“Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God” – Eph 2:19

Something happened in those seven verses that granted uncircumcised Gentiles benefits they did not have before.

What happened? What are the benefits?

The answers are in the context.

If we ignore the verses between Eph 2:12 and Eph 2:19, we could easily jump to the wrong conclusion that the church is Israel now and the true recipients of Israel’s covenants of promise.

In Time Past

Between Eph 2:12 and Eph 2:19 there is a dispensational change. That is to say Paul explains a change in God’s revelation concerning how he relates to us and we to him.

In Ephesians 2:12 Paul is explaining the way God related to the world in “time past” as seen in the previous verse.

“ Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;” – Ephesians 2:11

In time past God purposed to work through Israel to bless the nations. Israel was the channel of blessing from God to the world. No one had closer access to God than did a Jew.

Jews were separated from Gentiles by their God given covenants, circumcision, and laws.

In time past, Gentiles had no access to God or his blessings except through Israel and their covenants. Gentiles had no hope without Israel, the created nation of priests.

But now, it is different.

A Dispensational Change

“But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.” – Eph 2:13

In a single verse Paul leaps a dispensational boundary from how God operated in time past, to describing how God operates now.

Now, Gentiles have the privilege of being “in Christ Jesus” by the blood of Christ offered to all, both those that were far off in time past, and those that were nigh in time past (Eph 2:17).

No longer do Gentiles need to go to Israel or be partakers of their covenants of promise to receive hope and blessings from God.

Eph 2:13 describes their privilege of gaining access to God and his blessings by means of the blood of Christ.

Instead of requiring Israel to offer sacrifices to make peace with God, Gentiles could now glory that Christ Jesus is our peace (Eph 2:14).

The same Christ according to the mystery has broken down what separated the Jew and Gentile in time past, and which, at that time, gave Israel special access to God and salvation.

Now, all have free access to God through Jesus Christ by the preaching of the cross.

A New Creature

Paul continues to explain the change in Eph 2:15-16. Whereas in time past there were two peoples (Jew and Gentiles), there is now only one man.

Moreover, the one man is a new man, being neither Jew nor Gentile.

“For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.” – Gal 6:15

Both Jew and Gentile are reconciled to God equally in one body by the cross (Eph 2:16).

In time past, the house of God was the house of Israel. But now, the house of God is a body of believers in Christ.

“Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” – Eph 2:16

Gentiles do not need to become go to Israel to be reconciled. They now have access in the “one body” of Christ.

Gentiles do not need to partake in Israel’s covenants of promise to have peace with God. They can now be saved freely by the cross (Eph 2:8-9).

Access Through Christ

Eph 2:18 explains the benefit and privilege that is now accessible to Gentiles.

In time past it would’ve been a privilege to be part of Israel, and heir to Israel’s covenants, because it would grant exclusive access to God and his blessings.

But now, access to the Father is offered freely to all men through Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery.

“For through [Christ] we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.” – Eph 2:18

Men no longer need to be citizens of Israel to have access to God. We need to be members of the one body of Christ, the new creature.

Neither do men need to be heirs of Israel’s covenants to receive blessings from God. We need to be part of God’s promise in Christ to offer salvation freely to all men by his grace (Eph 3:6).

No More Strangers

In time past Gentiles were aliens from Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise given to Israel, making them far off from the only channel of access to God and his blessings.

But now, a new channel of direct access to God is revealed for both Jew and Gentile which is through the Lord Jesus Christ according to the gospel of the grace of God.

“ Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;” – Eph 2:19

There is no more separation between Jew and Gentile. We are fellowcitizens with all saints (who are no longer called circumcision nor uncircumcision, but saints).

Instead of becoming part of the house of Israel and Judah according to the old and new covenants, we are partakers of the household of God, which is the church (1 Tim 3:15).

Instead of strangers we are all familiar to God, and instead of being foreign we can now receive the benefits of God’s grace as rightful heirs in Christ (Rom 5:2, Rom 8:17).

If any be in Christ, he is no more strangers and foreigners.

Description:

This lesson is part 3 in a verse by verse study through Malachi titled:
God’s Curse for Priests.

Description:

People have been questioning God’s authority since the beginning and have replaced him with the authority of corruptible men.

The Roman Catholic Church among other denominations hold to the authority of apostolic succession to affirm their brand of truth. In this lesson the source of apostolic authority is investigated alongside the flaws with apostolic succession as a final authority.

This is lesson 3 in our series on Problems With Authority

Christ is the shepherd, and so we are supposed to be the sheep.

Sheep follow. Sheep lay down. Sheep are sheared and left in shame bleating for their shepherd to intervene.

The problem is that Paul says we are not sheep, but more than conquerors through Christ by the gospel of grace (Rom 8:36).

Who Shall Separate Us?

Sheep get lost. Conquerors do not, because they know who they are in Christ, and that nothing can separate us from our Head (Col 2:19).

After explaining our complete position in Christ, our free access to all spiritual blessings, and our deliverance from condemnation, Paul asks:

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” – Romans 8:35

The reality is that tribulation, distress, and peril will happen. The gospel of grace does not prevent them.

However, grace teaches that it is not the peril itself, but our response to it that changes victims into victors.

We do not respond to life’s troubles as victims, knowing who God has made us in Christ.

Equipped with the knowledge that God has done everything needed to pay for sins, defeat death, and remove condemnation, the only “who” that can separate from the love of Christ is you when you wander away from right doctrine.

Slaughtered Sheep

In Romans 8:37 Paul quotes Psalm 44:22 talking about sheep going to the slaughter.

“ For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” – Psalm 44:22

The author of Psalm 44 is crying out to God to intervene for deliverance from their enemies.

Israel had become a reproach to their neighbors because they could not physically defeat their enemies (Psa 44:13-14).

They were shamed because they claimed the one true God as their defender and were being defeated by their enemies (Psa 44:15-16).

They needed God’s help, but where was he?!

“Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord? arise, cast us not off for ever.” – Psa 44:23

Psalm 44 is that of bleating sheep being slaughtered crying for help from the Shepherd (Psa 44:26). They were helpless victims crying “God save us!”

Paul quotes this Psalm as an example of the sheep response to perils: “Help!”

This is also the response of many Christians who do not understand the truth of being more than a conqueror through Christ.

They feel like helpless sheep and the only thing that can be done is to cry out for God to intervene and put a stop to their perils.

This is not Paul’s lesson. There is something more for us.

More Than Conquerors

Paul does not quote Psalm 44 to describe us. It as an example of what we are not.

In Romans 8:37, after Paul asks who can separate us, and quotes the sheepish cry of the Psalmist, he responds with a single word that silences the sheepish.

“Nay” – Romans 8:37

“Nay” means “no” for those not familiar with the King’s English.

Paul says we are not sheep going to slaughter.

Under grace God has no promise to prevent tribulation, distress, persecution, or peril against those who are saved. This can be intimidating and lonely if it were not for the knowledge that through Christ, “God is for us” (Rom 8:31).

Knowing that we have not been promised a Shepherd’s intervention can make us feel sheepish. Although we may be at times weak like sheep, we are not sheep.

“We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;” – 2 Cor 4:9

We have strength in weakness by virtue of the gospel being by God’s grace (2 Cor 12:9-10).

God’s grace is sufficient, not to remove us from the peril, but to strengthen us through it.

Christians are not sheep. Sheep get slaughtered. They do not conquer. We are more than conquerors, because even in death, we cannot be separated from salvation.

Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ.

“ For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. “ – Romans 8:38-39

Description:

This lesson is part 2 in a verse by verse study through Malachi titled:
God’s Burden to Israel.

Description:

This dispensational chart lesson follows God’s changing messages throughout the Bible and identifies the difference between Prophecy and Mystery.

Find other chart lessons here.

“As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. “ – Romans 9:13

The Bible says twice that God hated Esau.

God never hates without a cause. There must be a reason that God hated Esau, and it was not because of some eternal decree of reprobation.

The key to understanding this verse is found in the many prophetic references that deal with Esau and his house.

Before They Were Born

A slipshod reading of Romans 9:10-13 has confused many into thinking that God always hated Esau. Not true.

Romans 9:11 says that God’s purpose through Israel was declared before the children were born, not his hatred.

“ For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth” – Rom 9:11

God did not hate Esau before he was born. It was God’s choice to keep his promise to Abraham through Jacob that was before their birth.

Not only so, but his purpose was not kept secret in some mysterious eternal decree, but revealed to Rebecca. Read Romans 9:10 and 11 in conjunction without the intervening explanation of God’s choice.

“ when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.” – Rom 9:10, Rom9:12

This revelation from God was given verbally to Rebecca in Gen 25:22-23. She knew before they were born that the elder would serve the younger.

This was not a prophecy of hate or a curse. If Esau would bless Jacob, then Esau would be blessed according to the promise (Gen 12:3).

When God Hated Esau

God did not hate Esau at his birth.

Neither did God say he hated Esau while he was yet alive. It was not until both Jacob and Esau were both dead that the house of Esau (not the head) invoked God’s hatred.

Obadiah is the longest prophecy against Edom (which is the house of Esau Gen 36:1, 43). It gives a prophecy of God’s curse against Edom and explains why God hated the house of Esau.

“For thy violence against thy brother Jacob shame shall cover thee, and thou shalt be cut off for ever.” – Obadiah 1:10

This refers not to any violence Esau did to Jacob personally while they were alive, but to the violence done to Jacob’s house, Israel, by Esau’s house, Edom, after both Jacob and Esau were long dead.

“In the day that thou stoodest on the other side, in the day that the strangers carried away captive his forces, and foreigners entered into his gates, and cast lots upon Jerusalem, even thou wast as one of them.” – Obadiah 1:11

Rom 9:13 is a direct quote of Malachi 1:2-3.

“I have loved you, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob’s brother? saith the LORD: yet I loved Jacob, And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness.” – Mal 1:2-3

Malachi was the last prophet before John the Baptist came to Israel. Malachi prophesied hundreds of years after the lives of Jacob and Esau.

Both Obadiah and Malachi look back at the multiple times Edom led the confederate attack against Israel to totally destroy them. They could not destroy them entirely, because of God’s protective hand over his people, but there was no mercy promised to Edom.

God hated Esau, because Esau (in the Edomites) hated God and his divine purposes through Israel.

God Loved Jacob

However, despite their sins against Him, God had already given Jacob a promise that he would be blessed (Gen 26:2-5). Consequently, God could not subject Israel to the same perpetual curse as Esau for their sins.

When Israel opposed God who had blessed them Malachi prophesies a stern rebuke and warning, but God could never destroy them from the earth if he was to be true to his promise.

For this reason, God chose to love Jacob’s house because of his promise, and extended mercy after mercy to them. Psalm 136 praises God’s mercy to Israel because he keeps his promises.

It is not unrighteous for God to show more mercy to one nation than another (Rom 9:14-15).

God’s love is always manifested by His own righteous choices, but His hatred is always in response to our sinful choices.

God loved Jacob (Israel) by promise, and hated Edom (which is Esau) for their violent opposition to God’s purposes on the earth.

- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - –

Learn more about Edom’s curse in our 4 week study of Obadiah.

Description:

This lesson is part 1 in a verse by verse study through Malachi titled:
Introduction – God’s Love and Hate.

Description:

People have been questioning God’s authority since the beginning and have replaced him with the authority of corruptible men.

Tradition is the most popular replacement for the Bible as a final authority, having its primary defenders in the Roman Catholic Church. Learn the problems with the unwritten transmission of extra biblical doctrine being used as an authority.

This is lesson 2 in our series on Problems With Authority

Water baptism was not a new thing. Jews were being water baptized for centuries under the law requirements in the temple and in large pools like Bethesda (John 5:2).

However, John was unique in that he was a prophet, did not wear temple garments (he wore camel’s hair), and he preached in the wilderness not near the temple.

He preached water baptism and repentance for the remission of sins. Remission of sins is forgiveness.

“John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.” – Mark 1:4

“And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins;” – Luke 3:3

The Baptism of Jesus

When Jesus came to be water baptized, John realized that he had no sin to remit, and forbad Jesus to be baptized.

“But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?” – Mat 3:14

Jesus insisted to be baptized, but not because he had secret sins to confess. Jesus knew he was God manifest in the flesh, and without sin. The Lord said:

“Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness.” – Mat 3:15

The reason Jesus needed to be water baptized by John alongside sinful Israel was not because he had secret sins to confess, but to full all righteousness.

But, what does that mean?

To Fulfill the Law

Jesus did not come to destroy the promises, prophets, and laws given to Israel. He was not setting a new pattern with his water baptism, but fulfilling an old one.

“ Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.” – Matt 5:17

Washings with water were required for many different people at different times with different purposes under the law. If someone failed to do them, they would be guilty of breaking the law.

One particular law that was being invoked by John was the washing requirement for all priests.

John was preaching the kingdom come and in the kingdom the entire nation of Israel was to be priests unto the Lord (Exo 19:6, Isa 61:6).

Jesus kept the law perfectly, and as such submitted himself to the required ordinances to fulfill all righteousness.

To Fulfill the Prophets

The law and the prophets spoke of Jesus. A few prophecies spoke of the messenger coming before the Lord to prepare his way.

“As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.” – Mark 1:2-3 (quoting Mal 4:1 and Isa 40:3)

John the Baptist was that messenger, and Jesus was the prophesied Lord.

God told John a prophecy that he would be able to identify the Messiah through his water baptism.

“And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.” – John 1:31-33

If Jesus did not fulfil what was spoken of him then the prophecies would be false, the message of John the Baptist a lie, and God would be unrighteous.

Jesus came to fufill the prophets and he fulfilled multiple prophecies by being water baptized of John.

To Justify John’s Message

Jesus was water baptized to justify John’s message.

John the Baptist preached the kingdom was at hand. Those that heard his preaching and justified God’s word to him were water baptized of him (just as they justified God in Jesus’ ministry).

“And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John.” – Luke 7:29

By being baptized of John, Jesus was saying, “John’s teachings are truly from God”.

In order to align himself with God’s prophet and his message, Jesus needed to be water baptized of John.

Through participation in the water baptism of sinful Israel Jesus identified himself with Israel looking for a kingdom come, and then presented himself as the one who would fulfill all righteousness.

To Make Himself Known

Multiple times in Jesus’ time on earth God spoke from heaven and testified that Jesus was His Son (John 12:28, Mat 17:5).

Jesus knew that he was the Son of God (Luke 2:49), and that his water baptism would identify him as such to Israel. Therefore, Jesus insisted to John that he be water baptized of him.

When he came up out of the water the Spirit of God descended on him and God spoke for everyone to hear.

“ And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. “ – Matt 3:16-17

Without his water baptism there would not be this public identification that he was the Son of God.

John later would preach this event as proof that he was the Messiah.

“ And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him… And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.” – John 1:32-34

Conclusion

Nobody in Jesus’ time could accomplish what Jesus did in his water baptism.

Neither does anyone today in the dispensation of grace need to follow Jesus in baptism. We have a greater baptism that identifies us with Christ, being baptized by faith into his death.

“ But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!” – Luke 12:50

“ Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?” – Rom 6:3

Jesus was not water baptized to institute a new ordinance. Water baptism was an old tradition.

He was not water baptized for the remission of his sins, as was everyone else that was water baptized.

He was water baptized to fulfill all righteousness in that he was the prophesied Messiah, the Son of God.