The sons of promise differ from the sons of men. Both live on the same earth, but they receive and possess differently. They are blessed with the same seasons and with the fruit that appears from the seasons. They are given the light of the day and the rest of the night. Yet, the sons of promise receive distinctly that they stand different to the sons of men. Indeed, God has willed this that those who believe in Him should profit greatly than the rest. It is the distinction that God chose to show toward the sons of promise because of the sin that corrupted men. And, the sons of promise also greatly differ from the sons of men. Do not be mistaken, God also gives to unbelievers and the wicked that they are able to survive on this earth. Nevertheless, by what God has given them He keenly keeps them apart from His sons. The blessings He has in store for the sons are not known to men. The sons receive more than they could think of, since the righteousness of God echoes in them through the promise of God. “But to the sons of his concubines, Abraham gave gifts while he was still living, and sent them away from his son Isaac eastward, to the land of the east” (Gen. 25:6).
Abraham was a man of God, who through faith in the promise attained the righteousness of God. The will of God prevailed in him through this righteousness. The son of the promise or covenant was set apart from the rest for the simple reason that he, Isaac, became the extension of God’s righteousness by faith. The promise was not nullified. In this is realized the distinction God applies between the sons of promise and the sons of men. Figuratively speaking, the sons of men are the sons of concubines, who receive their share in this life, but are kept far away from the path of true prosperity. They do not have God’s calling. True prosperity begins from our faith in the covenant that produces the righteousness of God. In fact, the guarantee of faith is righteousness. Righteousness delivers the desire of God and becomes the basis for true prosperity. True prosperity is not like the portion given to those sent away. It contains everything from righteousness to eternal life and in between. What happened to the sons of Abraham’s concubines must be an eye opener to Christians. The sons of flesh will not be made equal with the sons of promise. How important has become God’s call and our obedience to it! And therefore, not all Christians are sons of promise, but only those that have the righteousness that delivers the desire of God. “They turned aside there in order to enter and lodge in Gibeah. When they entered, they sat down in the open square of the city, for no one took them into his house to spend the night” (Judg. 19:15).
The sons of Gibeah were descendants of Abraham, but could not become the sons of promise. The key to becoming sons of promise is God’s righteousness by faith. And, it was evident that righteousness was missing in Gibeah. Lack of righteousness turns children of God into sons of men. Righteousness of God begins from simple things. Not only must refraining from wickedness and immorality indicate righteousness, but also the works that demonstrate kindness, loyalty and peace. The kindness of Abraham is revealed when he entertained the three men that appeared to him from his door step. He served them without hesitation and without seeking anything in return. It became a proof of his righteousness. And, God was also compelled to reveal His plan to Abraham toward Sodom and Gomorrah. He considered him His friend. Behold the fruit of righteousness and how it compels God to be our friend! Then again, the simple things will not be known when righteousness is absent. This is detrimental, since faith will have no guarantee. It is an indication to the lack of covenant. Then, a person will be incapable of delivering God’s desire. Whatever be His desire, the righteousness that conveys His desire to us must first be attained. The sin that obstructs righteousness must be removed. “Shecaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, said to Ezra, ‘We have been unfaithful to our God and have married foreign women from the peoples of the land; yet now there is hope for Israel in spite of this’” (Ezra 10:2).
Confessing our sins before God gives us the hope of reclaiming God’s righteousness. This requires great faith in God. How can a Christian undo the sin he or she committed? Once a sin is committed it certainly leads to death. How can one nullify death? It is only by admitting his sin before the almighty God. Sin is a foreign substance. When obtained, it rules our lives and ruins us. Confessing our sin before God gives Him our approval to remove it. This is obedience or our turning to God. However, many churches having possessed the substance that does not belong to God have remained oblivious toward confessing. Anything that deviates from the faith of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is a foreign substance. And, anyone possessing such a substance epitomizes the son of a concubine. A false teaching is a foreign substance. It corrupts the hearts of its possessors, even as the foreign women that corrupted Israel. When a Christian obtains righteousness, the fruit of faith, it will endow him with every blessing of God to overcome sin. On the contrary, the churches that are determined to continue in the substance that does not belong to God cannot nullify death. They are aberrant to confession and are without hope to turn to God. They oppose the wisdom “to receive instruction in wise behavior, Righteousness, justice and equity;” (Prov. 1:3).
The outcome of false teaching typifies the outcome of not having a teaching. Again, a false belief or improper belief is a result of having no instruction. Both lead to unwise behavior, unrighteousness, injustice and inequity. Therefore, many churches are like the sons of men. What is the result? They are receiving, but not like the sons of promise. What’s more is that they are becoming like the sons of Gibeah. Let it be known that everyone who empties his heart for God and keeps it like a vessel made clean will be filled. This typifies turning to God. God who desires to use you will fill your heart for the purpose of good. Faith will be initiated and righteousness that delivers from death will be credited to you. And those with a stubborn heart resemble the men that mocked Jesus saying, “He saved others; He cannot save Himself. He is the King of Israel; let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe in Him” (Matt. 27:42). They never desired to believe His word, righteousness and works. Hence, they seized the opportunity to ridicule Him. He who came out of the tomb on the third day, could He not come down from the cross at their mocking? But, He suffered pain and death along with their mocking, because He possessed the righteousness to deliver the desire of God. God’s desire for the sons of men is that they become the sons of promise. Had Jesus, the Son of God, came down from the cross, He would have failed in bearing the sins of the world. But because He chose to die on the cross, He also bore their mockery, which was sin. This is the advantage God has given to the sons of men as well as those that turned into sons of men – they can be forgiven. Though they sinned in various ways, Jesus who bore their sin on the cross had given God the opportunity to forgive them. Forgiveness is obtained as they turn to God for the righteousness that delivers from death. This beginning they fulfill God’s desire and progress in true prosperity. For this reason, a work of God is performed, which is also made known to us. “God raised Him up on the third day and granted that He become visible” (Acts 10:40).
Had not God performed this act, believers would be like those without posterity. And, because God raised Christ from the dead, He is able to have sons according to the promise. Making Him visible to men became as important as raising Him from the dead that faith has its own result. It was never difficult for God to raise His Son from the dead, since He knew the power existing in Him. However, the difficulty was to forsake Him on the cross. It resulted in a separation that has never before happened between the two of them. Therefore, making Him visible to men carried such unprecedented importance. God’s work reaped vivacious result. Those who saw His risen Son believed Him. He revealed His righteousness. Faith had its own result. And, those who heard this news were able to turn to God and became the extension of righteousness by faith. Now, nothing became difficult for them as God who overcame His greatest difficulty and reunited with His Son became the source of their abundance. They are the sons of promise. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” (Eph. 1:3).
Can one measure the saying ‘every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places?’ Yet, if there is a measure to possess them, it is Christ Jesus. Because they possessed, they also wrote that those who heed their word could also possess. When you possess Christ, He becomes your measure to possess spiritual blessings. Spiritual blessings are not confined. All things God gives to the sons of promise are spiritual blessings, because they come through the Spirit. They have been stored in the heavenly places in Christ. By these you take hold of the righteousness that delivers the desire of God. You will not name a blessing that God promised and failed to give. This is true prosperity. It is the will of God to you who believed in Him by turning to Him. Others shall learn from you “as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior” (1 Pet. 3:2).