The Mystery of Christ and The Blessing of the Gentiles
In his letter to the Ephesians, the Apostle Paul, writing as “the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles” (Ephesians 3:1), unveils one of the most profound truths of the Christian faith. He speaks of a “mystery,” a divine secret kept hidden for generations, which has now been revealed in his time. This mystery, central to the gospel he preached, reshaped the spiritual landscape of the world forever. It is the shocking and glorious inclusion of the non-Jewish peoples—the Gentiles—into the family and promises of God.
A Secret Hidden for Ages
Throughout the Old Testament, God’s plan of salvation was primarily focused on the nation of Israel. The prophets spoke of a coming Messiah who would save His people. But God held a secret in His heart, a plan He purposed in Himself from the beginning. Paul describes this in Colossians 1:26 as “the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints.”
This was not an afterthought or an accident of history; it was the unfolding of God’s perfect will (Ephesians 1:9). This mystery contains what Paul calls “the unsearchable riches of Christ” (Ephesians 3:8)—a wealth of grace so deep that no human wisdom could fathom it, not even the prophets of old.
What was this staggering revelation? It was the radical idea that the Gentiles, once considered outsiders, would be brought into the fold on equal footing with the Jews. The Messiah, long expected to be the savior of Israel, was now being manifested among all nations. The ultimate expression of this mystery is, as Paul writes, “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27).
In Ephesians 3:6, Paul distills the practical implications of this mystery into three incredible blessings that every Gentile believer now possesses in Christ. He declares that the Gentiles are now:
- Fellow heirs (SYNKLERONOMOS)
- Fellow members of the same body (SYSSOMOS)
- Fellow partakers of His promise in Christ (SYMMETOCHOS)
Let’s explore what each of these blessings means for us today.
1. Fellow Heirs of God
The first great blessing is that Gentiles are now “fellow heirs.” This means we share in the divine inheritance. Paul had previously stated, “In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will” (Ephesians 1:11). This inheritance is not a hopeful wish but a guaranteed reality, sealed by the Holy Spirit who acts as the “guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession” (Ephesians 1:14).
This inheritance is nothing less than the future glory that will be revealed in us. As Paul wrote to the Romans, we are “heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ” (Romans 8:17). The point is clear and powerful: Gentiles are brought to Christ not because they sought Him, but because God, in His sovereign grace, predestined them to inherit this blessing. We are heirs not by merit, but by divine appointment.
2. Fellow Members of the Same Body
Second, Gentiles are “fellow members of the same body.” Christ’s resurrection and ascension were for the benefit of His body, the Church, over which He is the head (Ephesians 1:22-23). This body is a completely new entity, composed of both Jews and Gentiles who were once separated by a “middle wall of separation.”
In Christ, that wall has been demolished. God’s purpose was to “create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross” (Ephesians 2:15-16). This new body, the Church, is a “new creation” (Galatians 6:15).
The significance of this cannot be overstated. By believing in Christ, Gentiles are not merely patched onto Israel; they become part of a brand-new spiritual race. There is only one body, and all believers, regardless of their ethnic background, are essential members of it.
3. Fellow Partakers of the Promise
Third, Gentiles are “fellow partakers of the promise.” While God made many promises throughout Scripture, Paul refers here to “the promise” in the singular. This specific promise is the gift of the Holy Spirit. Jesus Himself referred to the Spirit as “the Promise of My Father” (Luke 24:49).
Through Christ’s redemptive work, “the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith” (Galatians 3:14). The radical nature of this truth was vividly displayed when Peter preached the gospel in the house of Cornelius, a Roman centurion. As the Jewish believers watched in astonishment, the Holy Spirit fell upon the Gentiles just as He had upon them at Pentecost. Their response was awe and praise: “Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life” (Acts 11:18).
The Gentiles are full beneficiaries of the promised Holy Spirit baptism, the seal of their inclusion in God’s family.
The Key to Our Inheritance: Adoption
How is it possible for Gentiles—who were once “aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world” (Ephesians 2:12)—to become heirs?
The apostles Peter and John, writing to a primarily Jewish audience, spoke of inheritance in terms they understood best: being born again (1 Peter 1:3-4). Paul, however, ministering to the Roman world, used a different concept that would resonate deeply with Gentiles: adoption (HUIOTHESIA).
In Roman culture, adoption was not primarily about providing a home for a childless couple. It was a legal act to secure an heir. A man would adopt a son to carry on his name and inherit his estate. Paul seizes on this powerful legal and cultural reality. God sent His Son, Jesus, “to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons” (Galatians 4:5).
This adoption takes place the moment a believer receives the Holy Spirit. “For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father'” (Romans 8:15). Because we are adopted as sons, “God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, ‘Abba, Father!'” (Galatians 4:6).
The purpose of this predestined adoption is to make us heirs (Ephesians 1:5, 11). In God’s economy, the words “son” and “heir” become practically interchangeable: “Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ” (Galatians 4:7). Without Christ, we have nothing. In Christ, we have everything.
The Unshakable Security of Our Adoption
Here lies one of the most comforting truths of our faith. In some ancient legal systems, like the Roman-Syrian law of Paul’s day, an adopted son held a remarkably secure position—even more secure than a natural-born son. Historical legal texts show that while a man could disown a natural son for cause, he could never put away an adopted son. The act of adoption was considered final and irrevocable.
When God adopts you, it is an eternal and irreversible act. It cannot be revoked, not even by God Himself, because He has bound Himself by His own promise and the integrity of His character. This means your inheritance is secure. It means you are not living on probation, hoping you can hold on. It means you can and should enjoy the riches of your inheritance—God’s promises, His peace, His power, His presence—today.
If you have believed in Christ, the Holy Spirit dwelling in you is the seal of your adoption. You are a fellow heir, a fellow member, and a fellow partaker. The mystery hidden for ages is now your present reality. You are a beloved child and a secure heir of the Most High God.
