Wonderful words of encouragement for Gentiles who before had been without hope and without God in the world! What marvelous results have been accomplished by the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross! Only by the grace of God were Jews saved, but they had the promise of the coming of Christ to bring wonderful blessing to them. Gentiles had no such promise. Yet the grace of God in Christ Jesus, like the branches of Joseph’s fruitful vine, has gone over the wall of separation. Eternal salvation is now proclaimed to Gentiles on the same basis as to Jews.

Nor are Gentiles made Jews. They are not now citizens of Jerusalem nor members of Israel’s household. But Jewish and Gentile believers are made one in Christ Jesus. They are fellow-citizens, not of any earthly city, but of “the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” Their citizenship is outside this world. Of course, only at the Lord’s coming for us shall we be introduced into the heavenly city, but our citizenship is established there already now, together with all the saints of God.

On the other hand, we are “of the household of God.” This is a present accomplished fact to be valued and enjoyed before the day of our being called to our heavenly dwelling. God has a household now, in which every child of God has a rightful place. He should recognize the authority of the Lord Jesus there, as Son over God’s house, and realize His ordering things in a way that glorifies God. If we gather to the name of the Lord Jesus, we are gathering consistent with the truth of God’s house, and therefore we will know the sweetness of His presence in our midst.