Paul declares to the Ephesians that both Jew and
Gentile are Citizens of Heaven and God’s children through faith in Jesus Christ
Ephesians
2:19 Now therefore ye are no more
strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the
household of God; KJVPaul writing completely under the inspiration of God the Holy Spirit still was allowed by Him to use his own personality, background, and style in his writing and here we find Paul doing what he was so eager and enthusiastic to do in all of his letters and that is the use of metaphors to paint a word picture for his readers. Paul uses two (2) completely different but equal in meaning metaphor’s here in this verse to describe both Jew and Gentile who are now one “in Christ” (i.e. a city or country, and a family or household. First, we recall from the last study that Paul concluded that both Jew and Gentile “have access by one Spirit unto the Father” (Ephesians 2:18), therefore, he declares to these Ephesian believers that they are now “no more strangers and foreigners” (Ephesians 2:19). The English word stranger used here by Paul is translated by the Greek word xenos meaning literally an alien or by implication a guest. In other words, as we today categorize someone from another country being an “illegal alien” if they cross over the American border without permission from our country, Paul here declares that this is exactly what these Ephesian believers were before they heard and believed the Gospel of Christ to the nation or country of Israel, however, now through Christ’ Blood they are no longer strangers/xenos, but are now legal residents in the city or country of God.
YAWEH had made Jerusalem (located in Israel) His special dwelling place on the earth as He declared in this manner through the Prophet Joel, “The Lord will thunder {and} roar from Zion and utter His voice from Jerusalem, and the Heavens and the earth shall shake; but the Lord will be a refuge for His people and a stronghold to the children of Israel. So shall you know, understand, {and} realize that I am the Lord your God, dwelling in Zion, My Holy mountain. Then shall Jerusalem be Holy, and strangers {and} foreigners [not born into the family of God] shall no more pass through it.” (Joel 3:16-17). This is exactly what these Gentile Ephesians were before Christ and His Gospel “strangers {and} foreigners [not born into the family of God]” (Joel 3:17) as the Prophet Joel proclaims in this text of Holy Scripture, but now Paul declares them to be “in Christ” and therefore, “fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God” (Ephesians 2:19). The English word fellowcitizens Paul uses here is translated by the Greek word sumpolites meaning a native of the same town as are others; figuratively it means fellow Christians or born ones. In other words, not only were these Gentile Ephesians no longer “strangers and foreigners”, but now according to Paul’s first metaphor they were natives or citizens of the city (Jerusalem) or country (Israel) of God along with and just as every Jew belonging to our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ were through the new birth (John 3:3).
This city or country of God is in Heaven being the “New Jerusalem” as the Apostle John describes with these words, “He who overcomes (is victorious), I will make him a pillar in the sanctuary of My God; he shall never be put out of it {or} go out of it, and I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which descends from My God out of Heaven, and My own new name.” (Revelation 3:12) and also the Apostle John says this, “And I John saw the Holy City, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of Heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” (Revelation 21:2). Paul himself referred to our citizenship being no longer solely here on the earth, but now that we are “in Christ” we have become instantly citizens of Heaven as he declared it with these words written to the Philippian believers, “But we are citizens of the state (commonwealth, homeland) which is in Heaven, and from it also we earnestly {and} patiently await [the coming of] the Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah) [as] Savior, Who will transform {and} fashion anew the body of our humiliation to conform to {and} be like the body of His Glory {and} Majesty, by exerting that power which enables Him even to subject everything to Himself.” (Philippians 3:20-21).
Lastly, the English phrase “of the household” Paul uses here is translated by one Greek word oikeios meaning the dwelling place of a domestic or relative being those of the same house, home, and family. In other words, Paul declares these Gentile Ephesians and every native Jew to be brothers and sisters of the same Heavenly Household having the same spiritual blood from our Lord Jesus Christ. The Ephesian believers now have a new family totally separate from their earthly families and of far greater bond also than their earthly families (Galatians 6:10), even with the Jewish believers in our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ as put very crisp, concise, and compact with these words, “Sin has divided mankind, but Christ unites by His Spirit.” (Warren Wiersbe). This reality of a Heavenly Family is precisely what God the Father had in mind when sending His Son (Jesus Christ) to reconcile lost and sinful man back to Him as the Apostle John was so amazed and astonished at when he wrote these words, “SEE WHAT [an incredible] quality of love the Father has given (shown, bestowed on) us, that we should [be permitted to] be named {and} called {and} counted the children of God! And so we are! The reason that the world does not know (recognize, acknowledge) us is that it does not know (recognize, acknowledge) Him. Beloved, we are [even here and] now God’s children; it is not yet disclosed (made clear) what we shall be [hereafter], but we know that when He comes {and} is manifested, we shall [as God’s children] resemble {and} be like Him, for we shall see Him just as He [really] is.” (1 John 3:1-2).
My own Personal Note: Titus 3:3-5 (AMP): “For we also were once thoughtless, senseless, obstinate, disobedient, deluded and misled; [we too were once] slaves to all sorts of cravings and pleasures, wasting our days in malice and jealousy and envy, hateful (hated, detestable) and hating one another. But when the goodness and loving-kindness of God our Savior to man [as man] appeared, He saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but because of His own pity and mercy, by the cleansing bath of the new birth (regeneration) and renewing of the Holy Spirit.” Titus 3:3 paints us a picture of our state before regeneration or new birth occurs in our hearts. Recall that in chapters 2 and 3 we discussed the evidence of our unregenerate nature as defined in the scriptures. Now what actually happens to us when we receive this cleansing bath of the new birth (regeneration) and renewing of the Holy Spirit? In Matthew 18:3 (AMP) Jesus explains how we will be changed when we allow Him to enter our lives and change us: “Truly I say to you, unless you are converted (change, turned quite around, reversed) and become like little children [trusting, lowly, loving, and forgiving], you can never enter the kingdom of heaven [at all].” Little children hang on every word and action of their earthly parents. They want to follow their earthly parents wherever they go and eagerly look forward to spending all their time with them. Children accept everything their earthly parents say as the truth and in essence “worship” their earthly parents. They fear and even revere their earthly parents. In a similar way, conversion, regeneration, or new birth demonstrates those qualities of absolute trust and eagerness. That should be the new character and behavior of all true Christians or Disciples of Christ. The word “Christian” is used only twice in the entire Bible. It comes from the Greek word Christianos, which means “follower of Christ” or “little Christ.” When we encounter the living Christ, we begin to follow Him, wherever He leads, as a little child does his earthly parents. Excerpt from my Book entitled, “Silent Assassins of the Soul: Finding Freedom from Sexual Impurity through the Lord Jesus Christ, A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs”
“In this chapter the Church of God is compared to a city, which, has a variety of privileges, rights, etc., founded on regular charters and grants. The Gentiles, having believed in Christ, are all incorporated with the believing Jews in this holy city. Formerly, when any of them came to Jerusalem, being, strangers, they had no kind of rights whatever; nor could they, as mere heathens, settle among them. Again, if any of them, convinced of the errors of the Gentiles, acknowledged the God of Israel, but did not receive circumcision, he might dwell in the land, but he had no right to the blessings of the covenant; such might be called, sojourners - persons who have no property in the land, and may only rent a house for the time being.” Adam Clarke
If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...
Sincerely in Christ,
Clifford D. Tate, Sr.
Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…
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