Ephesians 1:3–14, Part 5
In Paul’s day, there was a major division in the church: Jew and Gentile. It was an ethnic problem, based primarily in the Jews’ exclusive view of their covenant with God. They thought they were special in God’s eyes, and the other peoples of the world were pagan, unclean, and thus there should be a segregation between them. What does God have to say about the segregation of the church?
As Paul continues, he writes in Ephesians 1, verse 10, that God’s purpose in Christ will “…be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.”
God desires unity. That is the first time Paul introduces that theme, unity, which will become a major focus in the rest of the letter. It is so important to Paul, especially because he has just introduced the family metaphor. We are adopted into God’s family.
But in Christ, Paul says, God is welcoming all into his family. Thus there needs to be unity. There shouldn’t be the Jewish Christian group, and then a separate Gentile Christian group. There should just be the Christian group, where all are included, because God has gone to such great lengths to include all
Notice in verses 11-14, how Paul continues talking about God’s desire to include all,
“In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.”
God chose a multi-ethnic approach to his family. All are included. When Paul writes in verse 12, “we who were the first,” he is referring to the first people who were Christians, all Jews. The 12 disciples, all Jews. The rest of the Christians in those early chapters of Acts, all Jews. But eventually, a couple years, we don’t know precisely how long, those Jewish Christians, especially through the ministry of Paul, start to take the message of Jesus’ love for all, to all. And many non-Jews start to become followers of Jesus.
This is wonderful! God’s heart is for all. But there is a problem. There are numerous Jewish Christians who believe, based on their thousands of years of Jewish heritage and theology and covenant, that it only makes sense that when non-Jews become Christians, those non-Jews also need to become Jews. Because the Jews are God’s chosen people, who have the covenant, right?
There was a major push in the early church for Gentiles to start practicing Judaism, including having their adult males get circumcised. To those Jewish Christians, that was the only way, in their minds, there could be unity in the church. They could not conceive of Gentiles following Jesus, but not also following the Mosaic Law. They could not wrap their minds around that. They wanted unity too, but in their view, it required adherence to the Mosaic Law.
Paul will write about this over and over in his letters. We get a small glimpse into Paul’s take on this issue right here in verses 11–14. What does Paul say? In verse 12 he says, “Sure, we Jews were the first to put hour hope in Christ,” yet look at verse 13, “But you are included too!” How are the non-Jews included? By circumcision? By following the Mosaic Law? By becoming Jewish?
Nope. By hearing the message of truth, the gospel; by believing, at which point they are marked. Not by circumcision, but by the Holy Spirit! Paul uses the word “seal.” He uses the words “deposit guaranteeing”. The Spirit of God is what matters. We have the Spirit of God, which is better by far, than following a ritual code, Paul says. Thus the Spirit of God in our lives is essential. It is through the Spirit of God that we have unity with one another.
And that causes Paul to wrap up this section with another utterance of praise.
What a deep section. You are in. God loves you and lavishes his grace on you in Christ. By his Spirit we have unity with all in God’s family. No matter your ethnicity, nationality, race. We are brothers and sisters in the family.
Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash
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