Paul declares to the Ephesians that both Jew and
Gentile needed to be Reconciled to God
Ephesians
2:16-18 And that He might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross,
having slain the enmity thereby: And came and preached peace to you which were
afar off, and to them that were nigh. For through Him we both have access by
one Spirit unto the Father. KJVThe Jew was satisfied in and with their worship of YAWEH by way of the Mosaic Ceremonial laws that were given to them through Moses. Therefore, they saw no need to be reconciled to God because they thought they were already right with God. On the other hand, the Gentile Ephesians did not even know about YAWEH and were satisfied in and with their pagan worship of the goddess Diana. However, Paul declares here in this passage that “He might reconcile both unto God” (Ephesians 2:16) that is Jew and Gentile despite neither seeing their need to be reconciled. The English phrase “that He might reconcile” Paul uses here is translated by one Greek word apokatallasso which means to be off or away from something that is near; it denotes separation or departure; to change mutually or to make different; figuratively to compound a difference or make (one thing) compatible with (another). In other words, both the Jew and Gentile were not acceptable to God the Father as they were still in their sins, so He sent our Lord Jesus Christ to make the Ephesian Gentiles and the Jews able to stand in His Presence because without our Lord Jesus, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are unapproachable as Paul declared of our Lord Jesus with these words to Brother Timothy, “Who alone has immortality [in the sense of exemption from every kind of death] and lives in unapproachable light, Whom no man has ever seen or can see. Unto Him be honor and everlasting power {and} dominion. Amen (so be it).” (1 Timothy 6:16).
This reconciliation brings the hostile Jewish and Gentile relationship into harmony (as we saw in the last study Volume 18), but now more importantly it breaks up the war between man and God due to man’s sin and brings about peace with God the Father as Paul wrote in this manner to the Roman believers, “THEREFORE, SINCE we are justified (acquitted, declared righteous, and given a right standing with God) through faith, let us [grasp the fact that we] have [the peace of reconciliation to hold and to enjoy] peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).” (Romans 5:1). Paul declares that our Lord Jesus Christ has “in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby” (Ephesians 2:16) has quieted or appeased the offence that man’s sin has been to God the Father. Because God’s perfect justice demanded a punishment for man’s sin, then it was satisfied by the battered, brutalized, bloodied, and broken body of our Lord Jesus Christ on Calvary. Paul uses the phrase “having slain” here which is translated by one Greek word apokteino which means to kill outright or put to death; figuratively to destroy. In other words, our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ by taking sin upon His Body and paying sins eternal penalty which is death (Romans 6:23), destroyed its condemnation over every Jew and Gentile reconciled in Christ New Body (the Church) as wells as freeing each one of us from sins gripping power and enslavement in our lives.
Paul declares the enmity between God and man is what Christ slew and this English word enmity is translated by the Greek word echthra which means to hate or be hateful (passively odious or actively hostile); by implication a reason for opposition. In other words, sinful man (whether aware or unaware) is hostile toward God and at war with God because of sin and is sensual, fleshly, and carnal i.e. marked by the appetites and passions of the body through and through as Paul declared to the Roman believers with these words, “[That is] because the mind of the flesh [with its carnal thoughts and purposes] is hostile to God, for it does not submit itself to God’s Law; indeed it cannot. So then those who are living the life of the flesh [catering to the appetites and impulses of their carnal nature] cannot please {or} satisfy God, {or} be acceptable to Him.” (Romans 8:7-8). At the same time, God the Father is so Holy and free from sin that even to behold it is odious and detestable to Him as the Prophet Habakkuk declared with these words, “Are You not from everlasting, O LORD, my God, my Holy One? We will not die. You, O LORD, have appointed them to judge; And You, O Rock, have established them to correct. Your eyes are too pure to approve evil, And You cannot look on wickedness with favor. Why do You look with favor On those who deal treacherously? Why are You silent when the wicked swallow up Those more righteous than they?” (Habakkuk 1:12-13).
Our Lord Jesus Christ after His Resurrection and right before His Ascension commanded the Apostles (the sent ones) to preach peace to the Jew and Gentile. The Jew was near to God, yet still devoid of true righteousness (Matthew 5:20), while the Gentile Ephesians were far from God (Colossians 1:20-22), but now both have had the Gospel of Grace or the Gospel of Peace proclaimed to them as the Prophet Isaiah foretold with these words, “Peace, peace, to him who is far off [both Jew and Gentile] and to him who is near! says the Lord; I create the fruit of his lips, and I will heal him [make his lips blossom anew with speech in thankful praise].” (Isaiah 57:19). It is through Christ Jesus our Lord only that Jew and Gentile Paul declares “have access by one Spirit unto the Father” (Ephesians 2:18). The English word access Paul uses here is translated by the Greek word prosagoge which means to approach or to bring near or draw near; admission. In other words, this passage alone (although the fact is supported everywhere in the Bible) declares that there is one and one way only to approach the One True and Only God and that is through Jesus Christ as He Himself declared with these words, “Jesus said to him, ‘I am THE WAY, and THE TRUTH, and THE LIFE; NO ONE comes to the Father but through Me.’” (John 14:6).
You can be a good Hindu, good Muslim, good Buddhist, good Witch or Wicca, or good Mormon, or good Jehovah Witness, or good Mason, or good friend, or good person, good whatever, but if you are not born again by the Spirit of Christ Jesus you will be a good whatever perishing eternally being tormented forever with every other soul that belongs to Satan in the Lake of Fire as the Apostle John declares with these words, “And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hell gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. Then death and Hell were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:10-15).
In complete contrast these Ephesian Gentiles and ever believing Jew that comes to and through the Cross of our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ is affirmed with God the Father (Hebrews 7:23-28), and assured of being secure eternally (John 10:26-30), and have continual, constant, and continuous access/prosagoge to the Father (by the Holy Spirit) (1 Corinthians 12:13) knowing and being confident that He (the Father) hears us always as the Apostle John declares with these words, “The one who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself; the one who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given concerning His Son. And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life. This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.” (1 John 5:10-15).
My own Personal Note: Ephesians 6:10 (AMP): “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord [be empowered through your union with Him]; draw your strength from Him [that strength which His boundless might provides].” We have no strength of our own. That is why we must surrender our will to His will. To be “strong in the Lord” is to be strong or courageous in His cause; to feel that He is our strength, and to rely on Him and His promises. Philippians 4:13 (AMP): “I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency].” The Holy Spirit will reveal to us—that is, give us revelations—from the Word where we find all of His promises, hidden truths, and instructions to empower us in our daily duty, walk, and living. We must give close and thoughtful attention to what the Lord Jesus speaks from the Word each day and apply the truth of that Word to our circumstances and problems. Excerpt from my Book entitled, “Silent Assassins of the Soul: Finding Freedom from Sexual Impurity through the Lord Jesus Christ, A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs
“Now the effect of this peace is the free access which both Jews and Gentiles have unto God (Ephesians 2:18): For through Him, in His Name and by virtue of His Mediation, we both have access or admission into the presence of God, who has become the common reconciled Father of both: the Throne of Grace is erected for us to come to, and liberty of approach to that throne is allowed us. Our access is by the Holy Spirit. Christ purchased for us leave to come to God, and the Spirit gives us a heart to come and strength to come, even grace to serve God acceptably. Observe, We draw nigh to God, through Jesus Christ, by the help of the Spirit. The Ephesians, upon their conversion, having such an access to God, as well as the Jews, and by the same Spirit” Matthew Henry
If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...
Sincerely in Christ,
Clifford D. Tate, Sr.
Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…
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