Ephesians 2:11-22

Ephesians 2:11-22

All men are equally lost, but not all men are equally aware of being lost. That awareness of being lost is the first step in our coming to God. Paul describes being lost in what we might call five degrees or expressions of our separation. First, Gentiles who are physically uncircumcised lack the physical sign or evidence of a relationship with God. Second, they were not part of the chosen people, the nation of Israel, the people called to bear witness to God. Third, they did not share in the covenants that promised any relationship with God. Fourth, they were without hope; there was no better future for them. Fifth, and finally, they were without God. The word used here is atheist.

“But,” here Paul places emphasis on the word “now.’ In verse 13, we have been brought close by the blood of Christ. And we have peace because of what Christ has done. Likely Paul had Isaiah 57:18-21 and his mind as he wrote these words. There is peace and healing in the Lord, but there is no peace for the wicked, those who are outside of Christ. It is worth noting that anyone who is outside of Christ is wicked, regardless of his or her conduct. Paul subtly explains the terms of the peace accomplished by Christ. First there is the peace between two groups (or more) of people. Anywhere we can find a dichotomy and hostility in the world, we can also find peace if we find it in Christ, Jew-Gentile, Greek-Barbarian, Roman citizen – non-citizen. But even greater, the barrier between this one common humanity and God is now removed. Access to God is now a possibility by Jesus‘ work on the cross.

Paul would have been well aware of the barriers that were part of the Jewish temple worship. There were the barriers beyond which a Gentile who came to the temple was not allowed to pass. There was the barrier of the veil in the temple that separated the holy place from the most holy place. Paul would’ve been aware that when Jesus died, the veil was torn into. In His body on the cross, Jesus removed and eliminated the hostility that separates people from each other and from God. What is more, these new united people are becoming a temple made to fit perfectly together. Since we are the temple, we must never forget the purpose of the temple: to be the presence of God on earth and to serve the God of heaven from here on earth.

“Lord, help me to live out my reality of being part of Your temple. AMEN"

Ephesians 2:1-10

Ephesians 2:1-10

In this passage Paul describes the marvel by which we are changed from corpses to works of art. The first problem everyone must overcome in their coming to Christ and their life as a disciple is to comprehend the extreme evil of our conditions before and apart from Christ. We would like to imagine ourselves as pretty good folks who at worst might need a little touch here or there. Paul says in “Trespasses and Sins” that is either minor occasional infractions or all-out gross rebellions, we are a corpse. The picture is more than lifelessness; it carries the ideal of rot, filth, and decay—a physical nightmare. Jesus did not come to make nice people better; there are no nice people, nor to make bad people good; we are all worse than bad. The purpose of Christ was to make dead people alive. The analogy of a dead body is especially powerful because a dead body can’t do anything to improve itself but can only go on to greater levels of decay. It is completely helpless to solve its own problem. We need to remember that the disgusting condition is not the result of only horrific acts of evil but also those things we might think are inconsequential things or minor trespasses. 

The rescue is not a result of any act of holiness or goodness we can accomplish. We accept His grace but are but passive participants of what God does because of His mercy motivated by His love. Mercy carries the implication of actions that treat the misery caused by sin. Verse 6 has given rise to a number of fantastic and complex explanations about our spiritual place in the universe. But all things being equal, the simplest answer is most likely the best. The language of v. 6 is shared in Romans 6:4 and Col 2:12 to refer to baptism. In baptism God seats us in the heavenly order as a people who are to do good works or live holy lives. The manifestation of His greatness is accomplished in our holy living. Again, this life is itself not the result of our goodness but God’s great grace. As a result we are God’s workmanship, that is, His highly crafted, skillfully produced work of an artisan, made for the purpose of good works. The life of good works is vital for the disciple, not as a way to earn salvation, but because it is our new life. Good works are as much a part of who we are as walking, talking, breathing, and eating. The person who claims to be a disciple but isn’t living holy needs to examine themselves and ask if they are a corpse or a work of art. 

“Lord, grant that I will live holy because that is what You made me to do. AMEN”