How are Gentiles who were far off made nigh to God?
Gentiles who were once far off, without hope and outside Israel's covenants, are made nigh to God by the blood of Christ. This reconciliation is not achieved by entering a covenant relationship or by coming under Judaism, but solely through Christ's finished work on the cross.
Les explains that Gentiles were once without Christ, aliens from Israel’s commonwealth, strangers to the covenants of promise, and without hope in the world. But now, in Christ Jesus and His finished work on the cross, those far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ—not by entering a covenant or coming under Judaism. This inverted the old order: whereas the Old Testament was Jew only with a few Gentile exceptions, now it is practically Gentile only with a few Jewish exceptions. Isaiah foretold that God would be found by those not seeking Him and manifested to those not asking after Him—the Gentiles, who were saturated in paganism. God sent Paul to those very people, fulfilling the rule that no one seeks God.
But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
More Questions
How are the far-off Gentiles brought near to God?
In the next verse, Ephesians 2:13, the glorious hope for us Gentiles is that those who were once far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
Why were the Gentiles described as 'far off' in Ephesians 2:13?
The Gentiles in Ephesians 2:13 were 'far off' because they were steeped in paganism and had no knowledge of the God of Abraham, and they are brought near by the blood of Christ.