After Paul describes how the Gentiles in Ephesus could read and understand the revelation God had given him, Paul then reveals a portion of God's mystery. He states the Gentiles are now "fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel" (Ephesians 3:6, 7).
Paul has been leading up to this statement since chapter two. The Gentiles are now on equal par with the Jews when both of them are "in Christ Jesus." There is no distinction between the two; the "wall" has been broken. They are now part of the "building" that is being built with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone and the foundation being the apostles and prophets.
Something else is said in these two verses that we should notice. By these two groups of people, Jews and Gentiles, being united, there is now a new group of people who are "God's people." Collectively, they are called Christians. They are heirs to the same thing, they are members of the same body, and they are partakers of the same promise that is "in Christ Jesus through the gospel." Both Jews and Gentiles can now receive the things God has "been saving up" to give to them.
Both Jews and Gentiles are now constituents of the same body. And, both Jews and Gentiles are going to indulge in all the promises God has made to those who are "in Christ Jesus through the gospel."
The second thing to notice is that all of this is "through the gospel." This gospel is the "mystery" that God has revealed to Paul, who was "made a minister, according to the gift of God's grace which was given to [him] according to the working of [God's] power."
Paul became a "minister" of this gospel that was preached to the Gentiles because of what God had done and not anything Paul had done. Paul was given this "gift" because of "God's grace." Paul became God's servant to the Gentiles because Jesus appeared to Paul one day while he was traveling to Damascus. This appearance was for the purpose of giving Paul instructions concerning his salvation and to appoint him to be an apostle to the Gentiles (Acts 26:12-18 and especially verses 16-18).
Paul never forgot this "gift of God's grace" that was given to him. Christians today should not only be thankful for God being gracious to Paul but also for Paul using this "gift of God's grace" to preach to the Gentiles. By reading, understanding and obeying God's revealed mystery, we can be heirs, members and partakers as a result of everyday living God's way.
Carlton G. McPeak (carlton_mc@msn.com) is an evangelist working in the Florida Gateway region. Scriptural quotations from the NASB.