Tag: citizenship in heaven

At that time you were without Christ, excluded from the citizenship of Israel, and foreigners to the covenants of promise, without hope and without God in the world.

But now in Christ Jesus, you who were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ…

For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So, then, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with the saints, and members of God’s household. (Ephesians 2:12-13, 18-19)

This is perhaps my favorite passage in Ephesians. And it perfectly encapsulates Christmas and why Jesus came.

We were outsiders to God’s family, foreigners to all of God’s promises of blessing to Abraham and his descendants. But now in Jesus, we who were once far away have been brought near.

We see this in Jesus’ own family tree.

Tamar was a Canaanite, a people that God would ultimately order the Israelites to destroy because of their sin. (Matthew 1:3; Genesis 10:15-18, 15:16; Leviticus 18:24-28; Deuteronomy 7:1-4)

Rahab also was a Canaanite and a prostitute as well. (Matthew 1:5)

Ruth was a Moabite, another group that was supposed to have been excluded. (Matthew 1:5 Deuteronomy 23:3-4)

All of them perfectly fit what Paul talked about: excluded from the citizenship of Israel, foreigners to the covenant of promise, without hope and without God in the world.

But they were brought near, fellow citizens with the saints and members of God’s household.

And so are we.

Meditate on those words this Christmas. Chew on them.

And rejoice.

I know I am.