Gentiles are Fellow Citizens of the Household of God: Page 121

Gentiles are Fellow Citizens of the Household of God (Ephesians 2:19)
 

12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being alien from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: 

 

13 BUT NOW in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. 

 

19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; 

 

20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; 

 

21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord. 

 

22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit (Ephesians 2:12-13, 19-22).

In Times Past, the Gentiles were alienated from the commonwealth of Israel. 

 

We were positioned in the noncompliant and unfaithful first Adam, who had, by disobedience, separated all mankind from the love of God and the gift of eternal life. 

 

BUT NOW it is all about Christ, the second Adam, the One who learned obedience (Hebrews 5:8) and was faithful to the will of His Heavenly Father. 

 

This last Adam was made a quickening spirit (I Corinthians 15:45). 

 

Knowing the joy that was set before Him (Hebrews 12:2), He went to the cross to make Himself an offering, to be a sacrifice, to shed His blood, the blood atonement for all man’s sin and to loose the sting and pain of death. 

 

He repositioned us out of the first Adam into Himself, out of Satan’s family into God’s family (Romans 8:16). 

 

In Christ, we who have trusted in His work and His work only, are given the gift of an eternal life with Him. It is our faith in His work that pleases God. 

 

As we walk in the Spirit by faith and not by sight, we can faithfully offer our bodies as a living thank you and living sacrifice. 

 

Our Savior gave His life for us. 

 

Now He can live His life in us and through us.
 

25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God (Romans 3:25).

It is faith in the ultimate blood sacrifice, the sacrifice of Christ, the propitiation declaring His righteousness for the remission of sins that unites everyone who is a member of the household of God through all dispensations. 

 

And all of God’s children are saved by grace by trusting in the Gospel that they received during their dispensation. 

 

We are all saved by faith like Abraham. 

 

3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. 

 

4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. 

 

5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness (Romans 4:3-5). 

 

Faith is the trans-dispensational element that pleases God. 

 

16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all (Romans 4:16).
 

19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. 

 

20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. 

 

21 BUT NOW the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 

 

22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference (Romans 3:19-22).
 

19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; 

 

20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven (Colossians 1:19-20).