The Dwelling Place of God

Ephesians 2:19–22 NKJV

19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

Review - Going back to verses 11 and 12

Ephesians 2:11–12 (NKJV)

11 Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh—who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands—

12 that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.

Ephesians 2:13 (NKJV)

13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

Ephesians 2:14–18 NKJV

14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, 15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, 16 and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. 17 And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. 18 For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.

Then we come to verse 19 which starts with “Now, therefore” We already saw the “but now” in verse 13 with the distinguishing factor being that we are now in Christ and the transforming power being the blood of Christ.

So that all that follows in verses 13-22 is dependant on this one factor. That we are in Christ. Whether Jew or Gentile outside of Christ there can be no hope because he said that God made us alive together with Christ. If we are not in Christ then we remain dead in trespasses.

However for those who are in Christ, whether Jew or Gentile we all have access the Father by one Spirit.

Now coming back to the Gentile condition He said that we once were Gentile (foreigners). The words Gentile foreigner, heathen, nations all refer to the same thing, other than Israel. So if we were once other than Israel what are we now?

No Longer Strangers and Foreigners

Ephesians 2:19 NKJV

19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,

Strangers and foreigners referring to what we once were Gentiles and strangers from the covenants of promise. Paul says we are no longer Gentiles. But rather we are fellow citizens as opposed to aliens from the commonwealth of Israel.

So we are starting to see the mystery that Paul is revealing. When we come to Christ by faith we are created a new creature in Christ. What that means for us who were Gentiles is that we are now Israel.

So you say, are you saying that we must be Israel to be saved? To which Paul would answer yes. True Israel always has been and always will be God’s people so if salvation makes us God’s people yes we must be Israel to be saved.

Romans 11:13 NKJV

13 For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry,

Romans 11:17–18 NKJV

17 And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree, 18 do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you.

Galatians 3:26–29 NKJV

26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

1 Peter 2:9–10 NKJV

9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.

Where did Peter get this language?

Exodus 19:5–6 NKJV

5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. 6 And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.”

So coming back to our passage

Ephesians 2:19 NKJV

19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,

Members of God’s household. Not only has God made us his nation but he has adopted us into His family.

Ephesians 1:5 NKJV

5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,

This means that we are brothers and sisters in Christ. In God’s household.

Rather than enmity between us and God and between one another in Christ we have been reconciled with both and we have unity we have family.

the most used reference for Christians in the New Testament is bretheren. Which is not just brothers as we read in Gal there is neither male nor female but we are all one in Christ.

But rather bretheren denotes family. And the love that we are said to have for one another is Philadelphia which is not the State in the USA but is a special love for your family. Only in the Bible is the word “philadelphia” use in relationships other than your biological family.

Romans 12:9–10 NKJV

9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. 10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another;

Jesus said,

John 13:34–35 NKJV

34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Here the word love is the Greek word “agape” Which is unconditional love.

Perhaps the world would recognise us better as disciples of Christ is we spent less time fighting as brothers and sister and more time being kindly affectionate to one another in brother love and obeying the command of Christ to love one another unconditionally.

Christ has broken down the wall between the Gentiles and the Jews and united us together in Christ destoying the enmity between us and yet we have been building up walls of division ever since. We have churches divided by race, divided by denomination, divided by class. This is not what Christ set up and I suspect that when He returns He will have some things against us.

Romans 14:19–20 NKJV

19 Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another. 20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are pure, but it is evil for the man who eats with offense.

After his reference to God’s household Paul goes straight into the temple metaphor.

A Holy Temple, A Dwelling place for God

Ephesians 2:20–22 NKJV

20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

At the time of Paul writing this letter there was in Ephesus a magnificent temple, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, built for the Goddess Diana at the same time there stood in Jerusalem the Jewish Temple which at one time housed the shekinah glory and represented Jehovah dwelling among His people both they where both empty of the living God.

God has alway dwelt among His people. this was pictured in the tabernacle in the wilderness in which was the shekinah glory of God. It is also pictured in the pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire that when before the Israelites leading them.

Paul tells us here that God own people of both Jews and Gentiles, now are the temple, the dwelling place of God.

Having been built of the foundation of the apostles and prophets.

That is not on them as people but on their teachings which we now have in the books of the New Testament.

Jesus Christ being the chief cornerstone. Here is a reference to Isa 28:16

Isaiah 28:16 NKJV

16 Therefore thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, A tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; Whoever believes will not act hastily.

The only true foundation of God’s people is Christ. The cornerstone must be perfect, straight and square, because the whole building is lined up off that one stone and the integrity of the building depends on the trueness of the cornerstone.

So it is on Christ that the whole building is being fit together for a dwelling place of God.

1 Corinthians 6:19–20 NKJV

19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit, but there is a special manifestation of the whole temple of God when we gather together. Christ said where two or three gather in my name I am in the midst.

1 Peter 2:4–9 NKJV

4 Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, “Behold, I lay in Zion A chief cornerstone, elect, precious, And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.” 7 Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, “The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone,” 8 and “A stone of stumbling And a rock of offense.” They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed. 9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;