Essays in Ephesians #13
But now, in Christ Jesus, you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, Ephesians 2: 13-15
It’s wise to read Scripture in context, but at times God’s word seems to jump off the page and out of its historical setting and we apply it personally.
Have you ever actually experienced your own personal application of this passage? Have you ever been far off from God and His promises and then, by faith in Jesus Christ, come near to Him and learned that His promises are true? I have. Have you ever condemned yourself and felt guilty for your total inability to do what you felt was right, and then known the freedom and joy that comes when that weight of failure is lifted off of you by Jesus’ mercy? Have you ever felt estranged from honest to goodness real believers in God— men and women with a confidence in God you didn’t know? Whose capacity for loving others eluded you? If you are far off from God’s love today, stop right now and ask Him to draw you near.
Because of my faith in Christ Jesus I’ve been able to connect in warmth, love and understanding with people my parents and grandparents would have rejected. I’ve connected with strangers because our mutual faith in Jesus bridged the dividing walls that denomination, color, education, culture, economic status and ethnicity might have otherwise built between us.
Bottom line, that’s kind-of-sort-of what this passage is about, but my experiences are not exactly what Paul is talking about. He is actually writing to Ephesians believers who once were far from God and His promises and have now drawn near to Him.
Paul is describing the hostility dividing Israel from the Gentile nations at that time. (I might write about it in another essay). And how, in Jesus, God broke down the wall of hostility between them. In Christ Jesus, He opened an eternal life-gate and created one new man.
The Biblical words explain this one new man. New is kainon, new in form or quality, different from the old, not just new in time. The word for make is not just to make, like a man would put together or construct, but is ktizo, to create. It’s the only word used for God’s creative acts: they are always described using the word ktizo—both His natural and spiritual creations. The word for man is anthropos; it’s not the gender word for a male person, but it’s the word for human beings, both men and women, the one new man that is God’s new creation is the body of Christ. This one new man, the body of Christ, can enter into covenant with the creator of the universe.
It is powerful. So powerful that I’m going to use the passage to springboard into an illustration about knowing the power of covenant. Here’s what happened when a few church men took God at His word and intentionally entered into a covenant with Him. It’s from a booklet about the Hebrides Revival, When God Stepped Down From Heaven by Rev. Owen Murphy.
History turned another page when the Free Church . . .met . . .to discuss the appalling spiritual conditions . . . the haunts of sin were crowded, churches were almost empty. In many places the youth had almost disappeared from the House of God and it seemed only a matter of time before many . . . would have to close their doors.
Amongst the many who were deeply concerned . . .was a little group of men who lived at Barvas . . . As they met in a little wooden barn, greatly burdened for revival for their community and began to pray, there suddenly dawned upon them, like a flash of light, the great fact of God as a covenant-Keeping God who had made Covenant Promises!
“If this is true,” they reasoned, “We can enter into a covenant with Him, and, if we keep our part of it, then He must keep His! Has God given a covenant promise for revival?” Immediately the words of God in 2 Chronicles 7:14, came to them:
“If my people, which are called by name, shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven. . .”
That night they entered into a solemn covenant with God, to take upon themselves the “burden” for revival for the community, to humble themselves, and to prevail in prayer until revival came!
For months they waited: for months they gathered in the little barn three nights a week and waited upon God until 4 and 5 o’clock in the morning, determined to wrestle with God until the answer had been given. Then, one night, a young man, a deacon from the Free Church, arose from his knees and began to read Psalm 24: Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy Place? He that has clean hands and a pure heart—he shall receive the blessings of the Lord.
“Brethren,” he said, “ We have been praying for months for revival, waiting before God, but I would like to ask you now, are our hearts clean? Is the heart pure?” In response to this searching challenge they fell upon their knees in confession and rededication, and again began to travail in prayer, even more earnestly. An hour later, three of them were lying prostate upon the floor. They had prayed until they were exhausted! By five o’clock revival had come! The barn was suddenly filled with the Glory of God, and the power of God that was let loose in that barn shook the whole community of Lewis.”
If you have never entered into a covenant with God, talk to Him about it. Give Him all of yourself and believe to receive from Him. If you have already made a covenant with God, you may want to renew it. Do so, and then, as a next step, might you covenant with another person to pray together and believe together for a promise of God? Something you know through His Spirit and His Word that He desires? Think about it.
Rev. Owen Murphy closed his booklet on the Hebrides revival with these words from the Keswick Magazine:
We may organize, we may plan, but until we get on our faces before God and do business with a covenant-keeping God, we shall not see revival. We can have our conferences and conventions, and speak of our wonderful times, but what we want and what we need, is a fresh manifestation of the mighty power of God that brings men down in deep conviction to seek the Savior.
Can you and I covenant with a group of like-minded believers in our churches and seek God until He comes? Let us ask our Father in Heaven to show us and help us.
Not by might, not by power but by My Spirit says the Lord of Hosts .
Zechariah 4:6
