We Both Have Access in One Spirit

Ephesians 2:11-22 ESV

“Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called ‘the uncircumcision’ by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 

“For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 

“So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.”

1. What does “alienated from the commonwealth of Israel” mean?

2. What does it mean that God has made us “both one”?

3. What does it mean that we are “fellow citizens with the saints”?

4. What is this “whole structure” being spoken of here?

5. What is the overall message being taught here?

Those who were Gentiles by birth were once separated from Christ and alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and were strangers to the covenants of the promise, having no hope and without God in the world. We were not part of Israel. But through Jesus Christ’s death on that cross and his bodily resurrection from the dead, we who believe in Jesus Christ to be Lord and Savior of our lives, God has made one with Israel by genuine faith in Jesus Christ. We are now one with Israel, the Israel of God.

And what about those who did not believe in Jesus Christ who were once Israel? They were cut off from the vine, but they can be grafted back into the vine by faith in Jesus Christ just as we Gentile believers in Christ were grafted into the vine. And if we do not remain in Christ and him in us, and if we go back to living according to the flesh, and not according to the Spirit, we can be cut out of the vine just like they were (see Romans 11:17-25). For it is not the physical descendants of Abraham who are Israel, but it is the spiritual offspring who are the children of promise (see Romans 9:4-8).

And this was done by God abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, i.e. he abolished all those Old Covenant liturgical, ceremonial, sacrificial, purification, and dietary laws and restrictions and the requirement for circumcision. But he never abolished his moral laws. They remained. So we are still required to obey God’s moral laws but not the Old Covenant liturgical and ceremonial laws the Jews of old had to obey. And in this, God created in himself “one new man” in place of the two so that Jew and Gentile are now one by God-given faith in Jesus Christ. We are one in Christ.

Thus, the physical nation of Israel is not God’s Israel. They are no longer God’s chosen people. They are of Hagar, the slave woman, equal in status with the Arab nations (Galatians 4:22-32). For we can only be God’s chosen people now via faith in Jesus Christ. So by faith in Jesus Christ it is no longer them and us, but we are one and the same in Christ. So all who believe in Jesus Christ with genuine faith in Christ are true biblical Israel, whether Jew or Gentile by physical birth. All who do NOT believe in Jesus Christ are of the devil and are antichrist (John 8:18-19,38-47; 1 John 2:22). 

So, “Messianic Jew” is really not a biblical term. We are either for Christ or we are against Christ. Personally I believe, from what I have read and have experienced, many who call themselves “Messianic Jews” are just modern-day Judaizers, for they are pushing their Jewish customs on Gentile believers in Jesus Christ, and they are convincing many of them that they should be more like Jews and that it will enhance their faith in Christ if they participate in some of the Jewish customs, ceremonies, and traditions. And then so many Christians are being taught that we are to kind of worship the Jews.

Yet there should be no separation between Jew and Gentile who believe in Jesus Christ, for through faith in Christ we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So we aren’t Gentile Christians and Jewish Christians. We are just Christians, regardless of race, nationality, and skin color. And we should all be following the same Scriptures and doing the will of God that he has for all of us to do. We should all have our lives surrendered to Jesus Christ, following him in his ways, living holy lives, pleasing to him, preaching the same gospel as Jesus and as his NT apostles taught, and not the lies of man.

So all of us who believe in Jesus Christ, regardless of nationality, race, and skin color, are fellow citizens with the saints of God and are members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus being our cornerstone. And it is in Christ that we all grow together into a holy temple in the Lord, for we are his temple, we are his building, his church. No physical building or organization of man is the church. The people of God are his only church (Israel), and in Christ we are all being built together into one dwelling place for God by the Spirit. Amen!

[John 8:18-19,38-47; Romans 9:4-8; Romans 11:17-25; Galatians 3:16,26-29; Galatians 4:22-31; Ephesians 2:11-18; Ephesians 3:6; 1 John 2:22]

Near the Cross  

Hymn lyrics by Fanny J. Crosby, 1869

Music by William H. Doane, 1869 

Jesus, keep me near the cross; 

There a precious fountain, 

Free to all, a healing stream, 

Flows from Calvary's mountain. 

Near the cross, a trembling soul, 

Love and mercy found me; 

There the bright and morning star 

Sheds its beams around me. 

 

Near the cross! O Lamb of God, 

Bring its scenes before me; 

Help me walk from day to day 

With its shadow o'er me. 

Near the cross I'll watch and wait, 

Hoping, trusting ever, 

Till I reach the golden strand 

Just beyond the river. 

In the cross, in the cross, 

Be my glory ever, 

Till my raptured soul shall find 

Rest beyond the river.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5gong-PNmY

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