Continuing in this series through Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, Andy Evans examines the mystery of the gospel.

Continuing in this series through Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, Andy Evans looks at how Paul’s suffering and imprisonment serve an important purpose – the salvation of souls and the glorification of Christ Jesus.

These are the notes of a sermon preached by Andy Evans on the morning of the 2 May 2010 at Firwood Church. Click here to stream or download the sermon audio.

[Section 2b has been expanded significantly in order to deal with Ephesians 2:20 more fully.]

Ephesians 2:11–22

¹¹ 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— ¹² 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. ¹³ But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. ¹⁴ For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility ¹⁵ 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, ¹⁶ and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. ¹⁷ And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. ¹⁸ For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. ¹⁹ So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, ²⁰ built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, ²¹ in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. ²² In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

1. INTRODUCTION: THE CHURCH IS…

a. A New Kind of People

The movement in chapter two from Paul’s treatment of the gospel in effecting the salvation of dead, radically depraved sons of disobedience to the creation of ‘one new man in place of the two’ indicates that, in Paul’s mind, the formation of the church of Christ lies close to, if not at the very centre of, God’s purposes in the gospel.

We saw this last week in verses 14 and 15,

Ephesians 2:14-15

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

Two astonishing things happen at the cross. Firstly, Jesus destroys the hostility and enmity which exists between men everywhere (although, here, Paul has the hostility between Jew and Gentile particularly in view). Secondly, we see that the cross is the means by which Christ creates a new kind of people, the church.

All of which is possible because of Christ. It is not simply that Jesus makes peace (although this is also true, verse 15); Jesus is our peace. Paul understands that to be a believer in Christ is to be in Christ and to be in Christ is to surrender our desires, priorities, perspectives and very lives to him. Suddenly the most important question in the world is, ‘How can I please Christ?’ This kind of thinking and this kind of living brings incredible unity and peace. Believers are called to be Christ-like and Christ-like men and women living humble, loving lives and actively pursue peace.

So too, the church is not simply created by Christ (although this is true, as we shall see), but rather the church is created in Christ Jesus. Paul writes that Jesus,

Ephesians 2:15

…create[s] in himself one new man in place of two…

Christ is the sphere in which the church is created and exists. This is why Paul later describes the church as the body of Christ,

Ephesians 4:11–12

And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ

This makes sense, to be a believer is to be in Christ and those who are in Christ are the church of Christ. As believers come together, loving, serving and building one another up, Christ is made visible. The church of Christ is the means by which Christ is made visible in this world.

b. The People of God

But this is just the beginning, Paul then goes on to show us what the church is by using a series of metaphors,

Ephesians 2:19-22

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.

Last week we considered the first two of these metaphors,  Paul uses the language of citizenship and  adoption.

i. We Are Citizens of the Kingdom of God

Paul writes, specifically with Gentiles in view, that we are,

Ephesians 2:19

… no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints

This reminds us of Paul’s earlier reality check in which he exhorted we Gentiles to remember our former state before Christ’s awesome intervention. He reminds us we were, at that time,

Ephesians 2:12

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

Paul would have us remember that we were firmly on the outside looking in. We were ignorant of the law, commands and promises of God. We were, quite literally, without hope in this world.

This is why, for the Gentile, full inclusion, citizenship and belonging  is a most sweet and most glorious thing. We who were formerly far off are now made to be his people, his church. We who were atheists, ‘without God in the world’, are now made to be God’s chosen nation, his true Israel.[1] Indeed, the Apostle Peter reminds believers,

1 Peter 2:9–10

[...] you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

The glory of Christ in the gospel is seen when the church of Christ is rightly understood. In Christ Jesus, God takes a disparate group of people and forms them into a nation which reflect his holiness and proclaim his excellencies.

This is what the church of Christ is made to be.

ii. We Are Adopted into the Household of God

Paul moves from the language of citizenship to the metaphor of adoption, consider,

Ephesians 2:19

So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God

Consider the metaphor of citizenship when applied to the UK as we approach a General Election on Thursday. If you are a citizen of the United Kingdom and over the age of 18, you will go into the polling station, take your card and enter the polling booth. You will then mark the ballot slip and your vote will be counted.

This is perhaps the chief benefit of being a citizen of the United Kingdom.

And yet, as we enter the polling station, we will be but one of tens of millions of people casting a vote. You might vote a new party into government and yet, in truth, you are but one person among millions of faceless voters.

This, also, is what it means to be a citizen of the United Kingdom.

This is why it is so important that Paul develops his metaphor of the church further still. The church of Christ, the kingdom of God, is not like the United Kingdom. If you are a believer in Christ, you are not just one of the faceless millions of believers currently alive. You are not just another anonymous Christian in the great roll call of Christians stretching through the ages.

No. Paul reminds us that we are ‘members of the household of God’. We are adopted into the very family of God (1 John  3:1). We are counted as brothers in and brothers of Christ Jesus (Hebrews 2:11-12). We are made to be heirs and coheirs with Christ Jesus (Romans 8:16-17).

This is what it means to be a believer in Christ Jesus and this is what the church of Christ is: the very household of God.

2. A HOLY TEMPLE

But Paul then shifts and develops a third analogy and it is this that I now want to concentrate upon,

Ephesians 19-22

So then you [...] 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.

Paul begins by explaining that this new man (verse 15), the church, is a nation, a kingdom of believers, in whom Gentiles receive full citizenship. Paul then adds that this church is also like a family in which believers, Jew and Gentile alike, have access to the Father (verse 18).

Now Paul moves to describe this ‘new man’, the church, as being like a kingdom, which is like a household, which is also like a temple. This structure, ‘grows into a holy temple in the Lord’.

Here, it seems, we are on familiar territory.

All of us, understand what Paul means when he refers to the church as a temple. Irrespective of whether we are of Jewish or Gentile descent, or from a churched or unchurched background, all of us will have experienced (or at least been aware of) places of worship, whether it be the cathedral, church, mosque or synagogue.

Similarly, this reference would have been incredibly meaningful to both Jew and Gentile worshipping in Ephesus in the First Century.

For the Jew, in all likelihood, this reference would have led them to think of Herod’s temple in Jerusalem (we thought about this last week). The Gentile in Ephesus, however, would most likely be ignorant of the significance and architecture of a Jewish Temple. They would, however, have been incredibly familiar with the notion of the temple. The Temple of Artemus, some 120 years in the building, overshadowed the city, religious life and economy of Ephesus.[2] Indeed, such was the grandeur of this temple, that it is considered to be one of the Great Wonders of the World.

a. We are the temple

This is the great danger when we approach passages which deal with the church. This danger is thus amplified when Paul then draws an analogy between the church and a building.

Our culture primarily thinks of church in geographical terms. We speak of going to church, meaning that we are travelling to a specific location. We talk about maintaining the church, in reference to repairing the roof. Or we might talk of a church being beautiful, in admiration of the architectural skill displayed in the building.  This is the way in which the world primarily understands the church. We must guard ourselves against such unbiblical thinking.

When Paul talks of the church, which is like a holy temple, he is talking about us. We are the temple.

This is why the, ‘So you’ (verse 19), with which Paul leads into these three metaphors is so important. Paul wants us to understand that we are God’s temple in precisely the same way that we are citizens of his kingdom and members of his household.

Moreover, the temple of which Paul speaks is a different kind of temple, certainly to that of the Temple of Artemis. This temple, the church, is a ‘holy temple’, a temple set apart for God, a temple which reflects the character and purity of a holy God.

Paul will now proceed to described the nature of this temple and, in so doing, he is describing the church.

b. Foundations

Paul writes that this kingdom, this household, this temple, the very church of Jesus Christ, is,

Ephesians 2:20

built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets

Two things are clear with regards to this passage.

The first thing to note is that Paul writes that the apostles and prophets are, themselves, the foundation of the church. It is not merely that they are laying the foundation as Paul suggests elsewhere.[3] Secondly, all commentators agree that the designation, apostles, refers to the twelve and Paul himself.[4] Those who were commissioned by Christ Jesus to be witnesses and ambassadors of the gospel.

Paul’s intention in using the designation ‘prophets’ is, however, disputed with three exegetical possibilities.

i. Apostles and Old Testament Prophets[5]

The first possibility is that Paul is referencing the Old Testament Prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah and the like.

It is not unusual for New Testament writers to reference the Old Testament by referring to the Law and the Prophets (e.g. Matthew 11:13, 22:40; 26:56; Luke 16:16, 29, 31; John 6:45; Acts 10:43, 13:15; Romans 1:2, 3:21). If this is Paul’s meaning, then his intention would be to state that the New Testament church is built upon the foundation of the Old and New Testaments.

Now, this is true, but I suspect this is not Paul’s meaning.  The difficulty with this interpretation is threefold.

Firstly, Paul does not precede ‘prophets’ with the definite article (‘the apostles and the prophets’) which is unusual and would make this the exception among New Testament references to the Old Testament writings of the Prophets.

Secondly, the word order should concern us. If Paul is referencing the Old Testament Prophets, why then would he begin by referencing the apostles? Would it not make more sense to retain the chronology and write, ‘the prophets and the apostles’?

The third, and most compelling reason against this interpretation is found later in Chapter 3 where Paul more clearly defines the group designated as ‘apostles and prophets’,

Ephesians 3:4–5

When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.

Here it is clear that Paul cannot be referencing the Old Testament Prophets. Indeed, Paul intentionally stresses the disjunction between the Old Testament Prophets, who are among ‘the sons of men in other generations’, and this new group designated ‘holy apostles and prophets’ to whom, now, the mystery has been revealed.

Given the proximity and the similarity in phrase,[6] most commentators agree that this group (in Chapter 3 verses 5) is the same group Paul references earlier in Chapter 2 verse 20. Clearly, if this is the case, then our prophets (in verse 20) cannot be the Old Testament Prophets.

ii. Those with the New Testament gift of prophecy

In his letter to the Corinthian church, Paul unpacks the way in which the Holy Spirit equips the church for service and ministry by bestowing various spiritual gifts upon the church, including the gift of prophecy (1 Corinthians 12:4-11). Paul then goes on to set out a hierarchy for these gifts, suggesting that the gift of prophecy should be considered chief among the spiritual gifts,

1 Corinthians 14:1

Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy.

We can be confident, therefore, that there were those within the New Testament church with the gift of prophecy. Indeed, Luke, in the book of Acts, cites the four daughters of Philip (Acts 21:9) and Agabus (Acts 11:2 and 21:10) as examples of believers who had received this gift of prophecy. It seems likely also that there were those in the church in Ephesus who had received the gift of prophecy and this is why Paul reminds the church that spiritual gifts are intended for the edification of the church,

Ephesians 4:11–12

And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ

The second exegetical position purports that, in addressing the apostles and prophets, Paul is referring to those who have received the spiritual gift of prophecy.

Although this position is not without merit and strong advocates (most modern commentators adopt this position)[7] there are serious and, in my view, decisive weaknesses here.

We have already addressed the first problem in relation to Ephesians 3:3-4 above. It seems from this passage that those Paul has in view are a narrow group. It is to this narrow group of ‘holy apostles and prophets’ that the mystery hidden to other generations (specifically the inclusion of the Gentiles) has now been revealed.

It does not make sense, in my view, to juxtapose the narrow group of apostle alongside the wider (perhaps much wider) community gifted with the spiritual gift of prophecy in such a way as to imply that there is a close correlation. Even if we accept that there is evidence in the New Testament for the continuation of the office of prophet (and I remain resolutely unpersuaded), it is surely stretching matters beyond credibility to suggest that this office shares parity with the office of apostle.  This position demands a close correlation, after all, Paul writes that a revelation hidden from other generations has now been revealed to both the apostles and those who had received the gift of prophecy. Paul further insists that the foundation of the church is grounded upon both groups. This seems somewhat unconvincing.

The second difficulty is that the revelation of Ephesians 3:4-5 is wound tightly into the message and revelation of the gospel. The full inclusion of the Gentiles is at the heart of the gospel message delivered to Ephesus and Corinth. The ‘now’ of verse 5, therefore, necessarily precedes the evangelization, the planting and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the respective churches at Corinth and Ephesus. It makes no sense, therefore, to include those gifted with prophecy in Ephesus and Corinth (or anywhere else, for that matter) with the apostles who were the initial and foundational witnesses to the gospel.

The third difficulty is that this view depends upon a high view of prophecy which seems to me to be lacking in the New Testament. Professor Wayne Grudem, in The Gift of Prophecy in the New Testament and Today, persuasively argues that the office of apostle is the New Testament equivalent of the Old Testament office of Prophet.[8]

In order to understand the importance of this observation to the matter in hand, we must remind ourselves of the nature of the office of the Old Testament Prophet. The Old Testament Prophet was one who spoke the very word of God on behalf of God. This is why the Old Testament Prophet is able to declare ‘The Lord says…’ or ‘Thus says the Lord…’ without fear of committing blasphemy (e.g. Exodus 4:22; 1 Samuel 10:18; 2 Kings 20:1; Isaiah 7:7, 43:1, 14, 16; Jeremiah 2:2, 6:6, 6, 16, 21, 22, etc.).[9]

The differences between the Old Testament and New Testament prophet are significant.

There is a difference in respect of authority. The authority of the Old Testament Prophet is absolute, the word of God mediated through the Prophet retains the authority of God (Deuteronomy 18:19). This is not the case in the New Testament where Paul, for example, disregards the exhortation of  prophets and Agabus to cancel his plans to go to Jerusalem (Acts 21:4, 10-11). There is no suggestion that Paul is committing a sin in thus disregarding a prophetic word , rather, the implication is that Paul must weigh, interpret and apply the prophetic word as he himself is guided by the Spirit.

In his letter to the church in Thessalonica, Paul goes further and encourages believes to treat all prophecy with similar rigor,

1 Thessalonians 5:20–21

Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good.

The Greek word dokimazete, here translated ‘test’, means to make a critical examination in order to determine genuineness.[10] Paul’s intention is clear, when presented with a prophetic word, believers must subject the prophecy to serious and sober scrutiny without tipping into cynicism.

Furthermore, Paul here implies a further shift in the nature of New Testament prophecy. The authority of the Old Testament Prophet is considerable (they were, after all, declaring the very word of God). Consequently, the sanction imposed upon a false Prophet was severe,

Deuteronomy 18:20

…the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.

Similarly, the consequence for the Prophet in error was final,

Deuteronomy 18:21–22

And if you say in your heart, ‘How may we know the word that the Lord has not spoken?’—when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word that the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You need not be afraid of him.

The expectations placed upon the Prophet in the Old Testament is high because their authority is absolute (in declaring, ‘Thus says the Lord…’, their authority is grounded upon His authority). The Old Testament, therefore, prescribes that the false prophet must die whereas he who speaks  presumptuously should be not be regarded  a Prophet (implied in the statement, ‘You need not be afraid of him.’).[11]

We see here, in Paul’s instruction to the church in Thessalonica, that the expectations placed upon New Testament prophecy are less severe. Paul implies, therefore, that a prophecy may contain both good and bad information and that the believer should test the prophecy, discern and receive what is good and disregard what is bad.[12]

It is not credible, therefore, that Paul should intend we conclude from chapter 2 verse 20 that the apostles and New Testament prophets should be consider to be of equal weight and authority. Having understood this, it is difficult to see why Paul would include those with the gift of prophecy alongside those who held apostolic office as being foundational to the establishment of the church; which leads me to the third and preferred option.

iii. The Apostles who are the Prophets

As I have already mentioned, the New Testament office of apostle replaces the Old Testament office of Prophet. In the New Testament church, it is the apostle who has authority to declare the word of God inerrant. It is the Apostle who is now charged with writing and recording the very word of God (the Holy Scriptures).

Practically speaking, this is why we can approach the New Testament with confidence, assured that we are reading the very word of God. Furthermore, we must understand and accept that the word of God as mediated through the apostles carries the same absolute authority which we find in the Old Testament in relation to the office of Prophet.

We find that the Apostle Paul outlines this dynamic in his first letter to the church in Corinth (a church, incidentally, who, in their over-realised eschatology, believed that they were super-spiritual because they spoke in tongues, and struggled against apostolic authority),

1 Corinthians 14:37

If anyone thinks that he is a prophet, or spiritual, he should acknowledge that the things I am writing to you are a command of the Lord.

Three things are clear.

Firstly, Paul equates the authority of the apostle with that of the Old Testament Prophet, Paul’s assertion that his instruction is ‘a command of the Lord’ is akin to the Old Testament declaration, ‘Thus says the Lord…’.

Secondly, the apostolic writings take precedence over any extra-biblical revelation.

It is particularly important that we remember this in our day, given that we are so easily enticed by spiritual experience and the spectacular. Yes, God still speaks and works miraculous wonders in the midst of his people, but, as the Apostle Peter reminds us,

2 Peter 1:19–21

…we have something more sure, the prophetic word, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

Thirdly, true maturity and true spirituality is evident in submission to apostolic authority and obedience to the Scriptures. Paul continues,

1 Corinthians 14:37–38

If anyone thinks that he is a prophet, or spiritual, he should acknowledge that the things I am writing to you are a command of the Lord. If anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized.

Those who have been begraced with the gift of prophecy must come under authority and exercise their gifts in accordance with the word of God, under the authority of those whom God has appointed to shepherd the church of Christ and for the benefit and edification of the church. Those who do not recognise apostolic authority are not recognised.

It is this dynamic, the New Testament prophet exercising his or her spiritual gift under the authority and in accordance with the Scriptures, which leads me to the third, and preferred, exegetical option.

Paul reminds the church in Ephesus (and believers everywhere),

Ephesians 2:19-20

So then you [...]built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone

We have already discussed that the phrase, ‘the apostles and prophets’ lacks the definite article. This then opens up the possibility that Paul is, in fact, referring to one group of people, the apostle-prophets. Wayne Grudem argues convincingly that this passage can be translated thus,[13]

Ephesians 2:19-20

So then you [...]built on the foundation of the apostles who are the prophets…

This, then, makes sense of all that we have considered. Paul is in effect arguing that the church is constructed upon the foundation of the apostles to whom Christ has revealed the mystery of the full inclusion of the Gentiles, a mystery which was hidden in previous generations. This helps us understand that the apostles are the New Testament equivalent of the Old Testament Prophets.

Practically speaking, therefore, Paul is showing us that the Scriptures are the result of divine and supernatural revelation which is authoritive  and inerrant in a way in which the New Testament gift of prophecy given generally cannot claim to be. Furthermore, Paul writes that the church of Christ is established upon this solid foundation.

The application for us, in Westwood, Oldham, is clear.

Paul wants us to see that, yes, there is privilege, yes, there is citizenship and, yes, there is even kinship; we have become sons and daughters of the living God. And yet, in all of this there is a demand to submit to the Scriptures.

In our day, in the wake of post-modernism, relativism and pluralism and the emergence radical and unorthodox expressions of church, we must remind ourselves that the true church, the only church, is that which is founded and grounded upon the teachings of Scripture.

This is why, at Firwood Church, we take Scripture incredibly seriously. This is why we endeavour preach carefully out of the text to ensure that we remain closely tethered to the Scriptures. This is why we value bible studies. This is why we encourage you to study and think deeply about the truths of God.  This is why we seek to model and foster obedience to the word of God.

This is not abstract intellectualism.

As we thus think, study, pray and then live, we are laying deep foundations for our lives and the church of Christ.

Paul intends that the church, and this church, be built upon the Word of God.

c. The Cornerstone

Paul, however, develops this thought further.

The teachings and the gospel proclaimed by the apostles-prophets is the foundation upon which the church is built. However, the most crucial of all the foundation stones is Christ himself,

Ephesians 2:19-20

So then you [...]built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone

It is important that we think clearly here. Paul is not placing the ministry of the apostles-prophets alongside Christ Jesus as if they are somehow of equal standing in the foundation of the church. This is why it is important that we understand the importance of the imagery which Paul employs here.

In referring to Christ as the cornerstone, he is referencing the Old Testament and, more specifically, the Prophet Isaiah,

Isaiah 28:16

[...]
“Behold, I am the one who has laid as a foundation in Zion,
a stone, a tested stone,
a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation:
‘Whoever believes will not be in haste.’

There is a clue here as to the importance of the cornerstone in first century architecture.[14] The cornerstone was the stone by which the rest of the structure was tested in order to determine whether it met the architects’ specifications. The cornerstone was the first stone to be laid and determined the size and orientation of the remaining foundation and, indeed, the very building itself.

It was thus possible, from the dimensions of the cornerstone, to extrapolate and calculate the dimensions of the entire building.

The cornerstone was the first stone to be laid and the stone which defined the shape, size and orientation of the rest of the building.

The application here is threefold,

i. Jesus defines the church

Jesus Christ is the cornerstone, the defining point within the foundation which determines the solidity and shape of the resulting structure.

Practically speaking then, this changes the way in which we understand the Scriptures. Yes, the church is grounded upon the foundation of the Apostolic teachings, but these teaching must be understood correctly and in such a way that they maintain the centrality and supremacy of the Son of God.

Moreover, Christ Jesus defines what the church is. He is the stone upon which we stand and he is the pattern upon which our lives are shaped and modelled.

If we consider then the application of this in our lives and in the life of Firwood Church, we must ask ourselves the following searching questions,

Are we grounded upon Christ Jesus?

Is he the foundation upon which this church stands?

Are we living like Christ Jesus, taking up our cross daily and following in his footsteps?

Are we ministering like Christ Jesus, are his priorities our priority?

Are we shining forth the glorious light of the glory of God like a city upon a hill (Matthew 5:14)?

Christ is the cornerstone on which the church is grounded and Christ Jesus sets the pattern for what the church is made to be.

If we truly are the church, if Firwood Church truly is his church, then we are patterned in his image.

ii. Jesus is the means by which the whole church holds together

Furthermore, this cornerstone, has a dynamic effect upon the whole structure,

Ephesians 19-22

So then you [...] 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.

Earlier in this series we considered the way in which Christ Jesus formed a new people out of two opposed groups of people and the way in which Christ destroys hostility between races and becomes peace for those who believe.

Consider, this morning, Firwood Church. We are a group of believers from different backgrounds, different social groups, different geographical areas and altogether different educational experiences and yet the Scriptures, and indeed Paul, assures us that we are one body. How can this be so?

Part of the answer is found in verse 15 in which Paul reminds believers that, in the cross, Christ,

Ephesians 2:15

…create[d] in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace…

If you are a believer this morning, this has already happened. Christ has, through the cross, united all who believe in him and in this, formed an entirely ‘new man’, the church.

However, this is a dynamic process. The cornerstone of the church, Christ Jesus, continues to join us together.

Practically speaking, this means as we grow closer to Christ, come to resemble him more and grow in our walk with him, our relationships with one another will grow deeper. We walk deeply with Christ and the consequence of this is that we walk more deeply with one another. We come to love Christ in increasing measure. The consequence of this is that we come to love one another more deeply.

We are being joined together in him. This is happening. Even now.

iii. Jesus is the means by which the church grows

There is a second dynamic aspect to the cornerstone, which is Christ Jesus,

Ephesians 19-22

So then you [...]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.

Jesus causes the church to ‘grow into a holy temple in the Lord’. There are two aspects to this.

Firstly, that any numerical growth that we experience as a church is a direct result of Christ Jesus, the cornerstone, working in our midst and advancing the gospel in this place. Jesus adds to his church.

Secondly, Jesus is at work growing us in maturity and holiness. There is a great hope in this.

The truth is, as I have been delivering this message many of us will have felt a huge disjunction between where we are and who he has called us to be. All of us still struggle with sin, some of us still feel the alienation of our former state and some of us feel far off from all God has called us, in Christ, to be.

The great hope of the gospel is that Christ Jesus continues to work in his people and in his church. The great hope of the gospel is that Christ Jesus continues to save us, continues to transform us and continues to make us holy.

We must never forget that Jesus builds his church,

Matthew 16:18

And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

3. CONCLUSION – A DWELLING PLACE FOR GOD

The outcome of all of this is glorious. Consider all the church is made to be,

Ephesians 2:22

In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

In conclusion, there are three final thoughts that I want to draw out,

i. The Gospel is For You

As Paul concludes this passage of thought, he reminds his readers, Gentiles, formally far off from the things of God, that the promise of the gospel, the hope that is the church, includes them,

Ephesians 2:22

in him you also…

The truth is, if you are in Christ Jesus, then all of this applies to you.

You are citizens of the kingdom of God.

You are members of the household of God.

You are being built, transformed and made to be his holy temple.

There is a great encouragement in this.

In this church, Firwood Church, we have first generation Christians sitting alongside third and fourth generation Christians and I can imagine the sense of disjunction and distance may feel considerable.

Know this, if you are in Christ, Paul intends you to receive this truth; yes, you also are his and joined together with the saints being built up into a holy temple.

ii. God Dwells in You

Ephesians 2:22

In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

This is a glorious truth and is impossible to unpack fully here.

Consider the glorious complexity of God’s interaction with the church.

In Christ, God saves Jew and Gentile alike that he might form a people for himself. The church of God is rescued by Christ and for Christ. We belong to him.

In Christ, God reconciles people groups who were formally hostile towards one another that his peace might be experienced and that he might form a new kind of people. The church of God is created (anew) by Christ and for Christ.

In Christ, this new man, finds existence in such a way that we become the physical embodiment of his character, power and purposes. The church of God is created to be a new kind of person that we might be his body on this earth; that we might be his hands and feet in Westwood.

In Christ, God takes men and women lacking substance and stability and unites us and builds us up that we might become a holy temple. The church of God is the holy temple of God grounded upon the Son of God.

And now we find that the temple we are made to be is the dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

Feel the magnitude of this: yes, if you are a believer, God dwells within you by his Spirit. You are filled with the Spirit who testifies that you are indeed a child of God (Romans 8:15). Paul goes further, however, and shows us that the church, the united body of believers, becomes the dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

Consider the Theophanies described in the Old Testament.

The shaking of Mount Sinai as Moses goes up to meet with God and to receive the law (Exodus 24:15-18).

The consecration of the tabernacle confirmed by the visible and awesome manifestation of the glory of God in the shape of the dwelling cloud (Exodus 40:34-38).

The dedication of the temple in which the glory of God falls with such glory that the priests are overwhelmed and abandon their duties (1 Kings 8:10-11).

All of this, no doubt, weighs heavily upon Paul’s mind as he stretches the analogy of the temple and we see that this imagery accurately depicts the reality of who we are.

The church is the place in which God’s presence is made most clearly manifest.

We are the locus of the present day Theophany.

We are his dwelling place.

iii. God Displays His Glory in the Church

We will return to this as we reach chapter three, verse ten,

Ephesians 3:8-10

To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things, so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.

But know for now that, as in chapter 1, we see the fullness of the glory of the Godhead displayed in the formation and growth of the church,

Ephesians 2:22

In him [Christ Jesus] you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

It is God’s intention that his glory,  his manifold wisdom and glory, be displayed in the church. It is God’s intention that his glory be seen in and through Firwood Church. It is God’s intention that his glory be seen in our lives when we are scattered and when we are gathered.

This is why we must pray as Paul prayed,

Ephesians 3:20–21

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

To him be glory in Firwood Church.

To him be glory in the church in Oldham.

To him be glory in his Church.

Forever. Amen.

[1] The Greek word, atheos, here translated, ‘without God’, is the word from which ‘atheist’ derives. In one sense it is strange to refer to the Gentiles in Ephesus as ‘atheists’ because, we know from Acts 19 that the people of Ephesus were ‘spiritual’ and, most likely, polytheists engaged in the worship of other gods. Indeed, the riot described in verses 21 through to 41 began because Paul was converting people from the local religion and this was impacting upon the idol making business. In using the word atheos of this particular group of people, Paul is making the point that to worship any god other than the true God, Christ Jesus, is to be an atheist and to be ‘without God’. See D. A. Carson, New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition, 4th ed. (Leicester, England; Downers Grove, Ill., USA: Inter-Varsity Press, 1994). Eph 2:11–22.

[2] Martin, Hubert M.. The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary. New York: Doubleday, 1996. Vol. I, 465 & Aune, David E. Eds. Freedman, David Noel, Allen C. Myers and Astrid B. Beck. Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible. Grand Rapids, Mich.: W.B. Eerdmans, 2000. 415.

[3] In 1 Corinthians 3:9-17 Paul shapes the metaphor of the building of God’s temple differently. In the First Epistle to the Corinthians, Paul is the master builder laying the foundation. Here, Paul (among the apostles and prophets) is the foundation. O’Brien, Peter Thomas. The Letter to the Ephesians. The Pillar New Testament commentary. Grand Rapids, Mich.: W.B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1999. 213.

[4] I discuss this at length in the teaching series, The Holy Spirit. The office of Apostle was held by a specific and narrow group of individuals which included the Twelve (Matthius was selected to replace Judas Iscariot, Acts 1:26), Paul and James the brother of Jesus (1 Corinthians 15:7-10). There is an argument that there may have been others outside of this group who were, in some sense, considered to be Apostles. It is argued that this wider group may have included Barnabas, (Acts 14:4, 14), possibly Adronicus and Junias (Romans 16:7) and possibly Silas (1 Thessalonians 2:6). I remain unconvinced that this wider group were considered Apostles in the same sense as the narrower groups because the qualification of the apostle were prescriptive, specifically, that they must be male, a witness to the ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus (Acts 1:21-22), specifically commissioned by Jesus (Acts 24-25) and supernaturally gifted with respect to signs, wonders and mighty works (2 Corinthians 12:12).  See Betz, Hans Dieter. The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary. Vol. I, 310-311;  Walls, A.F. New Bible Dictionary. Ed. Wood, D. R. W. and I. Howard Marshall. 3rd ed. Leicester, England; Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1996. 59; Moser, Paul K. Freedman, David Noel, Allen C. Myers and Astrid B. Beck. Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible. Grand Rapids, Mich.: W.B. Eerdmans, 2000. 78-79. & Osborne, Grant R. Elwell, Walter A. and Barry J. Beitzel. Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Book House, 1988. Vol. 1, 231-233.

[5] Grudem, Wayne. The Gift of Prophecy in the New Testament and Today. Wheaton, Illinois: Crossway Books, 2000. 329-346. Grudem helpfully summarises these three positions (to which he adds a forth).

[6] Ephesians 2:20 reads, ‘ton apostolon kai propheton‘, ‘the apostles and prophets’ and Ephesians 3:5 reads, ‘autos hagiois tois apostolois kai prophetais‘, ‘his holy apostles and prophets’.

[7] O’Brien, Peter Thomas. The Letter to the Ephesians. The Pillar New Testament commentary. Grand Rapids, Mich.: W.B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1999 & Hoehner, Harold. Ephesians: An Exegetical Commentary. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Academic, 2007.

[8] Grudem, Wayne. 2000. 33-43. Grudem argues that the designation, ‘prophet’, had taken on a broad currency in the New Testament period and was used broadly to refer to the pagan ‘prophet’ through to the secular poet. Grudem suggests, therefore, that the New Testament writes instead took the narrow title, ‘apostle’, precisely because it was free from this kind of cultural baggage.

[9] For reference, and by way of example, the phrase, ‘Thus says the Lord…’ appears 69 times in Isaiah and 300 times in Jeremiah.

[10] Arndt, William, Frederick W. Danker and Walter Bauer. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature. 3rd ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000.

[11] Merrill, Eugene H. Deuteronomy. The New American Commentary. Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2001. 274.

[12] Agabus’ prophetic word to the Apostle Paul illustrates the different weight of New Testament prophecy. Agabus prophesies that the Jews will arrest Paul and hand him over to the Gentiles whereas, in reality, Paul is initially rescued by Gentiles from the Jews (although this later develops into house arrest). It is clear, however, that Paul is not bound by the Jews and is not handed over to Rome by the Jews (Acts 21:10-11). Significantly, Paul again ignores the warning and instead determines that he is ‘ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.’ (Acts 21:13).

[13] Grudem, Wayne. 2000. 329-346.

[14] As this is the only occurrence of the word akrogoniaious in the New Testament (the same word used in Isaiah 28:16 in the Septuagint). There is some debate among scholars as to whether this should be translated ‘cornerstone’, as per the ESV, or capstone (placed over the entrance to the temple). If we accept the arguments for ‘capstone’ this would mean that Christ is the key crowning stone to the entire structure. I side with all the major translations (including the NKJV, RSV, NRSV, ASV, etc.) in preferring ‘cornerstone’ as the arguments for translating akrogoniaious as ‘capstone’ depend upon the Testament of Solomon which is a late text (see BDAG and O’Brien, Peter Thomas. 1999. 216-217). There is a useful summary of the etymology of akrogoniaious in Colin Brown, New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1986). 389.

These are the notes of a sermon preached by Andy Evans on the morning of the 25 April 2010 at Firwood Church. Click here to stream or download the sermon audio.

Ephesians 2:11–22

¹¹ 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— ¹² 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. ¹³ But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. ¹⁴ For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility ¹⁵ 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, ¹⁶ and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. ¹⁷ And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. ¹⁸ For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. ¹⁹ So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, ²⁰ built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, ²¹ in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. ²² In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

1. INTRODUCTION – THE GOSPEL IS

The first week of this study (moving through Ephesians 2:11-22) I sought to persuade you of the importance of this passage to not only this letter, but in understanding the very gospel. Throughout this passage, the Apostle Paul is preoccupied with unravelling and displaying the glory of Christ in the gospel.

Over the past two weeks we have seen two characteristics of the gospel,

a. The Gospel of Peace

i. Peace with God

Firstly, the gospel is a gospel of peace. We find evidence of this in gospel accounts of the nativity. The birth of the Messiah is announced to shepherds by an angelic host declaring,

Luke 2:14

“Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

The announcement of the incarnation of the Son of God, the beginning of the gospel, is framed by the glory of God and peace towards men.

In this letter to the Ephesians, we find further evidence of this truth as Paul pictures believers wearing,

Ephesians 6:15

[...] as shoes for your feet [...] the readiness given by the gospel of peace.

And here, in chapter 2, we find that the gospel is encapsulated in the truth that the Son of God comes and proclaims peace,

Ephesians 2:17–18

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.

It is important that we remind ourselves of this truth so that we would feel the glory of his grace in the gospel.

Consider this: we were dead because of our own transgressions and sins. We were dead in our rebellion against God. We were rebels, sons of disobedience, servants of Satan, the arch rebel. We were children of wrath under the condemnation of a holy and awesome God who must stand against sin and sinners or else impugn his own righteousness.

We deserve condemnation, wrath, judgement and destruction and yet God comes and preaches peace. This is the beauty of the gospel and in this God displays the glory of his grace.

You see, the gospel is good news precisely because God-made flesh comes and preaches peace. He does not come in wrath and he does not ride out bearing a sword… this time. Instead Christ Jesus comes in humility and servanthood and preaches peace to everyone.

This is the glory of the gospel and this is why the gospel is glorious news.

And yet there is more. Paul has something even more expansive in view than the incarnation of the Son of God. The grounding of this peace is the cross, therefore, primarily Paul cannot have the incarnation of Christ in view. It is true that following the resurrection, Jesus greets his disciples with a declaration of peace,

John 20:19

On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

This fails to explain, however, how Christ would preach peace to those who are far off. The disciples were, of course, Jews and, therefore, in Paul’s formulation at least, near.

It seems here that Paul has something bigger in mind that encompasses the incarnation, the cross and the post-resurrection proclamation of peace. Moreover, this ‘preaching’ activity of Christ continues even today as the gospel advances and as his servants proclaim the gospel of peace.

Know this: as you live out the Christian life and faithfully share the gospel with unbelievers, Christ is preaching peace in and through you.

This is why Paul, elsewhere, envisages the glorious welcome given to those who faithfully proclaim the gospel among those who receive the gospel,

Romans 10:15

And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”

We must remind ourselves continually of the grace of God displayed in the gospel. We must allow ourselves to be motivated by the gospel. And we must constantly remind ourselves that we who believe are recipients of this grace.

We were children of wrath (Ephesians 2:3) and yet he came and preached peace to those who were far of and those who were near, all of which leads me to my next point.

ii. Peace with Man

It is important we know that the most important thing in the universe is that we be reconciled to the God who created us and now calls each of us to return to him. This is the message of the cross. Be reconciled to God. Throw yourself upon the mercy of God. Surrender yourself to Him. Come to Him and receive grace for Christ has made a way that we might ‘have access in one Spirit to the Father’ (Ephesians 2:18).

The purpose of the cross is that we might be ‘brought near by the blood of Christ’ (Ephesians 2:13).

But all of this, peace, reconciliation, and access to the Father, is inseparable from a further outcome of the cross: peace on earth between men.

The Gospel of Peace speaks of reconciliation between men and God. This is the principal outcome of the gospel, but it is not the only outcome of the gospel.

This is why Paul references two groups of people, Gentiles, those who were far off, and Jews, those who were near. Paul understands that the relationship between these two groups of people was characterized by hostility and animosity.

We understand that we find evidence of similar hostility, bigotry and racism everywhere.

And yet, the gospel message is this: God becomes flesh and preaches peace to those who are far off and peace to those who are near.

Moreover, Paul expects that this gospel of peace would infect us, transform our lives and spill out into our families, workplaces and neighbourhoods. It is inconceivable to Paul that we should receive such grace, reconciling us to God, and yet remain in enmity towards our brothers and sisters. This is so inconceivable because the cross demolishes hostility and destroys racism, consider,

Ephesians 2:14

For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility

Here Paul draws on the animosity between Jew and Gentile, because it is current, but also because it is extreme. If Christ can bring reconciliation and peace to these two groups of people, then the gospel can heal any relationship.

It is important also that we remember the grounding point for this is the cross. The cross must remind us that we were hopelessly lost and the separation which existed between us and God was absolute. We were entirely to blame and utterly deserving of condemnation. And yet he came and preached peace.

This is why racism, sectarian violence and hostility is so horrendous, particularly among believers. The idea that we should be beneficiaries of such grace and yet shun our brother is unthinkable in the context of the cross.

The effects and benefits of the cross work vertically, we now have access to the Father (Ephesians 2:18), and horizontally, he has destroyed the dividing wall of hostility which separates people (Ephesians 2:14).

2. THE GOSPEL DIMENSIONS

Paul understands that the cross is purposed, primarily, to establish peace between man and God and, secondly, between man and man. But, in respect of both purposes, Paul has a tangible outcome in mind,

Ephesians 2:14–16

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.

a. The Gospel is for ‘me’

It is important we recognise that there are two dimensions to the gospel.

The first dimension is seen in Ephesians 2:1-10 whereby Paul focuses upon the benefits of salvation conferred upon the individual.

We were dead, but he made us alive (Ephesians 2:1, 5).

We were sons of disobedience, enslaved to the passions of our flesh and thrall to the prince of the power of the air, but he made us to be his workmanship (Ephesians 2:2, 3, 10).

We were children of wrath, but, in Christ Jesus, those of us who believe are ‘seated with him in the heavenly places’ (Ephesians 2:3, 6).

Those of us who are in Christ Jesus have received these benefits and hold them to be precious. He brought me back to life. He rescued me from slavery to sin and the things of this world. He bestowed forgiveness, mercy and grace upon me instead of wrath.

The benefits and miracle which is the gospel is incredibly personal. This is because God deals with individuals.

This is the God who called Jeremiah from the womb,

Jeremiah 1:5

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
and before you were born I consecrated you;
I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”

This is the God who fills John the Baptizer with the Holy Spirit even from the womb,

Luke 1:13–17

But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God,  and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”

This is the God who set Paul apart even before he was born,

Galatians 1:15–16

[...] he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles [...]

And this is the same God who chose us, who called us by name, even before the foundation of the world,

Ephesians 1:4

[...] he chose us in him before the foundation of the world [...]

There is a great joy in this and a great exhortation.

The exhortation is this, are you in Christ Jesus? Have you received Christ Jesus as your treasure? Have you surrendered to Christ Jesus as Lord and Saviour?

Because God deals with individuals, we can be sure that the gospel is not a package deal. You cannot ‘buy one and get one free’. You do not receive all of the saving benefits of salvation simply because your parents, or wife, or children are believers and you will not be saved simply because you attend church weekly.

God deals with individuals and God calls individuals to respond. To receive the gospel is the most personal thing.

And there is great joy in all of this:  that  the God of the Universe should know me  intimately,  should choose me specifically, should save, transform and  make me to be a new creation in Christ Jesus. This is a marvellous thing.

b. The Gospel is for ‘we’

God deals with individuals and, in this sense, the gospel is for me and the gospel is for you; the gospel benefits are conferred upon me and the gospel benefits are conferred upon you.

Yet  throughout this passage, Paul is concerned with the outcome of the gospel being seen collectively,

Ephesians 2:14–16

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.

This is, of course, closely related to all we considered last week. Two people groups in enmity and hostility towards one another are brought together, the hostility destroyed through the cross of Christ.

But there is more, consider Paul’s emphasis here. Paul writes that the intended outcome of the destruction of the dividing wall of hostility and the abolition of the law of commandments  is that Christ might,

Ephesians 2:15–16

[...] 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.

Firstly, note the imagery here, Paul is, once again, talking in the language of new creation. Earlier in this chapter, he was addressing the resurrection/newness of life conferred upon believers. Here he is talking of a new kind of collective creature created out of two previously hostile people groups. The key in understanding what Paul is talking about here is in the reference to ‘one body’ in verse 16. Paul uses this same imagery in Ephesians 4:12, 15 and 16 (and in 1 Corinthians 12:12-26) to describe the church.

Paul wants us to understand that one of the intended outcomes of the cross of Christ is that he might create a new kind of person/people: the church.

This is the intended outcome of the gospel, that Christ might form a people for himself. Indeed, Paul later uses this gospel truth as the reference point when talking about marriage,

Ephesians 5:25–27

Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendour, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.

If we were to ask, ‘Why did Christ suffer the cross’? Paul might answer, Christ died that he might purify a people for himself in order to present this very people to himself. This is the ‘we’ in the gospel. We are not saved through attending church, but we are saved that we might be the church. This is why Christians must dwell deeply with other believers. This is why Christians must serve with other believers. This is why Christians must be part of the church. We are saved to be the church of Christ.

There is no place in Christ for lone rangers. He saved us that we might be one new man.

3. THE OUTCOME OF THE GOSPEL

The question then is what does this new man look like? Paul gives us a few reference points and will return to this later in the letter.

i. United in the Spirit

Hopefully, after last week, I need not belabour this point.

Paul envisages that, in Christ Jesus, two people groups formally in hostility towards one another are reconciled to such a point that they become ‘one new man’ characterized by peace and unity. This must be so because our access to Christ is a collective access made possible through the cross and by the Spirit,

Ephesians 2:18

For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.

Note the emphasis upon the one Spirit. The unity Paul presents is Spirit-enabled. This is why Christians love and value peace. This is why churches across the world are filled with disparate people from different ages, backgrounds, and cultures deeply and closely united. This is what it means and looks like to be in the one Spirit.

Formerly there was hostility, now there is close kinship, peace and love. We are made to be brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus. The many are made to be one new man through the cross and by the Spirit, this is what we are made to be.

ii. Equal Standing in the Kingdom

The former hostility between Jew and Gentile was predicated upon a belief that the Jew was blessed and favoured in a way in which the Gentile was not. Israel were the people of God and everyone else (Gentiles) were on the outside looking in.

The cross is, then, the greatest reversal in history,

Ephesians 2:19

So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God

To be a stranger was to be a foreigner in a foreign land. This would be the equivalent of being marooned overseas (perhaps as a result of the flight-ban following the eruption of the Icelandic volcano). This is not your home, you do not speak the language and you do not understand the culture.

To be an alien is the equivalent of what it means, perhaps, to be an economic migrant. You live in this country, you, perhaps, speak the language, you have a work-permit, you may even call this home, and yet you do not share all of the benefits that a citizen might enjoy.

This is who we were before Christ intervened. Now, however, we are made to be ‘fellow citizens with the saints’. This should change the way we view ourselves and those around us.

Formerly, we defined ourselves by our nationality, our family, our culture or by our social group, but now, in Christ, we are identified as ‘fellow citizens’ in the kingdom of God. This is good news for everyone, but, for some of us, it is really good news.

Formerly, some of us felt forever on the outside looking in. Formerly, some of us felt ourselves to be second-class citizens. Nobodies.

Know this: in Christ Jesus, we are made to be ‘fellow citizens with the saints’.

And this must change the way we regard ourselves and others. This must change the way that we handle church. This must eradicate the distinctions of the flesh between those who were formerly near and those who were formally far off. Now, in Christ Jesus, we are made to be one body and we are made to be citizens of the kingdom of God.

iii. Belonging in the Family of God

Paul continues and shows us what it means to be on the inside in the kingdom of God,

Ephesians 2:19

So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God

This is astonishing. In Christ, even we Gentiles are made to be citizens in the kingdom of God. Moreover, we are elevated to the most privileged of positions: we are made to be members of the household of God.

This, then, makes sense of the incredible access we receive in Christ Jesus by the Holy Spirit,

Ephesians 2:18

For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.

Paul will later describe the nature of this access in unequivocal terms,

Ephesians 3:12

in [Christ Jesus] we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him.

Not only do we have access, but we approach Almighty God with bold confidence. How can this be?

In Christ Jesus, we become his children, children of the Living God, he is our Father. Moreover, we are adopted into the household of God, the church is the household of God, and this speaks of intimate access, closeness and relationship with the King of the Universe, our Father in Heaven.

Continuing in this series through Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, Andy Evans explores how God’s glory is displayed in and through the church, with Christ as the cornerstone.

The notes which accompany this message (with an extended discussion regarding Ephesians 2:20) are available here.

These are the notes of a sermon preached by Andy Evans on the morning of the 18 April 2010 at Firwood Church. Click here to stream or download the sermon audio.

Ephesians 2:11–22

¹¹ 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— ¹² 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. ¹³ But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. ¹⁴ For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility ¹⁵ 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, ¹⁶ and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. ¹⁷ And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. ¹⁸ For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. ¹⁹ So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, ²⁰ built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, ²¹ in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. ²² In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

1. RACISM DEFINED

a. The Problem

i. Separation from God

Last week, I began by giving you three reasons why this passage should matter a great deal to us. The third reason I presented was intended to persuade you that this passage matters because it deals with the two biggest problems in the universe for human beings.

Last week we occupied ourselves with the biggest of the two big problems: the separation which exists between men and God.

This problem is the big problem facing everyone regardless of nationality, race, culture and ethnicity. We are, Paul writes, by ‘nature children of wrath’ (Ephesians 2:3) and the result of this is separation and alienation from God.

We are all in the same boat.

And yet, there is a difference. Paul addresses this in this passage and allows the distinction between Jew and Gentile to stand. In Paul’s mind, therefore, the Gentile is far off and the Jew is near,

Ephesians 2:17

And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near.

It is important that we do not push this too far. Paul is not saying that the Jews are saved as a result of their Jewishness. No, rather he is saying that there is something about the Jew that results in them being nearer to salvation than the Gentile.

This was our starting point last week. We considered the way in which God operated prior to the incarnation of the Son of God. Before Christ, God revealed himself, primarily, to a particular people group: Israel. Paul addresses this truth elsewhere,

Romans 9:4–5

They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.

The truth then is this: Paul is able to write that the Jews were nearer to God because God has poured out favour upon them for hundreds of years. God chose them out of all the nations of the earth. God revealed his law to this particular people from all the peoples of the earth. God spoke to them clearly through the Patriarchs and Prophets in a that he did not speak to any other nation on the planet.

Out of all the inhabitants of the earth, God made a covenant with this particular group of people. They were to be his people and he was their God.

Circumcision was the sign, the seal, of this covenant.

The result is that the Jews were near and the Gentiles far off, but, ultimately both groups were in need of the reconciliation that is only possible through Christ Jesus. This is the message of the Gospel,

Ephesians 2:17-18

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.

The greatest problem in the universe for human beings is not global warming, childhood obesity or the prospect of a double-dip recession. This is the greatest problem, that although some of us may be near and some of us may be far off, without Christ Jesus all of us are separated and alienated from the living God. This is why those of us who believe, know Christ Jesus to be the hope of the world,

Ephesians 2:13

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

All of us are in the same boat, all of us are lost without Christ Jesus and yet Gentiles, in our ignorance of the things of God, were far off, whereas  Jews, as recipients of the old covenant, were near.

And circumcision was the sign of God’s covenant with Israel, all of which leads me to the second big problem.

ii. The Covenants of Promise and the Sign of Grace

Paul begins by setting out the problem,

Ephesians 2:11

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

Notice what has happened here, circumcision is a mark of the covenants of promise (v. 12).

Repeatedly, throughout the Old Testament God reminds Israel that he chose them not because of their merit, but because of his great love,

Deuteronomy 7:6–8

For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the Lord set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but it is because the Lord loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

We see, then, that God’s choosing of Israel was an incredible act of sovereign grace. It is not because Israel was lovely, but that He is loving. It is not that Israel had intrinsic worth, but that He is worthy. He chooses Israel from the overflow of his great love. He fixes his affection upon this particular people from all the many because this is the kind of God he is.

What was true of Israel is true of us, the Church, today, and this should change the way we think about our salvation. This is where we were in Ephesians 1:4-5,

Ephesians 1:4–5

even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will

God chooses us, not because we have intrinsic value, but because He is infinitely valuable, loving, gracious and kind. He chooses us from the overflow of his great love.

Now all of this matters this morning because it shows us the parallels between Israel’s situation and our situation as believers in Christ Jesus. It also shows us how Israel should have viewed circumcision.

The ‘covenants of promise’ (v. 12) were, in fact, covenants of grace and, circumcision, the sign of the covenant, should have been a reminder of God’s grace towards this chosen people. Instead, however, circumcision led to separation, arrogance, pride and, ultimately, hostility. We see this in verse 11 and we see this in verses 14 and 16.

A grace gift which should have led to thankfulness, humility and love instead results in hatred, enmity and hostility.

This was the problem in the First Century Church and this is the problem in the world today.

iii. Separation between Jew and Gentile

For the First Century Jew, the separation between Jew and Gentile was profound. The Jew had received the favour of God and the Gentile had not. The Jew had received the blessings of God, the Gentile had not. The Jew carried the sign of circumcision, the Gentile did not.

This sense of separation touch everything.

William Barclay, summarises the deep hostility between Jew and Gentile in the following terms,

The Jew had an immense contempt for the Gentile. The Gentiles, said the Jews, were created by God to be fuel for the fires of hell. God, they said, loves only Israel of all the nations that he had made [...] It was not even lawful to render help to a Gentile mother in her hour of sorest need, for that would simply be to bring another Gentile into the world. Until Christ came, the Gentiles were an object of contempt to the Jews. The barrier between them was absolute. If a Jewish boy married a Gentile girl, or if a Jewish girl married and Gentile boy, the funeral of that Jewish boy or girl was carried out. Such contact with a Gentile was the equivalent of death.[1]

Unsurprisingly, then, this deep-seated prejudice permeates every facet of Jewish life: social, cultural and religious. Indeed, the Historian Josephus records that Herod’s Temple had a barrier surrounding the inner sanctuary beyond which Gentiles were forbidden to go. Josephus suggests that tablets, written in Greek and Latin, were placed at the thirteen entrances to this inner area declaring, ‘No foreigner is to enter within the forecourt and the balustrade around the sanctuary. Whoever is caught will have himself to blame for his subsequent death’. ^[2]

All of this perhaps seems distant and alien to our Twenty-First Century sensibilities, until we remind ourselves:

The holocaust in which over six million Jews were slaughtered, incidentally, by Gentiles, took place just a little over half a century ago.

That, as recently as 1992, war broke out in Bosnia following a referendum in which Bosnian and Croat Muslims voted for independence. The Serbian army, led by Radovan Karadzic, set about a campaign of terror and ethnic cleansing in which they slaughtered over one hundred thousand Muslims, most notoriously, in the siege of Sarajevo.[3]

It was only 1994 when Hutu militia turned, overnight, upon their Tutsis friends and neighbours and Rwanda, once among the most prosperous nations in Africa, turned in upon itself. It is estimated that some 800,000 Tutsis were slaughtered in one hundred days of genocide.[4]

Or, lest we convince ourselves that race-related atrocities only happen over there, it was only in 1993 when a young black boy, Stephen Lawrence, was set upon and murdered by white youths and the subsequent police investigation criticized and labelled the investigating police force as institutionally racist.[5]

Again we remind ourselves that it was only in May 2001 when race riots broke out in Bradford, Burnley and in Oldham, just a short walk from this church.[6]

All of this reminds us that the problem that Paul addresses here is incredibly relevant today as we live, work and minister in the racial diverse neighbourhood which is Westwood, Oldham in the middle of 2010.

Paul is addressing racism of the worst kind, a racism which is predicated upon a belief that one side is chosen and the other side rejected by God.

Paul shows us that the gospel of Jesus Christ destroys racism.

iv. Skin Deep

But firstly Paul shows us the folly of the Jewish position which distorted the grace gifts of God and the symbol of this grace, circumcision,

Ephesians 2:11

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

Paul sets out the true nature of the distinction between Gentile and Jew: they are ‘Gentiles in the flesh’ and Jews by virtue of a circumcision, ‘which is made in the flesh by hands’.[7]

Paul’s intention here is that we see the distinction that has resulted in so much hostility is, ultimately, skin deep.

It may surprise us to hear Paul talk about circumcision in these terms, after all, was not circumcision given as a confirmation of the covenant by God himself? This is the great misunderstanding which resounds throughout much of the Old Testament and the gospels by which the people believed that they were safe, children of God, (remove) by virtue of the flesh, be it circumcision or ancestry. Jesus, however, explodes this myth recognising that gospel transformation is a matter of the heart (Mark 7:1-23) and results in obedience (John 8:39-41)

Paul recognises that circumcision without a heart change is simply a matter of the flesh.

2. THE GOSPEL DESTROYS RACISM

a. He is our peace

As we saw last week, the solution to war, terrorism, racism, violent crime and anti-social behaviour is Jesus Christ. Paul tells us why,

Ephesians 2:14-16

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.

Notice that the solution is not simply what Christ does (although Paul stresses that he ‘makes peace’, verse 16), but who Christ is.

He is our peace.

The early church faced open warfare over this issue. The church in Galatia and, at times and in different ways, the churches in Jerusalem and Rome faced this Jewish controversy over circumcision which threatened to tear them apart.

Furthermore, the churched faced white-hot persecution from the state, from their former friends and neighbours and, in some cases, from family members.

In one sense it seems there is no peace to be found.

So too in our day, with war in Afghanistan, Iraq, the constant danger of escalation in the Middle East, and the threat of terrorism and violence on our streets, it seems as though real and lasting peace is far away.

And yet, Paul reminds us: Jesus Christ is our peace.

This changes the way in which we deal with warfare, violence, aggression and racism. Instead of looking for a strategy, we look to a person. Instead of placing our hope in politics or military might, we place our hope in him. Paul will now proceed to show us how it is that Christ Jesus is our peace.

b. He is broken down the dividing wall of hostility

Ephesians 2:14-15

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

Note how it is that Christ becomes our peace and how he deals emphatically with the Jewish controversy,

[he] has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility

Formerly there was a very real hostility between Jew and Gentile, Paul understands that, by the cross, Christ demolishes this divide. Consider now how Christ achieves the destruction of this hostility,

by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances

We need to exercise caution here. Is Paul saying that Christ has nullified the law and that it now no longer matters if we keep the moral laws, including, ‘Do not steal’, ‘Do not commit adultery’ and ‘Do not murder’?

Absolutely not.

Paul is stressing here a monumental shift of emphasis by which the focus has moved from the law, with all of its ordinances and rituals (including circumcision) which resulted in separation, to Christ Jesus. Formerly, for the Jew, the law and the observance of the law (in matters pertaining to circumcision, food restrictions, etc.) were the means by which one obtained peace between men and God. Now, through the cross, Christ Jesus has been made our peace. Now, through the cross, Christ Jesus has rendered the law inoperative. He has abolished the law of commandments and, in so doing, he has become our peace.

We may not face the same controversy around circumcision, but we are equally susceptible to legalism and, similarly, the solution is found in Christ Jesus.

We, too, introduce restrictions which are not prescribed in the Scriptures (whether it be issues around the consumption of alcohol, listening to certain kinds of music or watching anything rated 15 or higher) and then elevate them until they become requirements for salvation. We so quickly find ourselves back in First Century Galatia.

Paul understands that the gospel smashes all such peripheral issues and instead Christ Jesus becomes the only issue. What does He want of me? How can I please Him? How can I most glorify Him? What areas of my life and aspects of my character prevent me from most reflecting his glory?

The gospel relegates secondary issues to the place of secondary issues that Christ Jesus might be most prominent, most visible and most glorious.

c. He has made us both one

But how does the cross deal with racism? How does the cross bring together Jew and Gentile in such a way that we experience peace?

Paul addresses this here,

Ephesians 2:14-16

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.

We see that, in ‘abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances’, there is a specific end in view. Christ Jesus thus acts,

[...]that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace [...]

Formerly the law of commandments expressed in ordinances emphasised difference between Jew and Gentile, circumcised and uncircumcised; those on the inside and those on the outside. Paul understands that this difference should have produced an overwhelming gratitude and humility for those on the receiving end, but instead resulted in misunderstanding, prejudice, racism and hostility. Something which was given for their benefit (to keep them from the world) and assurance (a sign that they were His) became distorted and to be understood as sign of superiority.

Christ destroyed the hostility through the cross by ‘abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances’. In so doing, Jesus brings peace and Jesus is our peace.

But the miracle of the cross is greater still, Paul reminds us that all of this is so that he,

Ephesians 2:15

[...]might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace

Formerly we were two collective people groups, Jew and Gentile, separated and in enmity towards one another. In the cross, however, Christ destroys the distinction created by the law of commandments expressed in ordinances and brings peace. He achieves this emphatically and gloriously by making these two people groups to be one person.

This is incredible. Consider Ephesians 2:1-10 in which Paul examines our former state and who we are made to be in Christ Jesus,

Ephesians 2:1–2

And [we] were dead in the trespasses and sins in which [we] once walked [...]

And,

Ephesians 2:3

[...] we were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

Our former state was perilous and hopeless, but then God intervened in Christ Jesus,

Ephesians 2:4–5

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ [...]

The result of all of this is that we become his poiema, his workmanship, a new creation in Christ Jesus,

Ephesians 2:10

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

The cross produces the miracle of new creation on an individual basis and now on a corporate basis, Christ died,

Ephesians 2:15

[...] that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace

Consider the implications of this. Consider the closeness and intimacy which this implies. Formerly we were in enmity and hostility towards one another. Now the unity and peace which is in Christ is so absolute that two divided peoples become one man.

This is the miracle of the cross.

d. He reconciled us both

But how is it that Christ becomes our peace, Paul unpacks this further,

Ephesians 2:14-16

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.

The purpose of the cross is that Christ might create one man out of the two and, in so doing, bring peace. The purpose of the cross is that Christ might reconcile the two now made one to the living God,

Ephesians 2:14, 16

has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility [...] [that he] might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.

And, before the throne of God, all superficial distinctions, prejudice and pride is obliterated.

3. HE IS OUR PEACE

There are three applications which come out of this morning’s message: two lesser applications and then the central third application (which, in actual fact, makes sense of the first two points),

i. Blessed are the peacemakers

Jesus Christ has become our peace and so all who are his must be characterised by this same peace,

Matthew 5:9

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

And,

Romans 12:16–18

Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.

This is a weighty calling and a sobering reminder as we approach a General Election in the midst of a financial crisis and on the back of a political scandal. Such an environment is ripe for the rise of extremism.

We have already seen racist far-right political parties, like the British National Party, increase in prominence and popularity. Christians must stand against racism and hostility. Christians must stand for peace knowing that Christ Jesus is our peace.

ii. Ambassadors of reconciliation

We are called to be peacemakers and we are called to take forth the gospel of peace,

2 Corinthians 5:20

Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

This is the message of the gospel. This is the gospel of peace. Paul, however, gives us an increased confidence as we proclaim the gospel in the midst of the multicultural mix which is Westwood. The gospel works for both Jew and Gentile. The gospel works for white British men and women, for the Bangladeshi, Pakistani and Indian community. The gospel works for immigrants who have come into the country from Eastern Europe. The gospel works for those of African descent. The gospel works for those with a knowledge of Christianity. The gospel works for those who are ignorant of the living God. Jesus Christ came into the world for those who are far and those who are near,

Ephesians 2:17

And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near.

Jesus came to save people from every nation, ethnic and cultural group that he might create for himself a church to reflect his grace and his glory. The end of the gospel will be seen on that day,

Revelation 7:9–10

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

iii. Seeing the glory of the Prince of Peace

And God achieves all of this in and through Christ Jesus. The purpose of all of this is that Christ Jesus might be exalted to the highest place. The church is the foretaste of that day in which all things will be united in him. The church is the glimpse of the triumph of King Jesus,

Ephesians 1:7–10

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

This is the end of the gospel, that all things might be united in and under him. This is the kind of peace that the gospel envisages: the creation in submission to and intent on glorifying the Prince of Peace.

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ is that the Son of God came into the world and preaches peace to those who are far and those who are near. The end of the gospel is that the Prince of Peace will return for those who are his and peace will reign forevermore,

Isaiah 9:6–7

For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and of peace
there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

[1] William Barclay in John Stott, The Bible Speaks Today: The Message of Ephesians (Nottingham: Inter-Varsity Press, 1979 [2009]). 91.

^[2] David Noel Freedman, The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary (New York: Doubleday, 1996). 963. Paul, of course, experienced the seriousness of this warning when a rumour spread that he had taken an Ephesian Gentile, Trophimus, into the inner courts and is seized by an angry mob (Acts 21:21-31).

[3] ‘Timeline: What happened during the war in Bosnia’, 21 July 2008, http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSL2164446420080721 and ‘Bosnia-Hercegovina timeline’, 7 April 2010, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/country_profiles/1066981.stm

[4] ‘Timeline: 100 days of genocide’ (6 April 2006), http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/3580247.stm

[5] ‘Stephen Lawrence case’, 8 November 2007, http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2007/nov/08/lawrence.ukcrime

[6] ‘Race “segregation” caused riots’, 11 December 2001, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/1702799.stm

[7] The phrase here translated, ‘made in the flesh by hands’, always means that made by human hands. Often, in the Septuagint, this phrase is used to describe the making of idols (Isaiah 2:18 and 10:11)

These are the notes of a sermon preached by Andy Evans on the morning of the 11 April 2010 at Firwood Church. Click here to stream or download the sermon audio.

Ephesians 2:11–22

¹¹ 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— ¹² 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. ¹³ But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. ¹⁴ For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility ¹⁵ 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, ¹⁶ and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. ¹⁷ And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. ¹⁸ For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. ¹⁹ So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, ²⁰ built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, ²¹ in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. ²² In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

1. INTRODUCTION – YOU GENTILES

I anticipate that it is difficult for a congregation like Firwood Church to get to grips with a text like this.

The truth is that the significant majority (if not all) of our congregation are Gentile and so the distinction Paul draws between Jew and Gentile is, to our minds, at once hazy and, perhaps, seemingly irrelevant.

There is a danger then that we neglect this text believing that Paul is addressing a problem which no longer exists, at least for us.

I begin by using this text to show you three reasons as to why Ephesians 2:11 through to verse 22 is incredibly important. In so doing, I hope to set us up for the next few weeks.

a. We are Ephesus

It is difficult for us to get our head into the mindset of a 1st Century Jew. Consider that you have been raised in a tradition grounded upon the revealed Word of God dating back centuries. You are of the same bloodline as the Patriarch Abraham with whom God made an everlasting covenant (Genesis 15 and 17). Your forefathers were among those whom Moses led through the Red Sea. You are a descendent of the nation to whom the Prophets spoke on behalf of the Lord. You are of the people that King David led in worship before the Ark of the Covenant.

You have been taught, and hundreds of years of history confirm, that you belong to the nation chosen by God from all the peoples of the earth that you might bear his name.

Only now, in Christ, everything has changed. Suddenly, in Christ Jesus, the promises of the gospel are open to everyone who believes. Moreover, miraculously and astonishingly, all who believe are now counted as Abraham’s offspring,

Galatians 3:27–29

For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.

It is perhaps unsurprising then that in the early church we see a monumental pushback against this expansive gospel of grace.

This then is the problem which the Apostle Paul confronts in his letter to the church in Galatia in which it appears that Jewish converts to Christianity are pushing a hybrid form of Judeo-Christianity which insists on circumcision as a requirement of salvation.

This is no trivial matter in the eyes of Paul and is seen as a distortion of such a magnitude that in the hands of the Judaisers, the gospel becomes something else entirely bringing condemnation rather than salvation,

Galatians 1:8

But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.

We will return to this in more detail next week, but, for now, it is enough to understand that Paul is addressing something that was a very real problem in the early church. One can easily imagine the Jews in Galatia sneeringly referring to their half-breed Gentile brothers and sisters as ‘the uncircumcised’. And one can similarly imagine these same Jews wearing the badge, ‘the circumcised’, with honour.

But Ephesus is not Galatia.

The thing that strikes us as we read through Paul’s letter to the church in Ephesus is just how different it is from the majority of his other letters. We know that the Apostles face opposition to the gospel almost everywhere and it is usually possible from the letters to reconstruct the nature of this opposition and to catch a dim reflection of the gospel opponents.

In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, however, we find no such inference. Yes, Paul deals with matters of doctrine and, yes, particularly from chapter four onwards, Paul addresses matters of praxis; despite this, however, there is little sense of any opposition behind the scenes.[1] As we read, there is little sense that Paul is writing in order to address false doctrine or opponents preaching another gospel.

Similarly, we find no evidence or suggestion, at least in this church, of discord between Jew and Gentile and indeed, the historical evidence suggests that this church was overwhelmingly and predominantly Gentile.

This is important, because Paul is writing to a congregation who, like us, are remote from the sharp edge of this particular controversy. He is writing to a congregation who, like us, are not labouring under the dismissive label of ‘the uncircumcised’.

I imagine, therefore, that whoever was charged with reading this letter out to the church in Ephesus may have faced a similar confused, ‘But how does this apply to me?‘.

And yet, Paul urges them,

Ephesians 2:11

…remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh…

It is as though Paul, aware of their distance from this controversy, wants them to feel their ‘Gentile-ness’. This same Paul writes to us this morning and urges us to remember.

I return to this shortly.

b. This is the gospel

The second reason we must pay close attention to this passage is because of the way in which Paul leads out of verses 1 to 10 into verse 11.

Those of you who were around in the early part of this year will remember that we spent a number of weeks unpacking verses 1 through to 10. You will, no doubt, recall that in this periscope, the Apostle  Paul exults in the miracle which is the gospel.

Paul wants us to understand the magnitude of all we have in Christ and so presents us with a series of antithesis in order for us to feel the weight of our former state and the glory of our rescue: in Christ, therefore, we are brought from death to life (Ephesians 2:1, 4), from disobedience and wrath to position of favour (2:2, 3, 6, 10) and we are released from our former slavery to the passions of our flesh into a freedom found only in the Son of God (2:3, 5).

The summation is that this great salvation in Christ Jesus is a grace motivated, faith enabled act of God which is comparable in its magnitude to the divine act of creation.[2]

All of this leads into verse 11 through to 22. Paul signals this continuous flow of thought in verse 11,

Ephesians 2:11

Therefore remember…

The ‘therefore’ indicates that this unit of thought is linked to that which has gone before. As we have just seen, in verses 1 through to 10, Paul has used antithesis that we might see the glory of the gospel in the disparity between who we once were and who we are now made to be. Paul returns to this line of argument in verses 11 through to 22.

This is why verses 11 through to 22 are so important. No believer would dare say, ‘I do not need to know nor care that, in my former state, I was spiritually dead’. To minimise or trivialise our ‘deadness’ outside of Christ is to devalue our aliveness in Christ.

Similarly, we must take great care in dismissing verse 11 through to 22. These are not mere trivialities. Paul is unpacking truths which lie very close to the heart of the gospel.

c. The two greatest problems

The third reason we can be confident that this passage matters is because Paul seeks to deal with the two greatest problems humanity has ever or will ever face.

i. Hostility between people

The first issue that Paul deals with will occupy us next week. Paul deals with the issue of hostility between people. This is the problem addressed in verse 11,

Ephesians 2:11

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

The hostility in view here is between Jew and Gentile, but, in truth, it could apply to any collision of cultures, people groups or nations that you care to mention. We will unpack this at length next week, but Paul later presents the glorious solution to the monumental problem,

Ephesians 2:14

For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility

‘He’, being Christ Jesus, has brought reconciliation and peace to two groups of people previously divided in hostility and animosity. Formerly there was enmity, but now He has become our peace.

ii. Hostility between men and God

Paul then moves to the second big problem which is, in fact, the greatest problem in the universe for men and women outside of Christ.

Yes, the human race is characterised by separation, hostility and strife between one another.

And, yes, we live in a society familiar with the horror of war, the threat of terrorism and each of us live in the dark shadow of violence and danger on our streets. This is no doubt a monumental problem.

The greatest problem, however, is the state of separation between men and women and the Living God.

This, from a human perspective, is the greatest problem in the universe. This is the great theme of the gospel which Paul now addresses.

This is why this passage is monumentally important.

Paul is urging us to remember the gospel.

2. SEPARATION

a. Without a hope in the world

Paul begins by addressing the separation between people, specifically Jew and Gentile,

Ephesians 2:11

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—

He then moves to address the Great Problem,

Ephesians 2:12

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.

The construction here is similar to that found in verse 1 through to 10. Paul is describing our former state, ‘separated from Christ’, in the starkest possible terms.

We must never forget that our former situation was bleak and hopeless. We were without ‘hope and without God in the world’. If you are an unbeliever you must see that this is your present situation.

Paul now gives us three reasons for the desperateness of our former state.

i. We were alienated from the commonwealth of Israel

Paul reminds us that, apart from Christ, we were ‘alienated from the commonwealth of Israel’.

This sets us up for where we will be going next week as we consider problem number one, hostility between Jew and Gentile and, by extension, between people in general.

For  today, however, Paul is making the point that Gentile’s were firmly on the outside of God’s purposes and promises. We were, at the very best, looking in.

Paul urges us to remember this,

Ephesians 2:11-12

Therefore remember  [...] that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel [...]

This is the starting point for believers. God chose a nation, a particular nation, from all the peoples of the earth and that nation was not us.

The Psalmist reminds Israel of the greatness of this truth and the privilege of their chosen-ness,

Psalm 147:20

He has not dealt thus with any other nation;
they do not know his rules.
Praise the Lord!

And the Jews felt the weight and privilege of this. The practicing Jew would, therefore, daily thank God that he had not been born a Gentile.[3] To be a Gentile was to be apart from the chosen people and to thus be separated was to be on the outside of God’s purpose and promise.

To be on the outside was to be without a hope.

Paul exhorts us to remember this. This is where we once were. This is who we once were.

ii. We were strangers to the covenant promises

Moreover Paul urges us to remember that we were also ‘strangers to the covenants of promise’,

Ephesians 2:11-12

Therefore remember  [...] that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise [...]

We see that this problem stems from the first. God chose a particular nation and to this nation revealed his Word, his Law and his promises. Paul reminds us of this elsewhere,

Romans 9:4–5

They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.

Consider for a moment the significance of this.

The principal means by which God revealed himself was entrusted to a particular people group. God revealed himself to and through the Patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph, Moses and Joshua, in a unique way and Israel was the beneficiary of this grace. Similarly God spoke to and through the Prophets and, again, Israel was the beneficiary of this glorious grace.

To Israel alone God revealed his character, nature, power, will and promises. They alone had heard the voice of God: ‘The Lord says…’

Now consider what it means to be on the outside of this. Imagine what it means to have not been chosen. To have not received the prophetic word. To have not received the Law. To live in ignorance of the Word of God.

This is our state outside of Christ.

Without Christ you and I would be firmly on the outside. Worst still, in our ignorance, we were unaware of what even constituted ‘inside’ and ‘outside’. Without Christ we were literally floundering in the dark not even knowing what it is like to bask in his glorious light.

Without Christ our state, as Gentiles, is hopeless.

iii. We were far off

All of which leads Paul to conclude that because of this, we Gentiles were alienated, strangers to the things of God and far off from him. The glory of the gospel, however, is that God intervenes, becomes flesh and hunts us down.

Jesus Christ came to seek and save the lost,

Luke 19:10

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.

As we will see over the coming weeks, the glory of the gospel is this,

Ephesians 2:17

And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near.

b. Now in Christ

i. But now

In Christ, everything changed.

No longer is the revelation of God limited to a particular people, in Christ the light of the glory of God is visible to all. We see this confirmed as Simeon prays over the baby Jesus at his presentation in the temple,

Luke 2:29–32

“Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace,
according to your word;
for my eyes have seen your salvation
that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and for glory to your people Israel.”

As Gentiles, before Christ we were lost and blind to the things of God. In Christ, however, the light of the revelation of God now goes forth to all peoples.

This is why the Apostle Paul is able to declare,

Ephesians 2:13

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

But now something has changed.

But now there is hope.

But now Christ has come.

This is ground-shaking.

Formerly we were without a hope in the world, but now something has happened, God himself has intervened.

Christ Jesus has come.

ii. In Christ

The advent of Christ changes everything: now the light has gone forth to the Gentiles. Moreover, the terms of inclusion have radically and dramatically changed.

Formerly, under the Old Covenant, one had to be incorporated into Israel in order to participate in the promises and benefits of God. For the Gentile this meant conversion and circumcision.

Under the New Covenant, however, salvation is not linked to nationality or ethnicity, rather, those who are in Christ are brought near.

This is glorious news for Gentiles everywhere. In Christ, we are brought near. In Christ, as we shall see in the coming weeks, we are incorporated into the covenant community of the people of God.

In Christ there is hope.

All of which makes this passage incredibly personal.

Perhaps your security is grounded in the fact that your parents, grandparents and great grandparents attended church. Perhaps you feel safe because you yourself have attended church for year upon year. Perhaps your security is grounded upon the fact that you read your bible, perhaps you even study your bible diligently. Paul blows all of this out of the water. The only test that matters is this: are you in Christ?

Have you surrendered your desires, ambitions, wants; your very life to him, to such an extent that he has become your Lord and your very great reward? Are you able to say with the Apostle Paul, ‘For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain’ (Philippians 1:21)?

This is what it is to be in Christ.

c. Now brought near

We were once without hope, without identity and far off from God and all of his promises. Now, however, in Christ Jesus, we are brought near. More specifically, we are brought near because of the cross. Consider,

Ephesians 2:13

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

In this we see something of the glorious sufficiency that is found in Christ.

We Gentiles were without hope. We were far off from the things of God, but something changed.

Christ came.

Christ died and, in his death, made it possible for those of us who are in him to be brought close. But, close to what?

Paul picks this up later in the passage,

Ephesians 2:18

For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.

We will spend some time unpacking this in the coming weeks, but for this morning, allow the glory and wonder of this to wash over you.

We Gentiles, we who were without a hope and ignorant to the things of God.

We who were far off.

We Gentiles, have now been brought near to God.

How near? We have been graciously given access to the very throne room of God. This is the glorious good news of the gospel for Gentiles everywhere.

3. REMEMBER

Paul begins by exhorting ‘we Gentiles’ to remember our former hopeless state,

Ephesians 2:11–12

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.

All of this remembering is intended to awaken us to the glory in verse 13,

Ephesians 2:13

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

In all of this, Paul, I think, intends us to see three specific responses.

i. Humility

We will return to this next week, but it is worth considering how Paul deals with the disparity between Jew and Gentile,

Ephesians 2:11

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—

We need not know a huge amount about the context of this to understand that the term, ‘the uncircumcision’ is not intended as a complement. In truth, Paul reminds us as Gentiles that the Jews sneer at those of us who are outside Israel. Paul then moves on to emphasize why we Gentiles are at such a disadvantage.

This is not to say that these Jews are right. Paul indicates this by undermining their confidence in the covenant sign, in their case, this circumcision ‘is made in the flesh by hands’.

The gospel is emphatic, both Jew and Gentile need Christ Jesus.

And yet our state as Gentiles was more desperate and hopeless than theirs. We were the ones who were far off.

This should fill us with incredible humility. This should feed our dependency upon Christ Jesus.

There are two components to the gospel.

Firstly, the Gospel content which is centred around the person and work of Christ Jesus. God becomes flesh in order that he might rescue us through his death on the cross and his miraculous resurrection. Without the content of the gospel there can be no salvation.[4]

Secondly, however, we must understand the need for a Rescuer. This is Paul’s intention in verse 1 through to 10 and this is Paul’s intention here.

If you are an unbeliever, Paul wants you to feel your desperate need for a Saviour, that you might run to Christ Jesus. He wants you to feel your alienation, your separateness and the distance which remains between you and God and (as we shall see next week) between you and your fellow man.

Believer and unbeliever alike.

Paul wants you to see that you might be humbled. He wants you to be humbled that you might cling to Christ as the only hope in this world.

ii. Confidence

But none of this is intended to remove the confidence which comes with verse 18,

Ephesians 2:18

For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.

Through Christ Jesus we both, Jew and Gentile, have access to the Father. This is glorious good news. This is the heart of the gospel. There are no second class citizens in the kingdom of God.

And with all of this comes a holy confidence rooted in the cross of Christ Jesus,

Hebrews 10:19–23

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.

iii. Praise

This sermon series is entitled ‘His Glorious Grace’ for a reason.

Throughout these first two chapters Paul has held the gospel in his hand like a precious jewel, turning it this way and that so that it might catch the light and we might see His manifold glory.

Paul reminds us of who God is that we might see his glory magnified in the gospel. Paul reminds us of all God has done in and through Christ Jesus that we might see his glory in the gospel. And Paul reminds us of who we were and who he has made us to be that we might see the magnitude of his awesome glory in the gospel.

And the focus of all of this glory is upon his grace. He poured out grace abundantly in and through Christ Jesus and we are the beneficiaries of this glorious grace. Paul’s intention is that we see this. Paul’s intent is to magnify his grace that we might depend upon it and glory in it now and for all of eternity.

To him, be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen (Ephesians 3:21).

[1] This is not to suggest that there was no opposition in the church in Ephesus at any time. Paul warns the Ephesian elders that ‘fierce wolves will come in among you’ (Acts 20:28-30) and, tragically, in Revelation, we find that this same church has abandoned ‘the love [they] had at first’ (Revelation 2:4).

[2] Paul strengthens this association in verse 10 in presenting believers as the pioema [workmanship] of God. I discuss this in more detail elsewhere.

[3] Bruce, F. F. The Epistles to the Colossians, to Philemon, and to the Ephesians. The New International Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1984. 292

[4] Consider, for example, that which Paul states to be of first importance in 1 Corinthians 15:1-11, the death, burial and resurrection of Christ and the actual bodily appearance of the resurrected Son of God.

Continuing in this series through Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, Andy Evans looks at how believers who have received the gospel of peace, become members of a new body, the church.

The notes which accompany this message are available here.

Continuing in this series through Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, Andy Evans examines how the gospel breaks down the barriers of hostility that separate us from each other.

The notes which accompany this message are available here.

Continuing in this series through Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, Andy Evans examines how Gentiles, who were once separated from the covenant promises made to Israel, are now reconciled to God through Christ.

The notes which accompany this message are available here.