Thought for Today October 30, 2023

“But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;” – Ephesians 2:13-14

Gentiles and Jews are equally separated from God and without spiritual life unless saved through Christ’s redeeming work at Calvary. The ground is level at the foot of the cross! Jews and Gentiles are at a distance from God and only made nigh through the shed blood of Christ. The old Temple Court had a patrician wall confining the Gentiles to the “Court of the Gentiles.” When Jesus paid our sin debt at Calvary, not only was the Veil of the Temple rent in twain from the top down to the bottom but also equal access to God was established for both Jew and Gentile through faith in Christ’s finished work. This passage does not teach that Jews are more important than Gentiles or that Gentiles are more important than Jews. It certainly does not teach that the Church replaces Israel for God has not cast away His covenant people! It does teach that salvation, through the blood of Christ, brings both Jews and Gentiles into one body, the Church of Jesus Christ.

Chuck Peters