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mercy and love towards us, despite our are living, colorful proofs of the gospel’s
condition (vv4-5). He sent His Son to bear power to save everyone who believes
the penalty for our sins, removing the (Rom 1:16).
obstacle that stood between us and Him. This truth is beautifully portrayed in
Then, having taken away that barrier that Revelation 7:9-10. There John sees a vast
kept us apart, He brought us into His holy multitude of saints from every nation,
presence, raising us up to sit in heavenly tribe, people and language standing be-
places in Christ Jesus (v6). Truly, it is by fore the throne. Clothed in white, they
grace that we are saved. glorify God and the Lamb. Their different
ethnic and cultural backgrounds are ap-
Peace With Each Other (Eph parent, but their voices blend together in
2:11-18) one harmonious shout of praise to God.
But there was a second great barrier that This is the same thing that God wants the
the cross removed: the enmity between world to see reflected in the Church today.
Jews and Gentiles. “In the flesh,” there The Result of This Peace (Eph
was a great divide between the two. And
we, as Gentiles, were especially far off 2:19-22)
from God (vv11-12). But now, “in Christ So what is the result of this two-fold
Jesus,” we have all been brought near, peace that Christ accomplished at the
both to God and to each other (v13). The cross? It is the Church, which Paul de-
ancient enmity has been abolished (vv15- scribes as a new and holy temple in the
16). Christ has “slain the enmity” by His Lord (v21). In New Testament times,
own death on the cross! In so doing, He Herod’s temple stood in Jerusalem with
opened a way of reconciliation for all. both these barriers still in place. First,
The peace that Christ accomplished at there was a veil that separated God from
Calvary is the very peace that He now man, barring entry into the Most Holy
proclaims to all mankind through the gos- Place. Second, there was a dividing wall
pel (v17). “There is no difference between that separated Jews from Gentiles. Only
the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord Jews could enter the inner courtyard.
over all is rich unto all that call upon him” Signs warned Gentiles to stay outside in
(Rom 10:12). “There is neither Jew nor the Court of the Gentiles, under pain of
1
Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there death.
is neither male nor female: for ye are all But, praise God, in His new dwelling
one in Christ Jesus” (Gal 3:28). The cross place – the Church – those barriers have
of Christ neutralizes the cultural, social been removed. Through Christ, we all
and ethnic hostilities that divide human- have access by one Spirit to the Father
ity. This doesn’t mean that those external (v18). There are no strangers or foreigners
differences vanish or become irrelevant, among us; we are all fellow-citizens and
but rather that the cross transforms how members of God’s household (v19). The
we see them. They are no longer sources old divisions no longer define us. We are
of division, pride or hostility. Instead, they united in Him and with each other, “fitted
together” and “built together for a dwell-
1 Bible quotations in this article are from the KJV ing place of God in the Spirit” (vv21-22
unless otherwise noted. NKJV). Now that’s true peace!

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