God promised
Abraham, “I will establish
my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their
generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring
after you” (Gen. 17:7). This promise did not refer merely to a national
relationship between the offspring of Abraham and God. It speaks of a spiritual
relationship, a covenant relationship enjoyed through faith. The children of
Abraham were a special treasure to the Lord, and they were accountable to Him
because He promised to be their God (Exod. 19:5-6; Deut. 7:6-11). If they
walked by faith, they would receive the blessings of the covenant promised. If
they were disobedient, they would receive the curses (Deut. 28).
The promise God
made to Abraham, to be God to him and to his children, was to last for a
thousand generations (Deut. 7:9; 1Chr. 16:15; Psa. 105:8). That is a very long
time. Even if we count a generation as just twenty years, there have only been
about 200 generations who lived and died since Abraham. The Lord’s promise to
be God to Abraham and his descendants still stands (Rom. 11:1-6).
Christians today
are heirs of this promise made to Abraham (Gal. 3:26-29). The promise of
covenant relationship was never strictly ethnic or national. The Jews had many
blessings as Abraham’s physical offspring (Rom. 3:1-2), but they were not
unconditionally accepted by God or necessarily elected for salvation (Luke 3:8;
John 8:44). Those who walk by faith are children of Abraham, whether Jew or Gentile
(Gal. 3:7).
The promise made
to Abraham helps us understand why Paul in the NT refers to the children of a
believer as holy (1Cor. 7:14). It
does not mean the child is saved, but it does indicate the child is set apart
in covenant relationship with God. This is why the NT epistles instruct
children in the congregation regarding their covenant responsibilities (Eph.
6:1-3; Col. 3:20). It is why Peter on Pentecost affirmed that “the promise [of
the Spirit] is for you and for your children and for all who are far off” (Acts
2:39). It is why we see not just individuals but entire households received
into a visible covenant relationship with God through baptism (Acts 16:15, 31,
34; 18:8).
The promise of
the covenant is a personal relationship with God that extends not just to the
believer but to his offspring. This does not mean all of our children are or
will be saved. Not every child born in Israel was elect (Rom. 9:6; 11:5-6), and
not every child of the Church will be. But it is, nevertheless, a precious promise
of God and a rich truth that should inform how we think about, speak to, and
train our children. They are covenant members, at least, visibly. They are part
of the Church, at least, outwardly. They should be discipled as those who
follow Christ, not merely presented the options in the hope they may, one day,
choose to follow Jesus.
I expect my
children to think and speak and act a certain way, because they are my
children. They wear my father and grandfather’s name. Carrying the family name
is a special responsibility. I recognize they may one day choose to walk away
from or dishonor that name, but while they are living under my roof, acting
according to the standards of the family is not optional. I do not give my
children the choice whether to brush their teeth before they go to bed or not,
I do not offer them the liberty either to tell the truth or not, and I do not
provide them the liberty either to worship Christ or not. While they are in my
house, they will live under the Lordship of Christ, because we are Christians.
One day they may decide to do otherwise, but they will grow up knowing our
family is in covenant with the Lord, and that is special, both a privilege and
a responsibility. –JME
