Ephesians 2:11-13 says,...
Today's verses are Ephesians 2:11-13, which read,
v.11 - Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called "Uncircumcision" by the so-called "Circumcision," which is performed in the flesh by human hands--...
Paul has laid out that what they were before Christ and then what they were to be after Christ. He also established the foundational truth that the transition and transformation is because of God and the giving of His One and only Son, Jesus Christ. In no way did we "work to" get our salvation rather it was a "work of" God but we do "good works after" salvation for the glory of God who lined up those good works for us to do in His name.
Having all that information, Paul now reminds them of this applied to the culture that they were in. They are Gentiles and not Jews and therefore "second class" in the eyes of the Jews. They were lumped into a group called the "Uncircumcision" and so they were labeled in the "out" group by the "in" group called the "Circumcision." This was not something God was doing but rather by the "flesh of human hands." They were living in a culture that was hostile to them and much of the hostile force was the religious people who labeled them as "unclean" and always going to be unclean.
v.12 - ...remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.
There was some truth in the "labeling" that the Jewish people were holding over the Gentiles even though the name calling was uncalled for and ungodly. The truth was that they were separate from Christ; they were not part of the Jewish race picked by God; they were strangers of the covenants found in the Word of God; and they did not have hope and were without the true God of the world.
They were being criticized, labeled, and put down for who they were nationally by the religious race of the day but they were spiritually "poor" of God as a fact. They were at a deficit to the Jewish people who had so much of God for so many years and the Word of God and all that it contains about the knowledge of God.
Maybe it is like a Christian who was raised in the church from infancy and also was raised in a Christian home with godly parents. They went through the Sunday School program just like they went through the public school system and they were very well versed in God before they ever came to realize Him as their personal Savior. They have had all the benefits of what the church had to offer. Put alongside of that person one who came to Christ later in life that had none of that experience. In essence it would be best to put this adult in the preschool Sunday school class with the little chairs to see the flannel graph version of the Bible. They sit in church and much of what is spoken of they don't have knowledge of yet. They are at a deficit when it comes to the rich knowledge and experience that others around them have known. The human and bad part of this equation would be to label that person as something less in a derogatory way because of what they haven't experienced or learned.
v.13 - But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
The point is that we were all "far off" from God, if you were raised in the church or not, if you were a Jew or if you were a Gentile. Another point is that we all need to be "brought near" to God and that action came not because of ourselves but because of the blood of Christ. We were brought to Him by His actions and not our own.
v.11 - Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called "Uncircumcision" by the so-called "Circumcision," which is performed in the flesh by human hands--...
Paul has laid out that what they were before Christ and then what they were to be after Christ. He also established the foundational truth that the transition and transformation is because of God and the giving of His One and only Son, Jesus Christ. In no way did we "work to" get our salvation rather it was a "work of" God but we do "good works after" salvation for the glory of God who lined up those good works for us to do in His name.
Having all that information, Paul now reminds them of this applied to the culture that they were in. They are Gentiles and not Jews and therefore "second class" in the eyes of the Jews. They were lumped into a group called the "Uncircumcision" and so they were labeled in the "out" group by the "in" group called the "Circumcision." This was not something God was doing but rather by the "flesh of human hands." They were living in a culture that was hostile to them and much of the hostile force was the religious people who labeled them as "unclean" and always going to be unclean.
v.12 - ...remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.
There was some truth in the "labeling" that the Jewish people were holding over the Gentiles even though the name calling was uncalled for and ungodly. The truth was that they were separate from Christ; they were not part of the Jewish race picked by God; they were strangers of the covenants found in the Word of God; and they did not have hope and were without the true God of the world.
They were being criticized, labeled, and put down for who they were nationally by the religious race of the day but they were spiritually "poor" of God as a fact. They were at a deficit to the Jewish people who had so much of God for so many years and the Word of God and all that it contains about the knowledge of God.
Maybe it is like a Christian who was raised in the church from infancy and also was raised in a Christian home with godly parents. They went through the Sunday School program just like they went through the public school system and they were very well versed in God before they ever came to realize Him as their personal Savior. They have had all the benefits of what the church had to offer. Put alongside of that person one who came to Christ later in life that had none of that experience. In essence it would be best to put this adult in the preschool Sunday school class with the little chairs to see the flannel graph version of the Bible. They sit in church and much of what is spoken of they don't have knowledge of yet. They are at a deficit when it comes to the rich knowledge and experience that others around them have known. The human and bad part of this equation would be to label that person as something less in a derogatory way because of what they haven't experienced or learned.
v.13 - But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
The point is that we were all "far off" from God, if you were raised in the church or not, if you were a Jew or if you were a Gentile. Another point is that we all need to be "brought near" to God and that action came not because of ourselves but because of the blood of Christ. We were brought to Him by His actions and not our own.
They
are Christians and they are getting persecuted by others. Some of the
persecuting others are the religious people of the day and probably also
family and friends who are still worshiping pagan gods. It would be
easy to feel all alone in this salvation of Christ and very tempted to
turn back or be defeated because you are not one of them, whoever "them"
are. When this type of persecution comes and Satan is working overtime
to paint your position in Christ as less than it is, you have to look
squarely and precisely on the "Who" who gave you this salvation. The old song says, "Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face..." and I would add that we keep our eyes fixed on Him continually when doubt enters in from outside forces.
"Lord, there are always going to be days when I don't feel like a Christian and maybe it is reinforced by others telling me I am not. Help me to not run with my feelings but to look squarely on the facts of the salvation that You have given me through Your very life. Help me to look and listen to Your words rather than the words of those around me who are trying to tear down what You have done. May I take advantage of what You have provided so I can keep my eyes on You. Amen."
Pastor Adam
"Lord, there are always going to be days when I don't feel like a Christian and maybe it is reinforced by others telling me I am not. Help me to not run with my feelings but to look squarely on the facts of the salvation that You have given me through Your very life. Help me to look and listen to Your words rather than the words of those around me who are trying to tear down what You have done. May I take advantage of what You have provided so I can keep my eyes on You. Amen."
Pastor Adam
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