218. Partakers of the Promise
Ephesians 3:6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel.
The promise is for Gentiles, that they (we) should be partakers of the same promisethat the Jews received. Both Jews and Gentiles have obtained all the same promises given in the Old Testament since they all come true in Christ by the gospel. If you were a Jew in the early church you might resent the fact that non-Jews could be fellow heirs and be a part of the same body and partake of God’s promise by simple faith in Jesus Christ. “We have earned our way into the promise by faithfulness to the Torah, and here they come and enter in by faith in Christ. It’s not fair.”
But if you are a Gentile, you would be doubly grateful that it is all by grace, for Christ has done everything necessary for us to receive all the promises of the Old and New Testament Scriptures. “I am a fellow heir and I wasn’t even born right; I am an equal member of the same body of God’s people and I didn’t even try to keep the Law; I am a partaker of His promiseand I did nothing to earn it. How amazing! I have it all by grace through faith in Christ. I have believed the gospel and I am included. I was not circumcised, but I was baptized.” The impact of such a wondrous revelation and gracious blessing is lost upon us because we today don’t realize how far we were away from the promises; we did not have the advantage of the Scriptures (Old Testament).
For the Jew, Christ fulfills all the promises of God, and it all makes sense and comes together in Christ. This dawning overwhelmed Paul and all the Apostles. For the Gentile, this dawning should overwhelm us even more because it is all by grace. The gospel grants everything to us: just repent and believe it. Even the early Gentile Christians were tempted to turn toward Judaism with the deception that thinks I must do or decide something that God gives for free. Grace is Amazing!
I am a partaker: that means that I have a share in and I am a part of all the promises in God’s Word. I share in God’s Life, God’s Love, God’s Family, God’s Grace and Goodness. All that is already given. It is up to me to possess it, use it, and enjoy it.