The access is through Christ. Both are equal through Him! "Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. Ephesians 2:19-22.

This is no natural covenant as was the old covenant, but it is in the Spirit, through faith in the Christ, likewise, this temple is no natural temple, but it is the church, His body, and the only temple that the Bible predicts will be built. The old covenant was centered around the old temple buildings with its altars and animal sacrifices, with strict ordinances which no one could fully keep. The new covenant is centered upon Christ, and His Spirit inhabits a collective temple, not made with hands, the hearts of men, making up His body, the church. This body needs no natural temple building or altars, because Jesus became the sacrifice forever for all who receive Him.

This breaking down of the middle wall of partition, then, is not to make unbelieving Jews one with Christians, or gentiles as to that matter, but both groups must come through the blood of Jesus to become one in Him. Jesus did the work, but we must receive it for it to be effective in our lives.

"For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of the Christ Jesus, in behalf of you nations [gentiles], if so that you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God given me toward you; how that by revelation was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote afore in few words, whereby when you read, you can perceive my understanding in the mystery of the Christ; which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in Spirit; that the nations [gentiles] are fellow-partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the Gospel, whereof I became a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given me according to the working of His power (to me, the least of all saints, was this grace given), to preach to the nations [gentiles] the unsearchable riches of the Christ and to bring to light what is the dispensation of the mystery hid for the ages in God who created all things; in order that now unto the principalities and the powers in the heavenlies be made known through the church the manifold wisdom of God according to a plan of the ages which he made in the Christ, Jesus our Lord;" Ephesians 3:1-11, NENT.

It is obvious that this is the body of Christ, the church, which God will work through until the "times of the gentiles" be fulfilled. The nations are fellow-heirs through the "promise" in Christ through the gospel. His body includes both natural Israelites (Including Jews) and gentiles, all who have accepted Jesus as their Savior, as one new man. It is also interesting to see that Paul was imprisoned because of preaching the "mystery" to the gentiles. This is seen in Ephesians 3:1 and Colossians 4:2-4.

No wonder the Jews wanted to stop him, he was teaching the gentiles about the fulfillment of the "mystery" that the kingdom of God had now come to them. The Jews did not understand that God had made the gentiles, whom they considered heathen, to be equal with them, and fellow-heirs. Many Christians do not understand that today. But the fact is, those Jews who did not accept Christ died in their sins and were not heirs at all.

Some teach that Jesus descended into hell and preached to the Israelites who had died without Jesus, and led them away to heaven. I think that this is a total distortion of Scripture. If the Israelites believed in a coming Messiah, it was reckoned to them as righteousness. If they died unbelieving, they are lost. It is appointed unto man once to die and after that the judgment.

"Now I rejoice in my suffering for you, and fill up on my part what are lacking of the afflictions of the Christ in my flesh for His body, which is the church; whereof I became minister, according to the dispensation of God given toward you, to fulfill the word of God, the mystery hidden from the ages and from the generations: but now has it been manifested to His saints, to whom God was pleased to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the nations, which is Christ in you [gentiles], the hope of glory:" Colossians 1:24-29, NENT.

Isn't that a fantastic revelation? That the hope of glory is Christ in the masses. But remember that the term gentiles, in this sense, includes all those who come to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Whosoever will, remember? Notice that He called the gentiles His saints. In Romans 1:7, Paul said the beloved of God in Rome were also called as saints.

"And confessedly great is the mystery of godliness; Who was manifested in flesh, justified in Spirit, seen of angels, preached among nations [gentiles], believed on in the world, received up in glory [brilliancy and splendor]," I Timothy 3:16, NENT. There's that gentile connection again.

"I want you to know how much I am struggling for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally. My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Colossians 2:1-3. NIV.

So, the "mystery" of God is completely expressed in Christ Himself, and His manifestation was for the purpose of bringing forth this "mystery," making all one in Himself.

There it is again, the blessings of Abraham, which are according to "promise," and by "faith," not under the law. And the promise that was given to Abraham is now appropriated to these Gentiles. Everyone who accepts Christ into his life and walks in obedience to Him is in this group of "Gentiles" [masses]. Without the marvelous work that Christ did by His sacrificial death on the cross, the covenant of Abraham would never have been extended to the gentiles. It was for this reason that Christ came.

The ministry of the gospel during the intervening years has continued and it will continue into the future.

Continue with:  "Will all Jews be Saved?"

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