Are We Abraham’s Seed?

Eph 3:6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel.

This is an amazing verse. When we think of the grace message, we think of – what? The gospel of grace. Identification. All spiritual blessings. Already seated in Heavenly places in Christ. But here in this verse Paul gives us a big picture definition of the mystery. What is Paul’s definition? That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel. This statement explicitly defines what that mystery is. Paul gives us three key, interconnected components, and each one emphasizes the total equality and unity of Gentile believers with Jewish believers.

1. “That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs”

The fact that Paul is saying that the Gentiles believers should be fellowheirs with the Jews is a monumental change from the way things were. That was (and still is) an insult to every Jew. The idea that Gentiles would be given access to THEIR inheritance is infuriating. And this was intentional by God to provoke them to jealousy. As if He’s saying, “Because of your blasphemy in rejecting my Son and crucifying Him, I’m going to allow the Gentiles – who were outsiders, who were dogs – to now also inherit the kingdom.”

When God talks about our inheritance or about us being fellowheirs whether it’s with Christ or with all the OT saints, it’s all the same thing. He’s saying that you are going to inherit the entire kingdom of God. We are inheriting all the same things Israel is inheriting – the entire Kingdom of God. Eternal life does not mean you’ve earned a ticket to Heaven, and you’re going to forever be a visitor in God’s house. Eternal life means that you’re inheriting all of God’s kingdom. God’s house has become your possession. His entire kingdom has become your possession as much as it is for the Jews. He made His kingdom for you. He wants you to possess it and enjoy it.

Thus, with this word fellowheirs, we are co-inheritors, co-possessors, and co-rulers of God’s kingdom along with Israel. Israel will have administrative roles on Earth and we will have administrative roles in our heavenly seats. Same kingdom. When Paul says in Rom. 8:32 that God has freely given you all things, he means that God has literally given you all things. He has given you all spiritual blessings and when it’s all over, you will take possession of everything that exists. Everything is literally yours for your possession. God made all of this for you to possess it. This also means we share equal privileges in God’s Kingdom as much as the saints of Israel.

2. “And of the same body”

I suspect Paul is referring to the church here, the Body of Christ. In this age of grace, this interruption of the prophetic program, unbelieving Jews and Gentiles are equals. They’re both separated from God needing redemption. Both Jews and Gentiles get saved the same way – through the Gospel of Grace. And we both become equal members of the Body of Christ. We are one serving one another in the same divine, spiritual church called the Body of Christ. Now, in the age of grace, division between Jew and Gentile has been abolished. Also, the Body of Christ, God’s church today, which is a new spiritual entity – the division again between Jew and Gentile has been abolished.

We are unified as one organic whole – all saved by the cross.

3. “And partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel”

What promise is Paul talking about here? How are we supposed to figure that out?

Context.

I’d suggest that Paul expects us to make that connection between fellowheirs and promise.

Why?

Because he’s talking about Abraham’s promise.

Paul a number of times speaks of how we are also partakers of Abraham’s promise. Consider Rom. 4:13, “For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.” Notice that Paul defines the promise here – that he should be the heir of the world. The promise is an inheritance.

Consider also Rom 4:16, “Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all.”

Paul tells us unequivocally that because of faith, Abraham is our father, which means that we are also partaking in the promise that was given to Abraham. We are heirs of the same kingdom that was promised to Abraham. Mystery and prophecy are still distinct. We still need to rightly divide the Word of Truth, but when it’s all over, Israel and the Body of Christ are all inheriting the same thing – the kingdom of God. Israel will have administrative roles on the Earth. We will have administrative roles from our heavenly seats.

Gal 3:29, “And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”

Gal 4:28, “Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.”

We are partakers of the promise of inheritance to Abraham. We are inheriting everything along with every believer who ever existed because of faith.