Reading through Romans-In God's family through faith

9:7     Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.

The Jewish people had long reveled in the fact that all but the proselytes were descendants of Abraham. In verse 9:7, Paul was disputing what most of the Jews believed. They believed that because they were descended from Abraham they were automatically assured of being a child of God. Paul said that this was not necessarily true, that they were not all children.

Then, he explained why: "In Isaac shall thy seed be called," which is a reference to Genesis 21:12. The Israelites would come through Isaac, while most of the Arabian nations would come through Ishmael, Abraham’s son by Hagar. Paul clarified this point in Galatians 3:29:

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

The faithfulness of Jesus Christ made it possible for Gentiles to became Israelites. Many people are confused about who joins whom. Many Christian groups who attempt to convert the Jews fail to understand that the Gentiles became a part of Israel, judicially speaking, through the sacrifice of Jesus. Through his death, all became Israelites. However, being a "true Israelite" was a matter of faith. Just as the natural born Israelites were not all "true Israelites" neither were all the Gentiles now "true Israelites," or believers.

The terms "Israelite" and "Jew" and "Hebrew" are not synonymous although some people use them that way. Being an Israelite was a matter of faith, indicating those who were under the covenant.

Being a Jew now refers to someone of the Jewish faith. In biblical times, however, it was a matter of lineage, indicating someone who was in the line of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Gentile proselytes could become Israelites, but they could not become Jews, and they were not allowed in certain parts of the temple, being limited to the court of the Gentiles.

Hebrews, at least in New Testament times, were those who spoke the language. Only the educated Jews spoke Hebrew, while the common Jews spoke Aramaic. The term "Jew" became particularly common starting in the postexilic period.

All people have been put in Christ, or under the dominion of Christ, but not all are believers. All are children of God, but not all are obedient children. To become an obedient child of God requires coming to faith in God. Some of the Israelites failed to do this and therefore they were not counted as "true children."

This was not only true of the Old Testament people about whom Paul was speaking, but is also true of all the Gentiles who have judicially become a part of Israel. Isaac was a man of faith, and only those of faith will be counted as children, and will be considered both his and Abraham’s progeny .