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My husband has made many contacts through his work. One contact became a good friend as they discovered they both shared faith in Christ. This friend was advanced in his company and had a good reputation. Because my husband was friends with this man, he was invited my husband to fly to Indianapolis and not only tour the company’s headquarters, but he got to sit in box seats at an Indianapolis Colt’s football game, and get a private tour of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway where the Indy 500 race takes place. Most other business contacts in my husband’s field of work, aren’t offered the invitation my husband received. My husband had access to these experiences because he knew this man personally.
Last week we began to look at how Gentiles were separated from Christ. Vertical separation from God causes horizontal separation between us and other people. Here, in Chapter 2, Paul illustrates that horizontal separation between Gentiles and Jews. Verse 11 describes the social separation. Verse 12 explains the spiritual separation. Gentiles did not have access to the spiritual blessings Israel did because they didn’t know God.
11 Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— 12 remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. 17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.[1]
Ephesians 2:11-22 (emphasis added)
Paul repeats the command to remember. As we learned last week. Paul wants to remind his Gentile readers how blessed they are (vs 1:3-23; 2:1-10). They shouldn’t take these blessings for granted but instead, should be grateful. Remembering is a safeguard against arrogance, disobedience, and turning away from God.
Remembering + Gratitude = (results in) obedience or the fruit of righteousness
Jews and Gentiles aren’t different in their moral standing (vs 1-10), but God dealt differently with each of them. Paul wants his readers to remember five ways God dealt differently with the Gentiles. First, Gentiles were separated from Christ. This is the fundamental issue. Last week, we touched on what it means to be united with Christ and that one day God will unite all things in Christ (vs 1:10). Going back to Chapter 1, we read: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places (vs 1:3, emphasis added). Those who are united with Christ, who are in Christ, are blessed with every spiritual blessing. Those who are separate from Christ forfeit these blessings. The promise of a Messiah was made to Israel. Man comes up with their own saviors, but salvation comes only through the Jewish Messiah, Jesus. Gentiles didn’t have this promised hope of the Messiah. Without Christ, the Gentiles’ lives had no eternal purpose, no plan or future other than God’s righteous judgment. In comparing pagan religion to the Gospel, pagan religion brings fear, despair, and uncertainty under wicked, arbitrary, and unpredictable gods.[2] The Gospel gives us joy and certain hope in a holy, sovereign, faithful God.
Second, the Gentiles were alienated from the commonwealth of Israel. Israel was chosen by God to be set apart for Him as a people and nation (Deuteronomy 32:9-14; 33:27-29; Isaiah 63:7-9; Amos 3:2; Ezekiel 16:4-14). The Psalmist wrote: “He has not dealt thus with any other nation; they do not know his rules. Praise the Lord!” (Psalm 147:20). Gentiles were not entitled to citizenship among God’s people which meant they didn’t have a divine benefactor, they were not part of a blessed nation, nor did they receive special blessings or God’s protection. They were outside of God’s inner circle, so to speak.
Third, the Gentiles were strangers to the covenants of promise. God made several key covenants with Israel. The Abrahamic covenant (Genesis 12:2-3; 17:7; 26:3-5; 28:13-15) is the primary covenant which determined how God dealt with Israel (Romans 9:4). God promised to bless those who blessed Israel and curse those who dishonored Israel, to be their God, to bless them, and to give them the Promised Land and numerous offspring. Later, God made other covenants rooted in his original covenant with Abraham – the Mosaic covenant (Exodus 19-22), the Davidic covenant (2 Samuel 7; 1 Chronicles 17:11-14; 2 Chronicles 6:16), and the New covenant (Jeremiah 31:3). John MacArthur summarizes the covenants: “Within the covenants God gave and renewed His promises to bless, prosper, multiply, save, and redeem Israel. Within them He promised to give His people a land, a kingdom, and a King; and to those who believed in Him He promised eternal life and heaven.”[3] These promises were made to Israel, but in Christ, we have something even better. The author of Hebrews uses the Greek word for better twelve times relating to those in Christ (Hebrews 1:4; 6:9; 7:7, 19, 22; 8:6; 9:23; 10:34; 11:16, 35, 40; 12:24).
Fourth, Gentiles had no hope. I had just turned seven when the original Star Wars movie came out. Princess Leia who ends up being captured by the evil Empire records a message in R2D2, a droid. She ends her message with, “Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi. You’re my only hope.” As much as I still enjoy the original three Star Wars movies, Princess Leia had it very wrong. No person, no thing, no god can ever promise or bring true hope. True hope can be found only when the one making the promise is perfectly able to keep the promise. The only one who is perfectly able to keep every promise He makes is God because He is faithful, omnipotent, sovereign, and He cannot lie. Gentiles did not have God’s promises, so they were without hope.
Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
Whose hope is in the Lord his God.
Psalm 146:5
Fifth, Gentiles were without God in the world. Most pagans believed in gods, but they did not believe in the one true God (Acts 17:22-23). In fact, Paul wrote to the church in Rome that mankind had been given in creation what was necessary to know about God, his eternal power and divine nature clearly perceived (Romans 1:19-20). Yet, men suppressed the truth, they chose not to honor him or give thanks to him (Romans 1:18, 21). They rejected God.
Once again, Paul has painted a hopeless and helpless picture of who we are apart from Christ. Apart from Christ, we cannot be reconciled to God or live in unity with others. Thankfully, the gracious, good truth “But now in Christ Jesus” is coming in verse 13.
Reflection
1. Think of the spiritual blessings that are yours in being united with Christ. How would your life be different or how was it different without the spiritual blessings of being united with Christ?
2. Without Christ, there is no hope. Unbelievers live with an “eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die” mentality. Death is the end. How have you lived, even after coming to saving faith, as if this life is all there is? How have you lived with no hope? How can focusing on the hope you have change the way you live?
3. Read Romans 1:18-32. Write down all the descriptions of those who reject God. Give thanks to God for His grace in saving you from what you were and making you a new creation in Christ.
[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Eph 2:11–22.
[2] Ephesus was home to the massive temple for the goddess Artemis or Diana. Paul’s readers would be familiar with her and her proverbial wrath.
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