December 2-3, 2017
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Reading along with us in Ephesians? Here’s today’s reading:
Ephesians 2 (ESV)
And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.....Continue Reading
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13But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility❤️
And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near.
Rich in mercy
Grace
Incomprehensible grace
19So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.🙌🏽
19So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God
We no longer belong or are citizens of this world, we are the free citizens of heaven!
What a great progression in this chapter. Paul ends chapter 1 talking about some of the great things Jesus is, describing His power and authority. And then he begins chapter 2 saying “but we were trapped in sin” doing all the things that sin dictated which made us objects of wrath. That’s what we brought to the table and that’s what we deserved. But God was rich in mercy and grace and in spite of ourselves offers a salvation based on Christ, faith and grace. Now that salvation not only forgives sin and makes us right with God, it sends us on a mission to do the works of service that God created us for. But it not only sends us on a mission, but radically changes our status before God and before the Jews, In the new covenant we become one with the old covenant and are included in Israel. Verse 15 is great, that God’s purpose was to make one new man (Christians) out of the two (gentiles and Jews). Thereby we become part of the family and part of the inheritance and part of the building being built to glorify God, rising high to manifest His greatness. It’s a temple really filled with Hid presence, the Holy Spirit.
Only our great God could accomplish this!
I have been reading Ancient History with Elise and also the book of Daniel as back study for the study in Revelation. It is so interesting how it all fits together. The history reveals the gentile nations’ total ignorance of God and the embrace of pagan gods, made-up gods. Daniel’s faithfulness to God and “witness” to Nebuchadnezzar (and others) is a little picture into God’s big plan to use the Jewish nation to bless all nations through the Messiah, Jesus Christ.
“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. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.”