Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

and you belong to Christ, and Christ to God.

But each in his own order: Christ, the firstfruits; afterward, at His coming, the people of Christ.

Look at what is obvious. If anyone is confident that he belongs to Christ, he should remind himself of this: just as he belongs to Christ, so do we.

so understand that those who have faith are Abraham's sons.

Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say "and to seeds," as though referring to many, but and to your seed, referring to one, who is Christ.

There is no Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave and the other by a free woman.

These things are illustrations, for the women represent the two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai and bears children into slavery-- this is Hagar.

But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother.

Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise.

But what does the Scripture say? Throw out the slave and her son, for the son of the slave will never inherit with the son of the free woman.

So she said to Abraham, "Drive out this slave with her son, for the son of this slave will not be a co-heir with my son Isaac!"

But God said to Abraham, "Do not be concerned about the boy and your slave. Whatever Sarah says to you, listen to her, because your offspring will be traced through Isaac.

And he became the father of the circumcised, not only to those who are circumcised, but also to those who follow in the footsteps of the faith our father Abraham had while still uncircumcised.

This is why the promise is by faith, so that it may be according to grace, to guarantee it to all the descendants-- not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of Abraham's faith. He is the father of us all

Against hope, with hope he believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what had been spoken: So will your descendants be.

He did not waver in unbelief at God's promise, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God,

Neither are they all children because they are Abraham's descendants. On the contrary, in Isaac your seed will be called.

That is, it is not the children by physical descent who are God's children, but the children of the promise are considered seed.

about whom it had been said, In Isaac your seed will be called.

So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.

Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise.

For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would inherit the world was not through the law, but through the righteousness that comes by faith.

If those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made empty and the promise is canceled.

and if children, also heirs-- heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ-- seeing that we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.

whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come-- all are yours,

the Gentiles are co-heirs, members of the same body, and partners of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

so that having been justified by His grace, we may become heirs with the hope of eternal life.

Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve those who are going to inherit salvation?

Because God wanted to show His unchangeable purpose even more clearly to the heirs of the promise, He guaranteed it with an oath,

By faith Noah, after being warned about what was not yet seen, in reverence built an ark to deliver his family. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

Listen, my dear brothers: Didn't God choose the poor in this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that He has promised to those who love Him?

The victor will inherit these things, and I will be his God, and he will be My son.