Scripture Reading: Eph. 2:11-22
It is easy to understand those parts of the Bible that correspond to our natural concept. For example, we readily understand those verses that tell us we are sinful, that we are sinners under God’s condemnation, and that we are in need of God’s forgiveness. However, in 2:11-22 there are a number of matters which do not fit in with our natural concept. For this reason, they are not adequately understood by most Christians when they read Ephesians.
One matter that differs from our natural concept is found in verse 13. Here we are told that in Christ Jesus we “who once were far off have become near in the blood of Christ.” To whom have we become near? We have become near both to God and to one another. However, the emphasis in this verse is that the very blood of Christ through which we have been redeemed, brought back, brings us near to one another. According to verse 12, when we were apart from Christ, we were “alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of the promise, having no hope and without God in the world.” If we consider verse 13 in the light of verse 12, we shall realize that here the emphasis is upon becoming near to one another. Because we were fallen, we were far off from Christ, from the commonwealth of Israel, and from the covenants of God’s promise. But the redeeming blood of Christ has brought us back. Hence, in this blood we have become near both to God and to God’s people.
Another unusual expression is in verse 17: “And coming, He preached the gospel of peace to you who were far off, and peace to those who were near.” The subject of this verse is Christ, the One who broke down the middle wall of partition, abolished the law of the commandments in ordinances, and reconciled the Jews and the Gentiles in one Body to God through the cross (vv. 15-16). This very One came to preach the gospel of peace to us who were far off. This is the coming of Christ as the Spirit to preach the good news of the peace which He has accomplished through His cross. When Paul went to Ephesus, Christ went with him. Paul’s going was Christ’s going. Having come as the Spirit in Paul, Christ preached the gospel of peace.
According to this verse, Christ did not mainly preach forgiveness or salvation. Rather, He preached the gospel concerning peace among the peoples. Have you ever realized that such a peace is related to the gospel? The gospel of peace involves not only the peace between man and God, but especially the peace between one man and another. For example, there is a need for peace between Germans and French, and between Chinese and Japanese. Just as there was enmity between the Jews and the Gentiles at the time of Paul, so there is enmity among peoples today. Among the different nations there is no real peace. Instead there is enmity. Hence, there is an urgent need not only for the preaching of the gospel concerning forgiveness, justification, salvation, grace, and regeneration, but also for the preaching of the gospel of peace.
Before the foundation of the world, God chose people from various nations to be part of the one Body and the one new man. Under the sovereignty of God, these different people have been brought together in the church life. According to the natural constitution, it is not possible for Chinese to be one with Japanese or French to be one with Germans. The only way for the different peoples to be one is through receiving the gospel of peace. One day the Lord came and preached peace as the gospel to us. We realized as a result that we are now one with saints of every nationality and race. Today all who believe in Christ have one source, and this source is Christ Himself. Our source should no longer be our culture or nationality; it must be Christ and Christ alone. Once we were divided by our different sources, but now we are one in Christ as the unique source.
It is easy to talk about this matter, but it is difficult to put it into practice. On the cross Christ abolished all the ordinances, and then He came to us preaching the gospel of peace. However, after we were saved and brought into Christ as the one source, the ordinances returned.
In verses 11 and 12 Paul tells us to remember our situation before we were saved. He reminds us that we were Gentiles in the flesh, the ones “called uncircumcision by those who are called circumcision in the flesh made by hand.” He also reminds us that we were apart from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise. We were without hope and without God in the world. Verse 13 opens with the words, “But now in Christ Jesus.” These words denote a change of source. Formerly we were outside of Christ; now we are in Christ and with Christ. In Christ Jesus we who once were far off have become near in the blood of Christ.
Why does Paul mention the blood of Christ with respect to our being made near to one another? This reminds us that before we became near, we were among the fallen people. We needed to be redeemed, to be brought back by the precious blood of Christ. It was because of the fall that the human race was divided and scattered. Because we were fallen, we needed to be redeemed, to be brought back to God. Redemption has been accomplished through the blood of Christ. In this verse the blood signifies redemption. As the redeemed ones, we are now the brought-back ones. When we were fallen, we were divided and scattered. But having been redeemed by the precious blood of Christ, we have spontaneously become near not only to God but also to one another.
In verse 14 Paul goes on to say, “For He Himself is our peace.” The word our refers to the different peoples, to the Jewish and Gentile believers. The peace spoken of here is not that between God and man, but that between one man and another. Having accomplished full redemption for us, Christ Himself is our peace, our harmony. After God called a chosen race out of fallen mankind, there was a separation between Israel and the nations. Through Christ’s redemption, this separation has been removed. Therefore, in the redeeming Christ we all are one. For this reason Paul says that Christ “has made both one.” The word both denotes the Jewish and Gentile believers.
In the remainder of verse 14 and in verse 15 Paul declares that Christ has broken down the middle wall of partition, the enmity, “having abolished in His flesh the law of the commandments in ordinances, that He might create the two in Himself into one new man, making peace.” When Christ was crucified, all the ordinances were nailed to the cross. He broke down the middle wall of partition by abolishing the law of the commandments in ordinances. His goal in doing so was to create the Jews and the Gentiles “in Himself into one new man.” By Christ’s abolishing the ordinances and creating the Jewish and Gentile believers into one new man, peace was made between all believers. Once again we see that the peace in this portion of the Word is the peace among those who believe in Christ.
In verse 16 Paul speaks of the Jews and the Gentiles reconciled to God in one Body through the cross. Then in verse 17 he tells us that Christ preached the gospel of peace to those who were far off, that is, to the Gentiles, and to those who were near, that is, to the Jews. The result is that “through Him we both have access in one Spirit unto the Father” (v. 18). All the concepts contained in these verses are not to be found in our natural understanding. For this reason, we need to be enlightened by the Lord to apprehend them.
In verse 19 Paul continues, “So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow-citizens of the saints and members of the household of God.” The phrase “fellow-citizens of the saints” indicates the kingdom of God, and the phrase “members of the household of God” indicates the house, the family, of God. On the one hand, we are citizens of the kingdom; on the other hand, we are members of the household. The household is a matter of life and enjoyment, whereas the kingdom is a matter of right and responsibility.
The point we are burdened to emphasize in this message is that on the cross Christ has slain all the ordinances. These ordinances were related to the differences between the peoples. Many Christians know that on the cross Christ dealt with sin, the flesh, the self, the old man, the world, and the Devil. But not many also realize that on the cross Christ dealt with the ordinances. Hallelujah, all the ordinances have been slain! How we thank Him for revealing this to the churches in His recovery! The cross has dealt with sin so that we may be saved; with the world, the old man, the flesh, and the self, so that we may be sanctified; and with the Devil, Satan, that we may be victorious. Now we see that the cross has also slain the ordinances so that we may be one new man.
Although we are different as far as physical characteristics are concerned, actually there should no longer be any difference among those in the one new man. According to Colossians 3:11, in the new man “there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave, freeman, but Christ is all and in all.” Not only is there no natural person in the new man, but there is no possibility for there to be any natural person. In the new man there is only one person — Christ who is all and in all. The differences between the peoples have been removed by the cross. What a wonderful gospel this is! The ordinances that once divided the peoples have been abolished, and now we have true peace. We are no longer strangers — we are fellow-citizens of the saints. We are no longer sojourners — we are members of the household of God. We all are citizens of God’s kingdom and “folks” in God’s family.
This revelation is made real to us in the mingled spirit. In the spirit we are one new man in Christ. But if we consider our situation by analyzing in the mind, the natural differences will become apparent once again. Those from a certain country or region may regard themselves as superior to others. This will give all the others a sense that they are strangers. The same thing is true whenever those from a particular local church regard their church as superior. If we would be faithful to the vision in this portion of the Word, we need to remain in the spirit where we shall experience the genuine building up with others. Paul’s concluding point in this chapter is that both universally and locally the church must be built up as God’s dwelling place in spirit.
Concerning the meetings, we should not hold on to any ordinances. We may enjoy releasing our spirit in a particular way, but we should not insist that others follow that way. Even if the meetings in certain localities are very different from those to which we are accustomed, we should still be able to minister life and supply the riches of Christ to others. Furthermore, we should also be willing to receive help from others. In this way we shall have true fellowship and experience a mutual supply.
We should not even allow the terminology with which we are familiar to be a hindrance to fellowship. Other Christians may not be familiar with the word economy. In such a case, it may be better for us to speak of God’s will than about God’s economy. We may share with others that God’s will is to work Christ into us. We may prove our point by quoting Ephesians 3:17, a verse which speaks about Christ making His home in our hearts.
We should always focus our attention on Christ and not become involved in disputes over doctrines or practices. Admittedly, it takes a great deal of learning and experience to know how to minister Christ to others in this way. Nevertheless, it is important for us to learn how to adapt to meetings that differ from our own and how to function in those meetings properly. For example, if those in a certain locality have the practice of offering long prayers or giving long testimonies, we should simply follow their way, not insist on short and quick prayers and testimonies. If, however, we insist on our way of praying or testifying, we may offend others and cause them to think unnecessarily that we are strange or peculiar.
It is important for all of us to learn to minister life in all kinds of Christian meetings. We should never despise the ways of meeting that are different from ours. On the contrary, in any meeting we should be able to dispense into the saints the riches of Christ. If in our experience we have truly slain all the ordinances, we shall be able to do this. For the sake of oneness and for the ministry of life, we shall be able to adapt to the way practiced by others in their meetings.
Do not think that simply because those in a particular locality emphasize the Pentecostal gifts, they are not a proper local church. As long as they have the standing of the church, they are the church in that locality, even if the meetings are filled with the activities often associated with Pentecostalism. If they are genuine Christians who have seen the way of the church and have begun to practice the church life, we must recognize them as the church. Their meetings may differ from ours, but that does not mean that they are not the church in that locality. If you insist that they are not a genuine local church, they may say the same thing about the church in your locality. If you are involved in arguments about the way to meet, you may claim that your way is right, but they may insist that their practice is correct. To be entangled in such arguments is to be involved in ordinances once again. If we hold on to certain ordinances and insist on certain practices, we immediately become sectarian. Therefore, for the proper church life, we must set aside all the ordinances and concentrate on ministering Christ to the saints.
We in the Lord’s recovery have no intention to form another denomination. Rather, we need to be rescued from all divisiveness and receive all genuine Christians. In the meetings we may practice pray-reading and calling on the name of the Lord, but we should not allow either of these practices to become ordinances. Perhaps in the years to come the Lord will give us something new related to the release of the spirit. Regarding our faith in Christ and our belief in the Bible, we cannot change. But as far as the way to meet, we should always be open to receive something new and better from the Lord. In this way we shall practice the church life without ordinances.
