The Unifying Power of the Gospel
Notes
Transcript
Ephesians 2:11-22
Ephesians 2:11-22
In the beginning of chapter 2 Paul has discussed how we are saved by grace alone apart from our works.
He says that this is the case, so that there is no one that can boast about their righteousness, and all boasting is on God alone.
Paul is now building off of that idea, and is going to illustrate that we all are 1 in Christ.
He first does this by illustrating the difference between Jews and Gentiles.
So, then, remember that at one time you were Gentiles in the flesh—called “the uncircumcised” by those called “the circumcised,” which is done in the flesh by human hands. 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.
Paul is basically making a distinction between Jews and Gentiles.
First he points out that Jews would slander gentiles for being uncircumcised. They took this physical act that God had given them as a representation of them being is people, and used it to slander the people around them.
Next he goes on to distinguish between Gentiles and Jews, Gentiles were:
Without Christ, and excluded from Israel
Foreigners of the covenant of promise
Without hope and without God
Paul paints a very grim picture of what it meant to be a gentile.
But this is where Grace changes everything:
But now in Christ Jesus, you who were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who made both groups one and tore down the dividing wall of hostility. In his flesh, he made of no effect the law consisting of commands and expressed in regulations, so that he might create in himself one new man from the two, resulting in peace.
Now the people who were far away, the foreigners without hope have been brought into the fold of God, through the blood of Jesus.
In Jesus dying and rising again, God has tore down these walls that separated Jews and Gentiles, because all have fallen short of the law of God, and everyone must have some form of payment for their sin. Thus, the only thing that saves man is the death and resurrection of Jesus.
This is important because Jews were self-righteous and believed they were saved because of how well they followed the law, but in the gospel God declares to the world you’ve all failed and I’m going to save you anyway.
And ultimately what God has done is that, in Jesus there is no longer a separation of people, but we all are 1 new person.
Your identity is either Christian or not.
Paul goes on a little farther:
He did this so that he might reconcile both to God in one body through the cross by which he put the hostility to death. He came and proclaimed the good news of peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.
Paul says that Jesus did all of this to restore both Jew and Gentile to a right relationship with their creator, eliminating any grounds for hostility or hatred between them.
And even more than that Paul says that we have access to God through one Spirit meaning we are all guided and access God through the Holy Spirit.
So what does this mean:
So, then, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with the saints, and members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. In him the whole building, being put together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you are also being built together for God’s dwelling in the Spirit.
In Christ we are all members of God’s household, and a part of the church that God is building, that He can be in relation with and live and work through.
Practical take-aways:
There is no one group of people more precious and loved by God.
You are no more worthy of salvation than anyone else.
In Christ there is ultimately one group of people, and in a world that tries to divide us we should cast all that aside and boast that our identity rests in Christ.
