Intro to "Unity in Christ" (Eph. 2:13-18)

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 1/4/2019 12:11 PM

 

My Worship Time                                                                  Focus:  Intro to “Unity in Christ”

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                 Reference:  Eph. 2:13-18

 

            Message of the Verses:  “13 But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.14 For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, 15 by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, 16 and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity. 17 AND 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 our access in one Spirit to the Father.”

 

            We have spent a few days looking at the alienation that we had with God, the social and spiritual alienation.  As we now move to these verses in which we will begin to look at how Jesus Christ cared for our alienation when He came to earth and then died on the cross for those who have believed.

 

            Notice the highlighted words “who formerly were far off” as seen in verse thirteen.  This speaks of the Gentiles who had come to know Christ.  The words “far off” were common words used by Jewish Rabbis to talk about Gentiles, speaking of those who were far away from the true God.  “Creating the praise of the lips. Peace, peace to him who is far and to him who is near," Says the LORD, "and I will heal him’ (Isa. 57:19).”  “"For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself’ (Acts 2:39).”   By the way this was from Peter’s sermon on the Day of Pentecost, so he had to be talking about Gentiles coming to salvation also.  John MacArthur writes “Jews on the other hand, considered themselves and their converts to be ‘brought near’ to God because of their covenant relation with Him and the presence of His Temple in Jerusalem.  But ‘in Christ’ every person, Jew and Gentile alike, are ‘brought near’ to God ‘by the blood of Christ.  And that nearness is not an external dispensational, national, geographic, or ceremonial nearness—but is a spiritual intimacy of union with the Lord Jesus Christ (cf. 1 Cor. 1:24).”  “But to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.”

 

            If we had to name the biggest problem of disunity and divisions it would have to be sin, for sin causes people to have conflict with others because of things like where they live, or what color is their skin, or what religion they follow.  When we think of the Godhead and the reason that there is no disunity in it is because there is no sin there.  I heard a sermon one time where the speaker said that if there was only One person in the Godhead then there would be no love.  This makes sense to me, for as we look at the different functions in the Godhead there is love between the Persons of the Godhead.  Think for a moment about salvation and the different functions that each Person of the Godhead had to do with it.  The Father chose individuals for salvation before the earth was formed, the Son came to earth to purchase His bride by dying on the cross, and the Holy Spirit is the One who gives an effectual call to those that God chose and Christ died for.  Now when you think about this truth it is apparent that God is the One who receives all the glory for our salvation.  The same is true with the creation of the world as all members of the Godhead were also involved. 

 

            Jesus made it possible to have perfect unity in the sight of God for all believers by dying on the cross for our sins as He shed His own blood as seen in verse 13.  All who trust Him for salvation are freed from sin now in their new nature and they will be practically and then permanently freed from sin in their new bodies when they meet the Lord, what a day that will be.  MacArthur adds “The cleansing value of the blood of Christ immediately washes away the penalty of sin and ultimately washes away even its presence.”  I for one am truly very much looking forward to that.

 

            It is because of the fact that we are “in Christ” that the great foundational barrier of sin has been removed, and then every other barrier has also been removed.  Those of us who are in Christ are one in each other even though many times we don’t really live like it or even totally understand it.  “17 But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him (1 Cor. 6:17).”

 

            It is because our sin is removed that Christ gives us peace not only with others but we then also have access to God.

 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  I suppose that if all believers did not have the “old nature” (or as some call it the “flesh”) then there would be no disunity with the body of Christ.

 

My Steps of Faith for Today:  To continue to fight the good fight, and to remember the truth of Romans 12:3, and to remember that truth is more important than emotions.

 

Answer to yesterday’s Bible question:  “Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:9-15).

 

Today’s Bible question:  “Who said ‘They that be whole need not a physical but they that are sick’?”

 

Answer in our next SD.

 

1/4/2019 1:07 PM