Ephesians
Pastor Gordon Crook
Chapter 3
“For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel: Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.” Ephesians 3:1-7
It is very important to understand that Paul was chosen to deliver the message of God’s grace, especially to the Gentiles. So many are failing to understand that God had always intended to bring the Gentiles in to His family, but it was not openly presented to His ancient people Israel. Some still want to tell us that only Israel is a partaker of what Jesus did.
Others, want to take Israel completely out with a teaching that Gentiles now replace Israel in God’s future plans. A simple reading of Romans 11 will clear this up easily. God still has plans for His people Israel, but now, we are in an age of grace where Gentiles are being brought in.
The method for entry is the same for Gentiles today as it is for Jews. It is all through God’s grace extended through Jesus and His completed sacrifice on the cross. This “mystery” (a hidden or secret thing, not obvious to the understanding) was shown to Paul. Remember that Paul was well educated in the Law and Prophets. If anyone would have reason to think this was incorrect, it would have been Paul. Maybe this is why Jesus chose Paul to present this “mystery.”
The idea that Gentiles could also be God’s people was very foreign to the Jews. There are hints of this in the Old Testament, but it was not fully revealed before the book of Acts where God makes it plain that He will bring in the Gentiles to also be His people. Acts 11:18. This is not a sudden change in God’s mind. He always intended to bring people from all nations into His family.
We saw this already in chapter 2 of Ephesians. Paul explains that we are both (Jew and Gentile) brought together in one body. There is no difference in God’s view of a Jew that is saved through faith in Jesus or a Gentile that is saved through faith in Jesus. Here Paul refers to us as fellow heirs and of the same body.
“Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:” Ephesians 3:8-11
Paul reminds us that the gospel (good news) is exactly what he has been telling us. That Jesus is gathering from every nation those that will trust in Him by faith. It is God’s grace that brings us the gospel, and God’s grace that chose Paul and enabled him to bring us this good news.
It may be because this was a “mystery” in the Old Testament, that so many today fail to understand it. Many are still trying to fuse believers today into Israel and putting them under bondage to a law that was given to show that even having the written law of God did not enable Israel to be righteous.
What God had planned from before the foundation of the world was to bring all things together in Jesus and that group of people called the “church” (called out ones) would demonstrate that only God’s grace could accomplish such a thing.
This is not just intended for the world to see and marvel, but even “principalities and powers in heavenly places.” God’s wisdom through His grace accomplished something that no human or “principality or power in heavenly places” could accomplish.
I feel that it is extremely important to recognize this work that God is accomplishing through us. Failure to understand this will lead to a failure to yield our lives to God’s working. He is not creating a religion. He is not creating self righteous people. He is not creating a “Christian” nation. He is creating a display of His wisdom He is creating a people (individuals) who make up the body of Christ (the church), who will bring Him glory for eternity.
To some, this may seem like a silly thing. They want recognition for their accomplishments. They want to feel like they did better than others. They want to think that eternity is going to give them some recognition. However, I think that realizing that God is taking a failed human person and creating something that brings glory to the eternal, self existent, all righteous God, should be nothing short of amazing and glorious.
For those that think that the law and Israel was the fulness of God’s plan, they are missing out on the even more glorious part of God’s plan. This is not something that God thought of after Israel failed to keep His law and failed to be faithful to Him. It was always His plan. God is not yet done with Israel, but this time is something glorious.
I love this letter to the Ephesians. It lays out so simply and clearly God’s overall plan and helps us understand what our part of that plan is.
