But there’s more in these verses. As a matter of fact, these are some of the most meaningful Scriptures we have.
Eph 2:12-13
12That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
13But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. (KJV)
First, we see the five things that describe our hopeless condition prior to our salvation through the blood of Christ:
We were without Christ.
We had been alienated from the commonwealth of Israel.
We were strangers from the Abrahamic covenant promises.
Because of the above three, we had no hope.
We were without God in the world.
Before we can show what happened to us Geniles upon receiving Christ, we must identify the "two groups" in verse thirteen above. Only then can we understand what happened to us and apply what it means to us Gentiles today.
These "two groups" are called the "far off group" and the "nigh group" respectively. You see, in the Old Testament, the Gentiles were identified by the term “far off” while the saved Jews were identified by the term “nigh or near.”
We Gentiles were the "far off group" and the saved Jews were the "nigh or near group."
Here are three Scriptures from the Old Testament which identify these two groups for you.
Ps 148:14
14He also exalteth the horn of his people, the praise of all his saints; even of the children of Israel, a people near unto him. Praise ye the LORD. (KJV)
This verse identifies the children of Israel as the "near group."
Micah 4:3
3And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. (KJV)
This verse identifies the “nations” (not Jews) as the "far off group." Obviously, the word “nations” or nationalities includes people other than Jews.
The next verse shows both groups in one verse. You will find this verse quoted by Paul in Ephesians chapter two.
Isa 57:19
19I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the LORD; and I will heal him. (KJV)
Now here is Paul’s quote in Ephesians 2:17 of Isaiah’s statement above.
Eph 2:17
17And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.
(KJV)
Now the "far off group," as we learned above, had none of the five blessings from Abraham's covenant while the "near group" had them all.
You remember that the saved Jews were born with the five things because of their place, by birth, in the Abrahamic covenant.
You also remember that when a Jew accepted Christ as God’s final sacrifice for sin under Moses’ law, they maintained what they were born with in Abraham’s covenant. They maintained their birthright of healing, prosperity, family well being and salvation.
You also remember that a Gentile is grafted into these same Abrahamic blessings of healing, prosperity, family well being and salvation the very moment he/she receives Christ as his/her savior.
In other words, we Gentiles get these blessings by the “new birth.” Conversely, a Jew was born with them because of his/place place in the Abrahamic covenant. Put differently, he/she got them by his physical birth and maintains them by the New Birth.
Again, to say it another way, when he/she accepts Christ as his/her final sacrifice for sin under Moses law, he/she maintains the healing, prosperity, family well being and salvation he/she was born with in the Abrahamic covenant.
Now when Gentiles accept Christ as their personal Savior, they are instantly and supernaturally transferred, by the blood of Christ, from the "far off group" into the "near group" on an absolute equal footing with the saved Jews. Who are the saved Jews?
In the Old Testament, the saved Jews were those of Israel who made the proper sacrifice for their sins as prescribed by Moses’ law. In so doing, they maintained what they were born with in Abraham’s covenant.
In the New Testament, the saved Jews are those who accept Jesus as God’s final sacrifice for sin, rather than the blood of bulls and goats required in Moses' law.
Wonder of all wonders! We Gentiles are supernaturally moved from one group to another by the blood of Jesus. We are transferred from the "far "off group" into the "near group" by the supernatural power of God. This supernatural transfer is caused by our accepting the blood of Jesus as the final and full payment for our sins.
Now we Gentiles are transferred into the same group of saved Jews who possessed healing, family well being, prosperity and salvation beginning in Genesis 12. This is where God began making the Abraham covenant that contained 60 promises.
Now that we Gentile Christians have Christ, we are not aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and we are right at home in the covenant promises of Abraham.
Consequently, we have hope and we have God in this world, as well as in the world to come. Now we share the blessings of healing, prosperity, family well being and salvation equally with the saved Jews.
