Ephesians 2 — Christ, Our Cornerstone
Introduction: Paul wrote about the separation of all believers from those who remain dead in their sins as Christ brings new life through grace by faith with no distinction by race or nationality as all who believe become fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God. A living holy temple is being built for God with the foundation upon the prophets and the apostles, with Christ as the chief cornerstone.
NOTE: Scripture passages are from the 1901 American Standard Version.
A — No Longer Children of Wrath by Nature
Ephesians 2 “1 And you did he make alive, when ye were dead through your trespasses and sins, 2 wherein ye once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the powers of the air, of the spirit that now worketh in the sons of disobedience; 3 among whom we also all once lived in the lust of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.”
Comments: Paul stated that all people are born into a life of lust of the flesh, doing the desires of the body and of the mind, because they are by nature children of wrath. All are under the sentence of death as descendants of Adam and Eve because of the first broken commandment (Genesis 2:16–17). Romans 5:12 explains that through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death passed unto all men, for that all sinned.
B — Made Alive Together with Christ
Ephesians 2 “4 but God, being rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5 even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace have ye been saved), 6 and raised us up with him, and made us to sit with him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus: 7 that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”
Comments: Because we serve a merciful and loving God, he did not leave us in that condemned condition without providing a way of redemption. God makes the believer alive together with Christ as we are saved by grace. We are then raised in the spirit to be with Christ in the heavenly places. John 5:24 “He that heareth my word, and believeth him that sent me, hath eternal life, and cometh not into judgment, but hath passed out of death into life.” Romans 5:17 says that those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life through Jesus Christ.
C — Saved by Grace Through Faith unto Good Works
Ephesians 2 “8 for by grace have ye been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not of works, that no man should glory. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God afore prepared that we should walk in them.”
Comments: All glory and praise should go to the LORD for our salvation from sin and death because we have been saved by his grace with no measure of merit owed to us from kind acts we may do. God’s grace to us is given as a gift by him through our faith in his finished work on our behalf. We have no basis to boast about anything good that we do since we are his creative work made new in Christ Jesus that we may through him perform the good works that he has beforehand prepared for those who believe. John 6:28–29 “This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.” Matthew 5:16 “Let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”
D — Gentiles Now Have the Covenant in Christ
Ephesians 2 “11 Wherefore remember, that once ye, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called Circumcision, in the flesh, made by hands; 12 that ye were at that time separate from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of the promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus ye that once were far off are made nigh in the blood of Christ.”
Comments: For centuries the children of Israel had the Word of God in the law and the prophets to bring them to faith in God, and most Gentiles had no understanding of the covenant of circumcision in the flesh that was a distinction for the nation of Israel. Paul reminded his Gentile readers that they had been separate from Christ, isolated from the covenants of promise given to the nation of Israel. Because of that separation those who were uncircumcised in the flesh had no hope and were without God in the world. Now in Christ Jesus, Gentiles who were once far off are made near in his blood. Christ brought Jew and Gentile together by his death on the cross to satisfy the law for all who believe and accept his gift of salvation.
E — Jew and Gentile Are Brought Together Through the Cross of Christ
Ephesians 2 “14 For he is our peace, who made both one, and brake down the middle wall of partition, 15 having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; that he might create in himself of the two one new man, so making peace; 16 and might reconcile them both in one body unto God through the cross, having slain the enmity thereby.”
Comments: The Prince of Peace provided a way for the Jew and the Gentile to end their deep-seated mutual hatred through their zeal for opposing beliefs in their worship. Christ removed the wall of separation between Jew and Gentile when he abolished in his flesh the strong division that was present because of the law of commandments in the ordinances. This gave freedom from the law through Christ to both Jew and Gentile. The Lord had revealed this truth to Peter through his experience with Gentiles at the household of Cornelius. Acts 15:6–12 records the Jerusalem council affirming that God “made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith” — and that we shall all be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus. Galatians 3:24–26 similarly explains that the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith, so that we are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
F — Fellow Citizens in the Household of God
Ephesians 2 “17 and he came and preached peace to you that were far off, and peace to them that were nigh: 18 for through him we both have our access in one Spirit unto the Father. 19 So then ye are no more strangers and sojourners, but ye are fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God, 20 being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the chief corner stone; 21 in whom each several building, fitly framed together, groweth into a holy temple in the Lord; 22 in whom ye also are builded together for a habitation of God in the Spirit.”
Comments: Access to God the Father is the same through one Spirit for all believers whether they have a Jewish or a Gentile heritage. Paul wanted the Gentiles to know that they were no longer strangers or travelers passing through the sacred territory of another people, but had become fellow citizens with all saints in the kingdom of God. This very unique household of God is like a living building constructed on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself being the chief corner stone. As the building continues to grow it is carefully framed together to be a holy temple in the Lord. Each believer becomes an integral part of that habitation for God in the Spirit.
Reflections in Prayer
LORD, I offer my praise in thanksgiving for your rich mercy given to me through your great love to secure for me the gift of life in Christ by your grace. That gift of grace brought me out of the condemnation of death that was upon me as my nature was to trespass and sin following the course of this world as is common to all. What a blessing it is to know that you, LORD, have prepared a place for the saints in heaven to be with Christ our Savior so in the ages to come the exceeding riches of your grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus will be fully shown. I know LORD that my salvation from sin by grace through faith is a gift from you that I could not have earned by any means within myself. I pray that I will show good actions in my redeemed life that will give all honor and glory to your name because all were prepared ahead by you. The blood of Christ was the only sacrifice that could atone for my sin and bring me into the household of God to become part of that glorious and holy habitation for the Spirit built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Christ as the chief cornerstone. Hallelujah and amen!
Published 24 April 2015