In the first three verses the Apostle Paul who tells the Gentiles of the Ephesian Church about his connection to them. They had heard the truth about him, that he had been called of God to minister to them (Gentiles) in order to draw them to the Son of God Who had died for them as well as for the Israelites. Paul tells them that God had made known to him “THE MYSTERY” about which he had formerly talked to them about briefly. We do not have access to that letter for the Lord did not see fit to include it in what has become known as The Holy Bible. In verse five Paul adds to “the mystery” by providing two Words that give it much more importance. Those two words are “of Christ.”

The mystery of Christ is explained in verses five and six along with part that Paul played in the wonderful act of the Lord that opened the door to the Gentiles to become spiritually one with the Israelites. Due to God’s great love for all people, Paul was commissioned to tell the Gentiles that God had arranged for the believers among them to be FELLOW HEIRS with the body of Christ (the church) so that they (Gentiles) could be partakers of “THE PROMISE” as written about in the Gospel and made known to people by the Holy Spirit speaking through God’s prophets and apostles.

Concerning the fact that, after many years of dealing with the descendants of Abraham (the tribes of Israel) which He (God) called His “chosen people,” He would call the Gentiles to Himself. Recall that the God of the Old Testament (the Word Who became Jesus Christ) had commissioned the Israelites to be “a light to the Gentiles” (Isa. 42:6; 49:6). God’s goal was for the Gentiles (Heb.–heathen) to “come to their light when they saw how He blessed His chosen people. Another indication that God had from day one intended for the Gentiles to partake of His blessings lies in the fact that, when He brought the Israelites out of Egyptian slavery, a “mixed multitude” came out of Egypt with them (Exo. 12:38). Understand that, in God’s view, the world is divided into two groups: Israelites and Gentiles. The Gentiles who came out of Egypt with Israel had been conquered and enslaved by the Egyptians who, at that time were the most powerful people on earth. The mixt multitude became spiritual Israelites by embracing the Israelites’ God and obeying Him. Later, at Mount Sinai. they finalized the transition into the Israelite nation by agreeing to obey the Ten Commandments. Note that the Lord did not distinguish between the two groups when designating the multitude as His people. Note also that nowhere in the Bible from that time on were the believing Gentiles mentioned as a separate people. To God, they were all now Israelites. Together as one entity, they became known as “the people of the Book.” As spiritual Israelites, all biological Gentiles are indeed as spiritually legitimate as the biological descendants of Abraham. By this time you know that the “mystery of Christ” is that the Gentiles would be welcomed into the family of God.

In verse six Paul makes it clear that Gentiles could become fellow heirs and become part of the same body (the church) and become partakers of the same PROMISE IN CHRIST THROUGH THE GOSPEL. As I have said and written many times: EVERYTHING COMES BACK TO GOD’S WORD/LAW/GOSPEL/LIGHT. This is more thoroughly explained in Romans 1:16 and 17 where Paul tells us that in the Gospel is found the RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD which must be manifested in the believer in order to be saved. The PROMISE was that the Son of God would die, and in so doing, provide justification for man’s past sins. Justification, which renders the saint righteous. Justification also includes the gift of the Holy Spirit whose power must be used to remain in a state of righteousness which, upon the arrival of Jesus and the resurrection of the saints, will award the righteous with salvation. Included in the act will be the fulfillment of the BORN AGAIN PROMISE. This act changes true saints’ bodies from physical to spirit composition. Jesus had undergone the same miracle upon His resurrection from the dad. As the Apostle John tells us about that experience: Beloved, now we are children of God and it we do not yet know what we will look like (upon being resurrected). But we know that when He is revealed, we will be like Him, for we will se Him as He is. Read The Resurrection of Jesus Christ and Born Again, key words Resurrection and Born respectively.

In verses fourteen through twenty-one Paul expresses his appreciation to the Lord for having been chosen by Him to implement the MYSTERY OF CHRIST and to announce the PROMISE OF JUSTIFICATION which enables Gentiles to receive the blessings of God. He thanks God for the knowledge of the gift of the Holy Spirit that dwells in the heart (mind) of those who walk in the righteousness that is found in the Gospel. Paul hoped that the Gentiles under his leadership would know the love of Christ and be filled with all the fullness of Him. Lastly, Paul wanted the church to glorify God throughout all generations.

There is only one Scriptural way to glorify God. It is the way Jesus spoke of when asked by Phillip to “… show us the Father.” To which Jesus replied: “… those who have seen Me have seen the Father.” Jesus was God in human form. We must “walk as He walked” (1 Jn. 2:6) so that when the world sees us they see both Jesus and the Father. This is what is meant by the command to “put on the Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 13:14). May we be about putting on the Lord. May we be letting the world see our light.

A word of warning relative to being God’s light. Let me by clear, very few will want what you have. Only a minutely few will have anything to do with your light. As Jesus warned in Matthew 7:13,14 and Matthew 10, most people will reject anything that is connected to Him and His way. Many, He said, would be called to come to His light, but few would answer His call (Mat. 22:14). Nevertheless, let us continue to be His light to this lost and dark world. After many years of preaching God’s Truth orally, in print, on radio and television as well as the internet, I personally know of only four people who have embraced what I have told them. Nevertheless, let your light shine. L.J.