Gentiles Chosen as People of God

In the Old Testament, there were clear distinction between Jews and Gentiles. To be a Jew, first they must be born as a Jew and they have to have faith in God and keep the Law of Moses God gave to the Israelites. Therefore, under the Law of Moses, a person who was not born of a Jewish family could not be considered as Jew and they could not be under the covenant God gave to the Israelites.

However, through Jesus Christ, those, once considered as Gentiles, now can be the children of God. Paul testifies that God abolished the separation of Jew and Gentiles based on the flesh and blood.

Romans 2:28 A person is not a Jew who is one only outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. 29 No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code.

This means now we can be the children of God not through the flesh and blood of a Jewish family. Then how can we become the spiritual Jew or a Jew inwardly?

Ephesians 2:11 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)— 12 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.

This verse clearly shows our status as children of God. As a Gentile we can never be the children of God and receive salvation because we were not born as a Jew, nor did we know Christ. We were foreigners and strangers toward God and could not receive the promise God gave to His children. As the result, we were to receive the wrath of God in the end.

Ephesians 2:1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.

Then how could an object of wrath be a Jew and participate in the promise of God, the salvation of the soul?

Ephesians 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

Through this verse we can know that we could be part of God through the blood of Christ. We could become a spiritual Jew through the blood of Christ. And through the blood of Christ we could become the children of God who can be the heirs of God who can receive the inheritance from God. Then what is the blood of Christ that brings us near to God that we may be the children of God, a spiritual Jew even though we were once born as a Gentile? It is the new covenant Passover. On the night of the Passover, Jesus gave a promise to those who keep the Passover: the Passover bread and wine, which signifies the flesh and blood of Christ, allows them to be the children of God who can receive the promise of God, eternal life.

By participating in the bread and wine of the Passover, we can participate in the flesh and blood of Christ. And by receiving the flesh and blood Christ we, once a Gentile, can be a Jew, a child who has the flesh and blood of God. Since we become the Children of God, we can be the heirs of God.

Ephesians 3:6 This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.

The new covenant Passover, the gospel of Christ, enable us to be the children of God. As the bible says, once we were a Gentile who were following our sinful nature and receive the wrath of God as the result. Through the grace of God promised in the blood of Christ, however, we could be the children of God. How much gracious God has been toward the sinners who deserve to die! And how much we should be thankful to God for the grace!

As the heirs, God teaches us that we have to take part in the work of God in preaching the gospel. Let us do the work of God with a joyful and thankful mind that we may receive abundant blessings in the kingdom of heaven.

Romans 8: 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. 18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.