The reality of Gentile believers' union with Jewish believers 2:11-13

2:11 In view of what God has done for us in changing us, we Gentile believers need to remember certain things. Paul used "flesh"here in the literal sense (i.e., the body) rather than in one of its metaphorical sense (i.e., the sinful human nature or all that we are in Adam). Great differences existed between Jewish and Gentile believers before the Cross.

"The one word that best describes the Gentiles is without. They were outside' in several respects."⁵⁸

2:12 Paul listed five privileges Gentile believers did not enjoy that Jewish believers did enjoy before the Cross. First, Gentile believers were separate from Christ, Messiah. They had no corporate national hope centered in a Messiah as the Jews did. Second, God excluded them as a people from citizenship in Israel. Individual Gentiles could become members of the nation of Israel, but as a whole the Gentiles had no part in what God planned to do in and through Israel. The Gentiles were aliens from Israel in this sense. Third, they had no direct part in the promises of God to Israel contained in the biblical covenants (Abrahamic, Mosaic, and Davidic).⁵⁹Fourth, as a people they had no corporate future promised by God to which they could look and in which they could hope as Israel did. Fifth, they were separate from God. In contrast God had reached out to Israel and drawn her to Himself.

2:13 "But"points to another great contrast (cf. v. 4). Because of Jesus Christ's death God has brought Gentiles near to Himself and to the Jews in a sense never before true. Sin results in death and separation. However, Christ's obedience resulted in life and reconciliation with other people as well as with God for Gentiles.

There is obvious continuity between the redeemed people of God in the Old Testament and the redeemed people of God in the New Testament. However here Paul stressed the differences between these two groups.⁶⁰Covenant theology stresses the continuity between the two groups whereas dispensational theology stresses the differences between them. Many covenant theologians deny these differences.