What Makes The Difference?

Galatians 4:21–23 (NIV),

²¹ Tell me, you who want to be under the law, are you not aware of what the law says? ²² For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman. ²³ His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a divine promise. 

Now Paul tells us that these things are to be taken figuratively or allegorically.  That is the Greek word: ἀλληγορέω [allegoreo].  "Now Paul was a marvelously cunning workman in handling of allegories; for he is wont to apply them to the doctrine of faith, to grace, and to Christ, and not to the law and the works." [1]  What is an allegory?  "A popular form of literature in which a story points to a hidden or symbolic parallel meaning. Certain elements, such as people, things, and happenings in the story, point to corresponding elements in another realm or level of meaning. The closer the resemblances between the two realms, the more detailed is the allegory. The best allegories are interesting, coherent stories in their own right and through the story provide new insight into the realm they depict (e.g., Pilgrim's Progress and The Narnia Chronicles)." [2]

"Paul does not deny the historicity of the account of Abraham, but he does affirm that there is an illustration of spiritual truth to be found in the account concerning Hagar and Ishmael on the one hand, and Sarah and Isaac on the other." [3]  Now the important issue here that sets the tone for what will follow is to be very clear about the difference between Hagar and Sarah.  They both had the same father.  There is in a sense that their births were both physical.  Yet Paul notes a big difference.  Isaac was born as a son of promise.  That's the key.  Notice how John picks up this issue: “Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” (John 1:12–13, NIV).  That's the same thing: born not of human decision or will, born because of the preceding promise of God.

For although Isaac was born of the flesh, yet the promise and appointment of God went before . . . Ishmael therefore is born without the Word, at the only request of Sarah." [4] This is also emphasized by Paul in Romans 9. “. . . For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham’s children. On the contrary, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” In other words, it is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring.” (Romans 9:6–8, NIV)

"And by this argument he mightily stoppeth the mouths of the proud Jews, which gloried that they were the seed and children of Abraham: as also Christ doth in the third of Matthew, and in the eighth of John. As if he said: it followeth not, I am the carnal seed of Abraham, therefore I am the child of God; Esau is the natural son, therefore the heir. Nay rather (saith he) they that will be the children of Abraham, besides their carnal birth, must be also the sons of the promise, and must believe. And they only are the true children of Abraham, and consequently of God, who have the promise and believe." [4] [Emphasis mine]

How are we then to understand this dividing issue: the promise?  The promise is a word from God that will be fulfilled by God, even as Isaac was born of God's miraculous activity. [5]  Isaac's birth was God's work.  In other words when someone is born from above (or regenerated; or granted the New Birth) that event occurs because God promised it and fulfilled it. It is, as theologians call it, monergistic. They are born of the Spirit.   

What is the major difference between Ishmael and Isaac?  It's not an issue of who is an Arab and who is a Jew.  It's far more global than that.  The difference is the miraculous birth.  That's the same difference between saved and unsaved; believers and unbelievers; Jews and Christians; etc.

Father, the doctrine of the New Birth is both exhilarating and humbling.  To know that in Your eternal and Triune mind You made a promise to bring sons and daughters into Your Kingdom and You chose to do that individually and by name is amazing.  To know that You dispatched Your Holy Spirit to make that happen is incredible.  But to know that this is the only difference in distinction to those who are in Your family and those who are not is humbling.  Who can boast?  What glory can Isaac take in comparison to Ishmael.  You set Your promise on one before he did anything good or evil.  What an amazing God You are!  

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1.  Luther, M. (1997). Commentary on Galatians (Ga 4:21). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

2.  http://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/allegory/

3. Believer’s Study Bible. 1991 (W. A. Criswell, P. Patterson, E. R. Clendenen, D. L. Akin, M. Chamberlin, D. K. Patterson & J. Pogue, Ed.) (electronic ed.) (Ga 4:24). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

4. Luther, M. (1997). Commentary on Galatians (Ga 4:22). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

5. Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (2253). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.