by Hugh DeLong<\/p>\n
Text:<\/strong> Ephesians 3<\/p>\n The mystery of Christ, as mentioned in Ephesians, is that “to be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel<\/em>” (Ephesians 3:6). Such was not revealed as <\/b>(in the same way, to the same degree of illumination) it is now <\/b>revealed unto Paul (and the other apostles and prophets of the New Testament).<\/p>\n The promise was that through Abraham’s seed all nations would be blessed. Beginning with Abraham, the emphasis of God’s revelation was to those ‘in Abraham’s lineage’. The problem was that the scope was narrowed with each generation of choices: Isaac (not Ishmael), Jacob (not Esau), etc. Thus, it was ‘in Israel<\/em>‘ (in the family of Jacob) that the chosen vehicle of the promise was. To them God revealed His covenant through Moses.<\/p>\n The promise was still that\u00a0<\/strong>all nations would eventually be blessed<\/strong>, but in the Old Testament, it was narrower. Now<\/strong>, with the coming of Jesus, God has invited people of all nations to come to Him through <\/b>Jesus. As Jesus said: “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me’<\/em>” (John 14:6). The blessings (enumerated in chapter one with all the ‘in Him’ references) now include Jews and Gentiles (all of those who are not ethnic Jews). All who have put their trust in Jesus and are following Him are blessed: we are the chosen, the holy\/sanctified saints, the blameless ones, the adopted children, the redeemed, the forgiven, etc.<\/p>\n The emphasis must <\/b>be\u00a0on the fact that these blessings are found only\u00a0in Christ<\/strong> through the gospel. The question of eternity: are you in Christ<\/strong>?<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" by Hugh DeLong Text: Ephesians 3 The mystery of Christ, as mentioned in Ephesians, is that “to be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel” (Ephesians 3:6). Such was not revealed as (in the same way, to…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[27],"tags":[1864,47],"class_list":["post-93677","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","tag-mystery","tag-salvation"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":95975,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-the-body-in-ephesians-the-same-as-the-church-started-in-acts-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":93677,"position":0},"title":"Is the body in Ephesians the same as the church started in Acts 2?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"June 7, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Good day, When Ephesians 3:6 says, \"... gentiles are fellow heirs of the same body, does \"same body\" refer to the church that was started in Acts 2? I'm debating a millennialist who insists on using the KJV. The NIV puts it differently, and I agree with it. Answer:\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":32726,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/could-you-explain-romans-1125-27\/","url_meta":{"origin":93677,"position":1},"title":"Could you explain Romans 11:25-27?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 28, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I found your website online trying to do some research. Can you please tell me your perspective on Romans 11:25-27 and to whom Paul is referring? Answer: \"For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":68773,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/revealing-the-wisdom-of-god\/","url_meta":{"origin":93677,"position":2},"title":"Revealing the Wisdom of God","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"July 9, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton \"For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles -- if indeed you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace which was given to me for you; that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":88446,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/what-is-meant-by-secret-things\/","url_meta":{"origin":93677,"position":3},"title":"What is meant by “secret things?”","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"July 6, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Good afternoon, In Deuteronomy 29:29, what is meant by \"secret things\"? Is it referring to unrevealed things not found in the Bible? Is it referring to things that the Bible, specifically the New Covenant, doesn't speak about at all? I hope my wording is understandable. Thanks. Answer: \"The secret\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":50919,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/children-according-to-the-promise\/","url_meta":{"origin":93677,"position":4},"title":"Children According to the Promise","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"July 27, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"by Matthew W. Bassford The wisdom and subtlety of God truly are beyond our comprehension. Sometimes, though, we are privileged to get a glimpse of it in the Scriptures. This is the case with the story of Abraham and his descendants in Genesis, which only makes sense in the light\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":46249,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/if-the-lord-only-speaks-through-the-bible-why-was-the-spirit-promised-in-john-1613\/","url_meta":{"origin":93677,"position":5},"title":"If the Lord only speaks through the Bible, why was the Spirit promised in John 16:13?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 5, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: So the Lord only speaks through the Bible and not through the Spirit? I'm kind of confused now. Just wanted to see if you could clear this up for me: \"But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. 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