Ephesians 3:6: Fellow Heirs, Fellow Members, Fellow Partakers

Ephesians 3:6
[6] This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. (ESV)

Do you remember the great TV show, "The Brady Bunch?" Some of you younger folks might have to consult YouTube to find out what I am talking about. The Brady Bunch was about a combined family. The kids had to learn how to get along as one big family. This really reminds me of what has happened in the body of Christ. Jew and Gentiles. Now, they are a combined family. And like any combined family there are going to be challenges.

Paul uses this word "fellow" in Ephesians 3:6. Fellow heirs. Fellow members of the same body. Fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus. I can imagine some of the Jewish members of that family having some issues. It's one thing to say that we are all the same body. But I can imagine that the idea of Gentiles sharing in the same inheritance as the Jews had to be a hard pill to swallow. For their whole lives Jews were brought up to despise the Gentiles and view them as dogs. In fact, when they said the word "Gentile" they would spit. Fellow heirs? Wow.

Today, we have less of an issue with Jew and Gentile. For us it might be some other area of difference. Are you from a different race, a different country, a different economic status or some other difference? If we belong to Christ Jesus we are one. Fellow heirs. Fellow members. Fellow partakers of the promise. I am so glad that Christ's body includes me. And it includes you, if you have placed your faith in Him.

Who is it that you have a problem with them being a fellow heir, member of Christ's body, or partaker of the promise? Why not ask God to break down your walls of hostility towards those who are different. We are one family. Let's act like it.

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