The Transition of the Gentiles to a Life in Christ: Separated, Reconciled, and Unified A Look at Eph 2:11-22

Introduction  In the first 10 verses of chapter 2 Paul discusses the salvation of sinners in general  Paul is now focusing on the work of Christ for the Gentiles  This morning we will focus on the three key concepts of:  Separation (vs 11-12)  Reconciliation (vs 13-18)  Unification (vs 19-22)

Separated: what the Gentiles were (vs 11-12)  From the moment God called Abraham, He made a difference between the Jew and the Gentile  This difference was not so Jews could boast but rather that they might be a blessing and help to the Gentiles  God’s intent was to separate out the Jews that they may be used a channel of revelation and goodness to all (even heathen) nations  Sadly, Israel kept the difference nationally and ritually, but not morally  Israel became like the lost nations around her  God often had to discipline the Jews for not maintaining a spiritual separation and ministering to the other nations in the name of the one true God

Separated: what the Gentiles were (vs 11-12)  One word that described the Gentiles: Without…they were “outside” in several respects  Without Christ  The Ephesians worshipped the Goddess Diana before the coming of the Gospel and really knew nothing of Christ  Paul describes this situation as, “Having no hope and without God in the world”  Important note: Every unsaved person, Jew or Gentile, is “Outside Christ” and that means living in condemnation  Without citizenship  God called the Jews and built them into His nation  He gave them His laws and His blessings  A Gentile could enter the nation as a proselyte, but he was not born into this very special nation  Israel was God’s nation in a way that was not true of any Gentile nation

Separated: what the Gentiles were (vs 11-12)  One word that described the Gentiles: Without…they were “outside” in several respects  Without Hope  Historians speak of a great cloud of hopelessness covering the ancient world  Philosophies were empty, traditions were disappearing, religions were unable to help men face life or death  People were in search for a message of hope but could not find one (1 Thes 4:13-18)  Without God  The Gentile nations had plenty of “gods” (Acts 17:16-23; 1 Cor 8:5)  The issue was they lacked the one true God  Psalm 115 offers a contrast between the one true God and various false “gods”

Separated: what the Gentiles were (vs 11-12)  God called the Jews, beginning with Abraham, that through them He might reveal Himself as the one true God  God gave us His Son, our Savior, through the Jews (Rom 9:1-5)  Israel was to be a light to the Gentiles that they too be saved  Sadly, Israel became like the Gentiles causing their light to burn dimly  This truth should be a warning to the Church today  When the Church becomes just like the world, its light burns dimly or is snuffed out and does not help the world  When the Church becomes less like the world, its light burns brightly and it does most to help the world

Reconciled: What was done for the Gentiles (vs 13-18)  The term “reconcile” means: to bring together again  The “But now” parallels the “But God” in 2:4  Both speak of the gracious intervention of God on behalf of lost sinners  Enmity is the key word of this section and involves both the enmity between Jews and Gentiles (vs 13-15), and between sinners and God (vs 16-18)  Enmity between Jews and Gentiles  God has put a difference between Jews and Gentiles that His purposes in salvation might be accomplished  Once these were accomplished, there was no more difference…It was God’s purpose that these differences be erased forever and they were through the work of Christ

Reconciled: What was done for the Gentiles (vs 13-18)  Enmity is the key word of this section and involves both the enmity between Jews and Gentiles (vs 13-15), and between sinners and God (vs 16-18)  Enmity between Jews and Gentiles  In Christ Jew and Gentile became one  Through the blood of Christ the far off Gentile is made near  Enmity between sinners and God  Not only did the Gentiles need to be reconciled to the Jews, but both Jew and Gentile needed to be reconciled to God  This is the conclusion that was reached at the Jerusalem Conference (Acts 15)  It was not a question of a Gentile becoming a Jew to become a Christian, but the Jew admitting he was a sinner just like the Gentile (Rom 3:22-23)

United: What Jews and Gentiles are in Christ (vs 2:19-22)  In the closing verses of this chapter Paul gives three pictures that illustrate the unity of believing Jews and Gentiles in the Church  One nation (vs 19a)  Israel was God’s chosen nation but they rejected their Redeemer and suffered the consequences  The Kingdom was taken from them and given to, “A nation bearing the fruits of it” (Mt 21:43)  This new nation is described in 1 Pet 2:9  All believers, regardless of national background, belong to this new nation with citizenship in Heaven (Phil 3:20-21)  One family (vs 19b)  Through faith and obedience to Christ we enter into God’s family, and God becomes our Father  We are all brothers and sisters in the one family, no matter what racial, national, or physical conditions we may possess

United: What Jews and Gentiles are in Christ (vs 2:19-22)  In the closing verses of this chapter Paul gives three pictures that illustrate the unity of believing Jews and Gentiles in the Church  One temple (vs 20-22)  In the book of Genesis, God “Walked” with His people (Gen 5:22, 24; 6:9)  In Exodus God is said to “Dwell” with His people (25:8)  God dwelt in the Tabernacle (Ex 40:34-38) until Israel’s sin caused, “the glory to depart” (1 Sam 4)  God then dwelt in the temple (1 Kngs 8:1-11) but Israel once again sinned and the glory departed (Ezek 10:18-19)  Today God, though His Spirit, dwells in the hearts of men (1 Cor 6:19-20; Eph 2:20-22)  This reference to the temple would be meaningful to both Jews and Gentiles in the Ephesian Church  The Jews would think of Herod’s temple in Jerusalem  The Gentiles would think of the great temple of Diana  Both of these temples were destined to be destroyed, but the temple of Christ will last forever

Conclusion  Have you personally experienced the grace of God?  Are you spiritually dead?  Are you distant from God?  Have you trusted Christ and received the eternal life only He can give?  Jesus Christ died to make reconciliation possible…we must share this message with others  God has given to us, “The ministry of reconciliation” (2 Cor 5:18)  We are His, “Ambassadors of peace” (2 Cor 5:20)  Our feet are to be, “Shod with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace” (Eph 6:15)  God has said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God” (Mt 5:9)