Ephesians (continued) The outer court in the temple for Gentiles was separated from the in ner court for Jews, but when Christ came He broke down the partition. At the same time He abolished the enmity, which was the ordinances of the law, the rites, and ceremonies. These unobserved laws had caused the Jews to despise them (2:15). But now “Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth” (Rom. 10:4), by which (faith) He has created a union of Jew and Gentile. This new creation does not make a Jew into a Gentile, nor a Gentile into a Jew. Rather our Lord did “make in Himself of twain one new man” (2:15). Here is the true Church, a new organism in which the believing Jew and Gentile are reconciled to God in “one body” (2:16). Thus the whole world is blessed in Abraham according to promise, “that the blessing of Abra ham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ” (Gal. 3:14). Now the believing Gentile has re ceived every spiritual privilege that Israel has, including spiritual circum cision (Col. 2:11). To quote Mullins, “Sin separated man not only from God but also from man. Man needed to be reconciled to God, but there had to be a concilia tion between man and man also. Our Lord Jesus Christ is the Conciliator to abolish enmity and make peace, and we know of no other meeting- place where man can be at peace with man. You see, both Jew and Gentile had to be at peace with God before they could be at peace with each oth er, and only in Christ can the Jew forget that he is a Jew and the Gen tile that he is a Gentile. Thank God that neither Jew nor Gentile can boast of one having ha'd a better patch-up job than the other. This new man is not the result of any mere outward putting on, but is a ‘new creation* (2 Cor. 5:17) in Christ Jesus.” Now “through Him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father”
(2:18). There can be no boast to which man’s religion or church gives him access to God. There are no ad vantages in being a Jew or a Gentile now. Christ is the Mediator of the new covenant and only “through Him” can there be access to the Father. The Lord Jesus said: “No man cometh unto the Father but by me.” The believing Jew and Gentile con stitute one household: “Now there fore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God” (2:9). We are both in one family, hence we are no longer strang ers, no longer unknown to one an other. There is now the intimate as sociation of family life; we are broth ers in Christ. We possess the same citizenship, not living as neighbors but as the saints and sons of God in the same house with God. The believing Jew and Gentile con stitute one holy temple: “And are built upon the foundation of the apos tles and prophets, Jesus Christ Him self being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord” (2:20, 21). Paul'adds that the Church is a building, a holy temple, the New Testament prophets and apostles forming the foundation and Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone. It is Christ Him self who holds together the founda tion and the superstructure. Think of it, dear Christian, we are the habita tion of God (2:22). His dwelling place on earth. Does your heart enter into this blessed truth? God has taken up His residence in the Church, in each believer. The true Church is of perfect and harmonious design, its beauty and holiness surpassing any shrine or building made with human hands. The most sacred spot on earth is no towering cathedral with stained glass windows, but the believer’s heart where God has come to dwell. While the building is not now com plete, it will be one day, and then all creation will view its splendor and give praise to its Creator. 32
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