Scripture: Ephesians 2:11-22

God, in his love and mercy, has made us alive while we were spiritually dead. We are his handiwork, a creation that will continue to display of the incomparable riches of his glory. This is a wonderful creation! But while we might be thinking of individual believers, the text continues¹ to explain that the topic under discussion is the new entity that God has created, the New Testament Church (called a “new humanity” in v. 15).

The Church is a mystery that was not revealed to the generation before but now revealed to the New Testament believers. It is an important revelation, and a proper understand of it will enable us to properly understand the Bible and the will and plan of God.

While we do not read the term “church” in this passage, the description of the entity clearly indicates that it is the church that Paul has in mind. Whereas in previous section there is a comparison between being spiritual dead and being made alive, we again have a set of comparisons here, but the comparisons here involve Israel!

Note some of the descriptions of former condition of Ephesian believers: Gentiles by birth, that is, non Jews (v. 11), excluded from citizenship in Israel (v. 12), foreigners to the covenants of the promise (v. 12). These show that Israel was indeed special as chosen people in the Old Testament.²

As special as they are in being chosen people of God in receiving his revelation (see Rom 3:1-2), we note that the new condition of believers is NOT described as being Jews, included in the citizenship in Israel, or being part of the covenant. Rather, the new condition is being reconciled to God through the cross, have access to the father by the Spirit, no longer foreigners and strangers, fellow citizens with God’s people, members of his household.

The reason we become fellow citizens with God’s people is not because we have become Jews; it is because Christ has create a new entity (v. 15) where there is no more distinction between the Jews (Israelites) and the Gentiles (non-Jews). What really matters is whether we are in Christ or not.

While we might be so used to this concept to the point that we are almost taking it for granted, it was indeed something that was newly revealed in the New Testament as it was not clearly taught in the Old Testament. That is why it is called a mystery (Eph 3:6).

The mystery is not that the Gentiles are receiving blessing from God because we do see that even in the Old Testament. The mystery is that as far as salvation goes, there is completely no difference between a Jew and a Gentile as long as they are in Christ (3:6 again). This new entity, consisting of believers from all nations and all generations, is called the Church.

Understanding that Israel was the chosen people in the Old Testament will enable us to properly understand Old Testament history and teaching. Understanding that there is no more distinction of Israel and the Gentiles in the New Testament will enable us to better understand the adjustment and sometimes difficulties that the New Testament Church had to go through due to the tension caused by this new revelation.

We will have to end here as the topic of the Church is a big topic. Hopefully this will serve as an introduction and raise your awareness of the topic of the Church as you read the Bible.

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Additional Information (skip if this is too detailed for you):

It has been a long tradition that Christians use the word Gentiles to refer to non-Christians. That is really a borrowed usage as it is not how the word is used in the Bible. Such usage is declining nowadays because it is considered offensive. Other than that reason, it also creates a confusion because in the Bible the Gentiles mean non-Jews (and not non-Christians). If the borrowed term is not properly explained to a believer, it will make reading the Old Testament very difficult as passages involving the Gentiles will be read allegorically. In my opinion that borrowed usage should be discontinued as it causes confusion in Bible reading. I do not necessarily think that we have to avoid the original usage, however.

Further confusing the issue is the fact that some call Christians the “spiritual Israelites.” We are never Israelites, physically or spiritually. Some use Gal. 3:29 as their support: “If you belong to Christ,a then you are Abraham’s seed.” Please note that it does not say Israelites but “Abraham’s seed.” Isreal (Jacob) is Abraham’s descendant for sure, but so are Ishmael and Esau (Edom), yet I have never heard Christians calling themselves “spiritual Ishmaelites” or “spiritual Edomites.” Why do we say we are spiritual Israelites? Moreover, the main argument of the book of Galatians is that God does not bless only through Israel as Abraham himself was blessed and justified before Israel was born! For a book that argues that Israel is not the only way to obtain blessing, it is hard to imagine that the conclusion is that we are spiritual Israel. In fact, the main point of Galatians is that, not going through Israel, Christians can become “spiritual descendants of Abraham.”

Some others also use Romans 2:28-29 as their support: ” A person is not a Jew who is one only outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly….” But this passage is not talking about Gentiles becoming a Jew. It is saying that of those who are physically Jews, only those believe in God inwardly that are considered true Jews.

While the information in this section might sound too detailed for some, it is still needed for us to truly understand the books of the Bible. There are different views concerning the continuity between the Old Testament and the New Testament. One does not need to agree with everything presented here, but one does need to think about it if we hold to the belief that the Bible is to be understood according to the original intent of the author rather than according to what we can say about it.

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“Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)– remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.” (Ephesians 2:11-22 TNIV)