband who is not a believer is made holy through his believing wife. And the wife who is not a believer is made holy through her believing husband. If this were not true, your children would not be clean, but now your children are holy.

Brothers and sisters, do not think like children. In evil things be like babies, but in your thinking you should be like adults.

I speak to you as if you were my children. Do to us as we have done—open your hearts to us.

I am now ready to visit you the third time, and I will not be a burden to you. I want nothing from you, except you. Children should not have to save up to give to their parents. Parents should save to give to their children.

So you should know that the true children of Abraham are those who have faith.

You were all baptized into Christ, and so you were all clothed with Christ. This means that you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus.