The Temple of God

DEVOTION

THE LETTER TO THE EPHESIANS

THE TEMPLE OF GOD

Eph 2:11-22

11 Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called "uncircumcised" by those who call themselves "the circumcision" (that done in the body by the hands of men)— 12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.

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.

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. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

NIV

Once again Paul makes a short point in one long dissertation in which we cannot cut up into little pieces, but must include the whole thought. We might spend a few days considering a few of the segments, but maybe not. Let’s see how it goes and how the Spirit leads us. Because Paul is writing to the Ephesians who at that time were considered Gentiles as opposed to being Jews. The division is about circumcision which was a command God gave to the Israelites. It was to show they were the people of God, and the Gentiles were not the people of God, not the chosen ones. However, Paul makes the point that circumcision is done in the body by the hand of man. This would imply it is not done by the hand of God. Thus in order to be the true people of God something must be done by the hand of God. The cross of Christ is the hand of God which is done so that all people may be one in Christ. It is interesting how Paul uses the concept of the Ephesians once being excluded from citizenship in Israel and without God in the world. This implies that now because of Jesus, they are included as citizens of Israel, or two becoming one, the wall between Jew and Gentile is gone. When we read that God says all of Israel will be saved,

 Rom 11:26

26 And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written:

NIV

It implies all those who are Israel, who have citizenship, who are one in Christ. Sometimes it does appear Israel is used to just denote the Israelites with whom God made the covenant of circumcision. But Paul makes it clear that does not count as the everlasting covenant, as the Ephesians, who are uncircumcised in the flesh are no longer aliens or foreigners. This then includes us, who would be considered non-Jewish. We were not born into the lineage of the line of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Yet because we are circumcised in the heart by the hand of God, we are now one people, true Israel and thus every person who is in Christ, circumcised by the hand of God will be saved, thus all of Israel will be saved. This is clearly stated in Paul’s letter to the Corinthians and in the letter to the Romans. So then we are no longer aliens and we are not separated from God or are in the world without him. He is with us, he is within us, and we are saved by his hand, and not of our own. We are even marked with his seal, the Holy Spirit, and not by our cutting of our flesh by our own hand. All who have been marked by God’s hand are being built into his temple with Jesus being the cornerstone. He is what makes the whole temple built square, perfectly right. We are living stones, the temple of God, not by observing any law, any rule, but by observing the work of God in our lives. Have we perverted his work, but creating work for ourselves? Do we look too much to those lists of do’s and don’ts in order to mark ourselves as Christians? Is that any different than the Jews looking to the law for righteousness? Sure we are supposed to live a holy life, but can we even do that in the flesh? Is that not looking to the hand of man in the flesh? It is only through our faith in Jesus, who is our righteousness that we can attain eternal life. But have we turned this faith in Jesus into faith in our ability to live rightly? It is certain some denominations have established rules for membership, but are their rules by the hand of man, or of God. It clearly seems faith in the work of Christ is the only rule God established to be a member of his family, his denomination if we could be as bold as to call God a denomination. After all, we all are together as one under Christ. Those who refuse Christ are the aliens and are not citizens of Israel. Although they do not have to be objects of wrath, they can come into the family, unless they allow God to circumcise their hearts they are not Israel and will not be saved. But we have allowed God to do his work in our hearts and we are now one as Israel and we are saved by his grace, praise his glorious name. We are his temple in who he dwells.