One of the most important teachings any Christian can learn is that we today are living under a program of God that is called "the dispensation of the grace of God." The apostle Paul explained this in Ephesians chapter 3.
We are able to see, in this portion of Scripture, that "the dispensation of the grace of God" pertains to the status that Gentiles now have. This was revealed by our Lord Jesus Christ in the ministry of the apostle Paul. It was a mystery, never before made known, but was revealed and recorded in his ministry for our knowledge and joy in this dispensation.
Three Great Facts
Three great facts are specified in verse 6 of Ephesians chapter 3 that sum up the mystery of this dispensation. We will focus upon these three items. As we do, it is good to know that the word "fellowheirs" means joint-heirs, "same body" is joint-body and "partakers" is joint-partakers. This is because an important prefix is included with these words.
1. Joint-heirs (sukleronoma)
2. Joint-Body (sumssoma)
3. Joint-partakers (summmetocha)
Equality, togetherness! That's what these words are about. In contrast to the way things used to be, Gentiles are now fully equal, being joint-heirs in a joint-Body as well as joint-partakers of God's promise in Christ by the gospel. These realities distinguish our situation today from the way things were in former times.
Three Things New
Let us consider then, these three areas of truth. We will take the last item first because partaking of God's promise in Christ by the gospel ranks first in our experience. But of course, as soon as we partake of the gospel these other things immediately become true of us. But we will consider these items beginning with the fact that Gentiles today are joint-partakers of the truth of God.
I. Joint-partakers
This most certainly is different from the way things used to be. In former times, Gentiles were secondary partakers. Indeed, they were like "dogs," waiting for the Jews to "first be filled." We see this in Mark chapter 7 where a Gentile woman came to our Lord Jesus Christ, requesting a favor from Him. He said to her.
"Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it unto the dogs." Mark 7 :27
That woman's response to this was tremendous. She agreed. "Yes, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs." For this, the request she sought was granted. But clearly, the words spoken to her by our Lord Jesus Christ show that Gentiles, at that time, were not equal with the Jews.
Another text where this is evident is in Acts chapter 3 where the apostle Peter, preaching to his own people, the Jews, put it this way. 25 "Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed." 26 "Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities." Acts 3:25,26
How clear this really is. "Unto you first," Peter said. They were the chosen nation of God and priority over others belonged to them.
The apostle Paul also acknowledged this same thing. When he preached to the Jews in Acts chapter 13, he said,
"It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge
yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles." Acts 13:46
These statements establish beyond question that, in time past, Jewish people definitely had priority rights over other people as first-partakers of God's truth.
But this has been changed. Now, in the dispensation of the grace of God, Gentiles are joint-partakers of the gospel, equal with the Jews. No longer, therefore, are the Gentiles "far off " but "nigh" (Ephesians 2:13), 'and the Jews who "were nigh" (Ephesians 2:17) no longer have priority rights over anyone else. Rather, "both have access by one Spirit unto the Father" (Ephesians 2:18) being "joint-partakers of His promise in Christ by the gospel" (Ephesians 3:6).
What wonderful grace this is! In no way was it deserved. But God has declared that the Gentiles are now "nigh" (Ephesians 2:13). No longer, therefore, do Gentiles wait in line behind the Jews. Everybody is the same! Of course, Jewish people are still welcome to be saved, but just the same as everyone else. No more priority for anybody. Equality! That's what we have today in the dispensation of the grace of God.
2. A joint-Body
The second great fact in Ephesians 3:6 is that Gentile believers are now joint-members of the same spiritual Body with all other believers in this day of grace. This means, of course, that Gentiles not only have equal access to God as Joint-partakers of the gospel, but more than this, upon believing the gospel, Gentiles become joint-members of the Church, the Body of Christ.
Thinking again about "time past, we know, that Gentiles worshipped God as strangers among the people of God. They had no hope of their own and a secondary status among the people of God was all they could expect. They became proselytes of Judaism and worshipped God as second class people in the religious life of the nation of Israel (See Numbers 15:14,26, Deut. 14:21, 23:20, 31:12, Acts 2:10). It is striking to read what a difference there used to be between the Jews and the Gentiles. An example is that the Jews were not allowed to eat the flesh of animals that died on their own whereas the Gentiles among them were allowed to eat those things. Deut. 14:21
Ye shall not eat of any thing that dieth of itself: thou shalt give it unto the stranger that is in thy gates, that he may eat it; or thou mayest sell it unto an alien: for thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God.
But today, things are not that way at all. Rather, in this present dispensation Gentiles are fully equal, being joint-members of the same Body with all other believers. This is far more than simply being included. According to Ephesians 2:15, God is now taking Gentiles who believe in Christ and Jewish people who believe in Him, and of these two, is making "one new man." In Colossians 3:10 and 11 we learn that, in this "new man," there is "neither" Gentile nor Jew but that Christ Himself is all in all. Thus, the Body of Christ is indeed a joint-Body. Fleshly distinctions no longer count within it.
What happens, as people become members of this joint-Body, is somewhat similar to an idea expressed by one preacher, who said, "There won't be any Baptists in heaven." He didn't mean, of course, that no one who has ever been a Baptist will be allowed into heaven, but rather that Baptists, after they get to heaven, won't be Baptists anymore. That's how it is with the Body of Christ.
Individuals enter this Body as Gentile and Jewish sinners, but then, within this Body those fleshly distinctions disappear. We know this because, according to Colossians 3:11, there is "neither" Gentile nor Jew, but all are spiritually equal in the Church, the Body of Christ.
In our flesh we do have our differences and we have responsibilities before God with regard to these differences (children, parents, husbands, wives, etc.) But our position in the Church, the Body of Christ, is something else. Here, we are the same and this sameness should cause us to value and appreciate one another very much.
Again, what wonderful grace this is! No longer are Gentiles second class believers but fully equal in the Church, the Body of Christ. 3. Joint-heirs.
One more great fact in Ephesians 3:6 is that there is a joint-inheritance that we share. Many teachings are presented in the Bible about the inheritance that God provides for His people. All believers, for example, inherit the righteousness of God (Galatians 3:6,7,18,29). In addition to this, the Jews have an inheritance promised to them, a land with special blessings guaranteed to them as descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. But today, in the new dispensation of God, there is another inheritance, a joint-inheritance which all believers share together.
One thing our joint-inheritance guarantees to us is a glorified body for every member of the Body of Christ, a physical body suitable for future activities throughout the heavens (Ephesians
1:14, 23, Philippians 3:21). God's Holy Spirit has been given to us as the earnest of this inheritance (Ephesians 1:14).
Our joint-inheritance also includes rank for us and opportunities in the heavenly realm where Christ, our Head, is seated at the right hand of God (Ephesians 1:18-23, Colossians 1:12). It is very interesting to note that our Lord Jesus Christ, as Head of the Church, is going to reconcile all thrones, dominions, principalities and powers in both the heavens and the earth to their rightful place (Colossians 1:16-20). Since it is as Head of the Church that He is going to do this, we can expect that at least some members of His Body will reign with Him in these realms. In Colossians 3:24, Paul refers to "the reward of the inheritance." We should realize, therefore, that our faithfulness to God now will be of tremendous value to us in that day.
All the wonderful things our Lord is now doing, and that He will yet accomplish through the members of His joint-Body, the Church, are exceptional displays of His grace. Not only are we saved by grace, but more than this, we are seated together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:5-7). These heavenly riches of grace belong to us by means of our joint-inheritance. Thrilling, unprecedented riches, never before revealed, but now made known for our knowledge and joy in this present day of grace!
According to Paul in Ephesians 3:10, heavenly beings are learning about the manifold wisdom of God by means of this present dispensation. There are many people on earth, neglecting and ignoring these things. But in heaven they are not ignored. How marvelous it is that the angels of God appreciate the unprecedented truth of God concerning the Body of Christ. They already knew about the nation of Israel and the earth but now by means of God's program today they know about a new Body of people, positionally seated in heaven. They observe with great interest as this Body is readied for its actual entrance into heaven where Christ, as the Head of this Body, will reign over all things. All these matters wonderfully fit together "according to God's eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Ephesians 3:10,11).
These things are worth knowing. Obviously, God has put His truth concerning the dispensation of the grace of God into the Bible because He wants us to know it. We should seek to properly understand it, and in accord with Ephesians 3:9, we should desire, just as the apostle Paul did, "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."
What a joy it is to be living today in the dispensation of the grace of God. How fortunate we are to be joint-members of the Church, the Body of Christ. What a thrill it is to know that glorious things surpassing our comprehension await us because of the special order administered by our heavenly Father in this present day of grace.
How
God Saves Men
Believing
Christ DIED, that’s HISTORY.
Believing
Christ DIED for YOU SINS and Rose again that’s SALVATION.
Read
Romans 1:16, Romans 10:9-10 and 1. Corinthians 15:1-4
(A 10 Minute Video)
E-mail
this BIBLE STUDY to all your friends
No comments:
Post a Comment