Ephesians 2:19-21 (NIV)
19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord.
Consequently: as a result: in view of the foregoing
It is important to know what the foregoing IS as we dive into this verse. Otherwise we completely lose the context. In this cast, it is the sacrifice of Christ which has reconciled us to God. So in reading this passage, we could substitute this for the word "consequently."
Ephesians 2:14-18 (NIV)
14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.
With that in mind, we can rejoice not only that by Christ we have been reconciled to God and may come into his presence but also that we have been adopted. The passage speaks to the fact that we are no longer 'foreigners and aliens.' Perhaps even, we have relinquished our hold to the title 'Gentile.' I suppose that would be a great point for a heated debate! Nevertheless, we have become 'fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household.' We have been picked up from the streets of despair and given a place at God's table as one of his own.
The household into which we have been given membership is that of the church. Now I don't necessarily mean your local church building and congregation. What I'm really thinking of is the church 'universal', the church that is comprised of all true believers in God the Father, Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit. This church spans time, culture, language, geography, genetic and all socio-economic distinctions.
The church has been being constructed according to the will of God since the beginning of time. As today's verse indicates it has been 'built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets.' For the prophets of the Old Testament, it was always forward looking. They expected with great anticipation the arrival of the Messiah and the 'birth' of His church. They are aware of the pregnancy but were not there for the birth.
The apostles on the other hand, had some knowledge of the pregnancy in that they were familiar with the prophets. But they were on the scene when the time came. They witnessed the birth of the church and indeed it is they that went throughout the land spreading the news as ancient "Johnny Appleseeds" leaving a trail of believers wherever they went. And as this verse teaches it is "Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone." I think of it as though the prophets cleared the construction site, Christ laid the cornerstone and the apostles laid the first row of bricks. It is the foundation upon which all other believers have been added.
The passage goes on "In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord." We can never forget that what joins us together (the living believers) is Christ. What joins us to the generations before us is Christ. What joins us to the apostles and the prophets is Christ. What joins us to God's people, the children of Abraham, is Christ.
It is an understanding of this core principle that enables us to love one another and to work together for the advancement of God's kingdom here on Earth. It is an understanding of this principle which allows me to live with confidence now that my house is built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets and is anchored on the cornerstone of Christ Jesus.
Carl
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1 comment:
Your writing here struck a cord with me: "Perhaps even, we have relinquished our hold to the title 'Gentile.' I suppose that would be a great point for a heated debate! Nevertheless, we have become 'fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household.' We have been picked up from the streets of despair and given a place at God's table as one of his own."
For the last decade or so, when I have a chance to witness to a non-Christian Jew, who tells me, "I'm Jewish;" I generally respond by saying, "I am too." And the following "I didn't know you were Jewish" comment opens a door widely for me to witness to my being grafted into God's Covenant Family (a concept Jews usually understand) by my belief in "Yeshua, Hamashia" [i.e., Hebrew for "Jesus, The Messiah"].
The last time I did this it led to a wonderful discussion and opportunity to witness to a Jewish colleague @ the VA a few years ago. So, when you mentioned the adoption scenario (above), it allowed me to recall this event.
Thanks ... <'BB><
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