"Nigh by the Blood of Christ"
Ephesians 2:11-22

May 4, 2008
by C.W. Powell

11 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:

1. Paul is speaking in outward sacramental signs: circumcision was the mark of Abraham’s faith, that God would bless the world by keeping the promise that He had made to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden—the Anointed One would come and put a way sin, and bless the world through the pouring out of the Holy Spirit.

2. There was much pride in the flesh on both sides of the quarrel between Jew and Gentile. The Greek cities despised those who were not of their city, their ethos. The Romans considered themselves superior to all others. But none of them matched the Jew in his bigotry and feelings of superiority.

a. The flesh glories in that which is seen, the outward material things.

b. Faith glories in that which cannot be seen.

3. The outward sign of circumcision is nothing without faith, for without faith it bound the Jew to the obedience of the law, which Jesus had clearly indicated was beyond their ability or will to do. If they had really been the children of Abraham they would have done the works of Abraham, but they gloried in their flesh and despised others, the “uncircumsized” they termed it.

4. It is Christ and the promise of Christ that made the Jew what he was; a bearer of the promises of God. Without Christ they were as hopeless and without God as the Gentiles were.

5. Both Jew and Gentile were without hope; the Gentile because he did not have Christ; the Jew because he did not believe and therefore turned away from the promises of God.

6. Both were therefore without God in the world, for the only access to God is through Christ, as Jesus said so plainly. “no man comes to the Father but by me.”

13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.

1. We are made nigh by the blood of Christ. What separated us, both Jew and Gentile from God: our sins; nothing else. The advantage that the Jew had were the oracles of god; but what if they were not believed; his advantage was cast away.

2. Both are reconciled the same way, by forgiveness of sins, and peace with God through the blood of the Cross. There is one body of reconciliation; those reconciled belong to that one body. Paul will draw this out at more detail in chapter 4, but he is setting the stage for that discussion.

3. The enmity was not between Jew and Gentile but between both and God: the enmity of the Law of God. It is the Law that condemns both Jew and Gentile, as Paul writes in Romans 2.

4. The Gospel of Peace: forgiveness of sins and mercy and grace is the same to those who were nigh, and to those who were afar off. Sins are forgiven, and there is peace with God, because the blood of the cross has taken away all our sins.

5. There is one body—one new man. Not Adam; not Abraham; but Christ. He is the last Adam, the head of the new people—those born of the Spirit and not of the flesh, as Paul has described in the first 10 verses of this chapter.

6. There is now one door to the sheep; a door of peace and reconciliation with God and with one another, through the blood of Christ, which cleanses us from all sins.

7. One message to all; the message of the angels who announced the birth of Christ: Peace on earth, good will toward men. This same peace is preached to both Jew and Gentile; to those who were nigh and to those who were afar off.

18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

1. The access is the same: Faith in Christ by which we receive the Spirit of God and access unto the Father.

2. We are one with the faithful of all ages; we are in the family. We were not children of Abraham because we were alienated from the promises; the Jew was not a child of Abraham if he did not do the works of Abraham, as Jesus said. Instead they tried to kill him because he told them the truth.

3. But now, by faith in Christ, both Jew and Gentile are united in faith in the family of God.

4. As children of god in the household of faith, we make up a glorious temple to God, built upon the apostles and prophets, Christ Himself the chief cornerstone: That is, the doctrine.

5. It is a growing temple; completed when the last of the elect come to faith in Christ.

6. In this Temple God lives with his people; they are living stones in a living, growing temple.

1. Let us glory in the cross of Christ; for the blood of Christ alone brings us peace with God and unites us to the church and to one another in the church.

2. Let us make much of the church, the people of God, and love and support and pray for them.

3. The church is the pillar and ground of the truth: built upon the doctrine of the apostles and prophets; Christ himself the chief corner stone.