7. The Plight of the Gentiles According to Ephesians 2:12

When we consider the plight of the Gentiles as told by Paul, can you not see what grace God had bestowed on the People of Israel under the times of the Law ? And the many things Spiritual that they possessed. Surely it was grace to have something, when the Gentiles had nothing ! We sometimes get carried away with the gusher of grace God has given during our times, since Calvary and its meaning which was unfolded through Paul's ministry. It was not at the cross, historically, but thru the revelation of what has happened at the cross ( through Paul ) that turns tragedy in the eyes of men into triumph in the eyes of faith for those who believe in that revelation.

There was grace, under the dispensation of Law, even as there are principles of law during the dispensation of Grace. Dispensationalists as a rule, have emphasized the many differences, and have some times gone overboard in this area ( according to this writer.) Critics have often stated that the way Dispensationalists teach, they open themselves up to a seeming unbalanced presentation that almost implies 'two plans of salvation in the Bible' This must be avoided like the plague.

Consider the Law. Paul states, "Wherefore the law is holy and the commandment holy, and just and good." Rom. 7:12 Not bad ! The Law was a reflection of their God, who was also holy, just and good. Paul also states, "For we know that the Law is spiritual….." Rom. 7:14.

Consider their God. God is Spirit, not a spirit. They that worship him, must worship Him, in spirit and truth.

Paul gives a list of "haves" that belonged exclusively to the Israelites. Rom. 9:4-5

The Adoption- They were the nation among nations. "Israel is my son, my first-born" Ex. 4:22, Amos 3:2

The Glory- They had the very presence of God in their midst. II Chron. 5:13-14

The Covenants – God made covenants with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. These were also for all the offspring.

The Giving of the Law- to the People of Israel. That holy, just, good and spiritual law

The Service of God – the acceptable way of approaching and worshipping God was given to them.

The Promises- All that was promised to the Fathers were theirs also. They were given promises of future glory in the Kingdom

The Fathers –Abraham, the friend of God, Jacob, the Prince of God Of whom, Messiah came, Son of Abraham, Son of David.

Paul shows the things the have-nots (the Gentiles) did not have before Christ started dispensing grace through the ministry of the Apostle Paul.

They were without Christ –Separate and apart from such a Person God's anointed Son and Servant

They were alienated from the commonwealth and citizenship of Israel God's chosen people.

They were strangers from the covenants of promise. Without a leg to stand on

They were without hope- They had no future to look forward to

They were without God in the world. Really ?!?!

In the Greek, this sentence could read, Gods-less in the world. The reading is this way because the word for 'God' is plural, an 'a' is before it in order to show a negative situation. So, what we have is a possible translation 'Gods-less in the world'. But this does not seem to ring true, since Gentiles were polytheistic, they had many Gods. It could be translated ' atheists in the world', but then again, we know that they served many Gods. They were not atheists.

There is another reading that could go like this : "without GODS in the world". Does this make any sense to you ? Let's go back to a place where Jesus has a confrontation with some Jews. John 10:33-36 The Jews accused Jesus of blasphemy because Jesus, being a man, made himself to be God.

" Jesus answered them, "Is it not written in your law, 'I said, ye are gods? ' If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scriptures cannot be broken: Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest: because I said, I am the Son of God ?

If we turn back to the passage quoted by the Lord, we would turn to Psalm 82. There we find God in conversation with those who were judges in Israel in the place of God, Himself. They were judging unjustly. They were gods, but they were going to die like men, because they had fallen into displeasure with God. There are other references to find these same judges/gods.

But for the closing of this study, we shall turn to the relationship that Moses and Aaron had before they were to appear before Pharaoh. In Exodus 4:14-16, Moses makes excuses that he cannot speak before Pharaoh. At that time Aaron is approaching Moses. God tells Moses that Aaron shall be a spokesman and a mouth for Moses and Moses shall be to Aaron instead of a god. In Exodus 7:1, "the Lord said unto Moses, See, I have made thee a god unto Pharaoh: and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet."

In Psalm 82, and with the story of Moses and Aaron, there seems to be a help to what Paul is saying to the Ephesians about the plight of the Gentiles, when they were without gods. There was no voice of truth among the Gentiles. Without a vision, a revelation from God, the people will perish. The Gentiles were perishing because they were without gods. There was no message to tell them of a pathway to safety, salvation or deliverance. But, now that Christ had come, all this has changed for those who would believe this message.

This is not to imply that there are 'gods' today among the peoples of the earth. John's Gospel gives testimony that there is no necessity today, for signs, wonders and miracles in order for God to communicate His truth for today. John wrote concerning a very few selected signs. John states that

"…many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples which are not written in this book: but these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name." 20:30-31

God has left a written record for all to believe. Although Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever, this is not a proof text for signs wonders and miracles. Jesus Christ lived about 30 years before he ever did a first sign. And then, he changed, (not his nature, but his plan, method and ministry) and began showing forth his credentials as Messiah with great power. Many probably died, with or without many sicknesses during this 30 year period.

JERRY W. STERCHI

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