Paul talks today about the quality now shared between Jews and Gentiles.
"Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called "uncircumcised" by those who call themselves "the circumcision" (which is done in the body by human hands)---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. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ." (Ephesians 2:11-13) Paul says, "You had always been on the outside. You served idols instead of the living God. You didn't have the commandments, the law, or the prophets. You had no hope. But now you who once were on the outside are on the inside. You are heirs of the promises of God." (Galatians 3:29)
The apostle reminds his readers that circumcision of the flesh is something that is done by human hands. It's what is in the heart that counts, as we studied not too long ago when we looked at God's command to the Israel in Deuteronomy 10:16 to "circumcise your hearts". The works done in the flesh have no value if the heart isn't right with God, and so circumcision by itself does not give a person right standing with God. Because the physically uncircumcised Gentiles have accepted Christ, their hearts have been circumcised by faith, and this makes them righteous in the eyes of God.
The Gentiles, who once were so far away from God and from His beautiful promises, have been brought near to Him by Christ and have been brought near to God's covenant people---the Jews. "For He Himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in His flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in Himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which He put to death their hostility." (Ephesians 2:14-16)
Christ fulfilled the law; He is the only human being who ever did. He was born under the old covenant, He lived under the old covenant, and He died under the old covenant. In dying under the old covenant after perfectly fulfilling the law He made a new covenant with mankind with His own blood. (Matthew 26:28, Luke 22:20) If a new covenant has come, naturally this means the old covenant is done away with. The old covenant was the law, and it excluded all who were not circumcised and who did not submit themselves to following the law, so by and large the Gentiles were left out except for those who converted to Judaism. Even then they could only enter the Court of the Gentiles at the temple. They were not viewed as having the same level of access to God as the Jews had, and therefore they could not come as close to the inner court of the temple as the Jews. But when Christ gave His life on the cross, God reached down from heaven and took hold of the top of the veil in the temple, and He tore it in two. (Matthew 27:51) This signified that under the new covenant of grace there was access to God like never before---for all people.
Christ came for everyone, no matter their genealogy and no matter what was in their past. "He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through Him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit." (Ephesians 2:17-18) Paul says, "Christ came and preached peace to you who were Gentiles and to those who were Jews. No man comes to the Father except through Him, and through Him both Jews and Gentiles have the same access to the Father." (John 14:6)
"Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God's people and also members of His household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the chief cornerstone. In Him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in Him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit." (Ephesians 2:19-22) At one time the Gentiles could not claim the Old Testament men and women of faith as their ancestors. They could not claim the Old Testament prophets as their own. Those Jews who in ancient times looked forward to the Messiah and received visions of Him were not of the same genealogy as the Gentiles. But now the faith of the believing Gentiles, just like the faith of the Jews, includes all this rich history of the people of God. This is because Christ is the cornerstone of the church, and Christ was foretold by the Old Testament prophets, and Christ was symbolized by the Old Testament law and by the Old Testament sacrificial system. The Gentiles can read the Old Testament and find their Redeemer there, and they are able to see that the promises made to the people of Israel apply to them too.
Christ is doing a new thing. He is building a temple, not of stone, but of flesh. He is building a temple made up of believers of every nation and tongue. He is building a temple in which He will dwell, not in a veiled room where only the high priest can enter, but in which He dwells in every believer's heart through the person of the Holy Spirit. We have unprecedented access into the presence of Almighty God now that Christ has come and now that He has given us the Holy Spirit. No veil stands between us and our Maker. We all, whether Jew or Gentile, are issued the same invitation to come and know Him personally.
Below is a link to a song that the choir at my church often sings at Easter. I hope it's a blessing to you as you listen to it and think about the access you now have to God through Christ Jesus our Lord.
Let The Veil Down
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