Introduction
a. in our study of Ephesians w have looked at:
- How the Church at
Ephesus - What is a saint?
- Predestination
- Election
- The condition of the sinner?
- What saving grace is, why salvation as to me by grace and can never be achieved by works
I. GOD HAS MADE UNITED JEW AND GENTILE INTO ONE NEW PEOPLE (EPHESIANS 2:11-22) read it
a. The term uncircumcised means they had no part of God’s chosen people Read Geneses 17
b. Circumcision was a literal and Jews fulfilled the literal physical requirement of the law by physically being circumcised but there was no change in their behaviour and still walked contrary.
c. Jeremiah called for circumcision of the heart.
Jer 4:4 Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and take away the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.
d. This actually is what happens to believers that are saved by grace.
Rom 2:28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
Rom 2:29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
e. When you are born again you heard is circumcised and in fact you get a new heart.
Ezekiel 11:19 And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh:
Ezekiel 36:26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
2. Gentiles without hope.
Eph 2:11 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
Eph 2:12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world
Ephesians 2:11-12 Aplified Bible [Remember] that you were at that time separated (living apart) from Christ [excluded from all part in Him], utterly estranged and outlawed from the rights of Israel as a nation, and strangers with no share in the sacred compacts of the [Messianic] promise [with no knowledge of or right in God's agreements, His covenants]. And you had no hope (no promise); you were in the world without God.
a. Jesus told the woman at the well that salvation was only for the Jews under the Old Testament
John 4:22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
John 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
John 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
b. .Gentiles were Aliens
c. In Ephesians 2:11-12 the gentiles were regarded as Aliens and strangers.
Eph 2:11 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
Eph 2:12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world
Definition of an Alien
2. LAW foreign resident of country: somebody who is a citizen of a country other than the one in which he or she lives or happens to be
3. outsider: somebody who does not belong to, is not accepted in, or does not feel part of a particular group or society[1]
d. The wonderful Conjunction
Eph 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
AMPLIFIED BIBLE Eph 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus, you who once were [so] far away, through (by, in) the blood of Christ have been brought near.
11. Jesus our peace
Eph 2:14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
a. The middle wall
b. Some have said in middle wall is
· The referring of the veil of the Temple
Mat 27:51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
· Others have said the barricade separating the court of the gentile. However that was never removed from the temple while it was standing
· Jesus did more than just remove physical barriers
Eph 2:15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
God’s Word Translation Eph 2:15 He brought an end to the commandments and demands found in Moses' Teachings so that he could take Jewish and non-Jewish people and create one new humanity in himself. So he made peace.
11. Unifying factor is Jesus
Col 2:13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
Col 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
Col 2:15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
a. Jesus alone is what reconciles us
Eph 2:15 He brought an end to the commandments and demands found in Moses' Teachings so that he could take Jewish and non-Jewish people and create one new humanity in himself. So he made peace.
b. The Gospel of Jesus Christ’s death on the cross brings peace to, and between, Jews and Gentiles. The typical Jewish concept of Gentiles was that they were “far away” from God.
c. We are all saved the same way
Eph 2:17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.
Eph 2:18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
a. Salvation is the same for both Jews and Gentiles
Rom 10:12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
Rom 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
11. Being built into a temple
(Ephesians 2:21 KJV)
In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
a. Jesus did not only save us from sin but we are saved unto something and being built is a Spiritual temple
(1 Corinthians 3:16 KJV)
Know ye not that ye are the temple of God
(1 Corinthians 6:19 KJV)
What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
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[1]Encarta® World English Dictionary © & (P) 1999 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Developed for Microsoft by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc.
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