Ephesians 2:19-22
This passage continues where Paul left off earlier - I, as a Gentile, am very fortunate to be included in the covenant of God. I was not one of the chosen people, not one of the chosen nation. Now, because of Jesus, I am no longer a stranger and foreigner in the kingdom of God. In fact, now I am at the very center of the city of God because I am part of the temple. Again, this is nothing to be proud or arrogant about - it is all because of the grace of God and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. It's still amazes me to think of the depths that I have come from and the heights to which God, in his grace, has lifted me.
Because I have grown up in a Christian home and environment, it is hard for me to fully fathom that my place, apart from Christ, was that of a stranger and foreigner to the promises of God. They have been a part of my life ever since I can remember. The "rituals" of Christianity are so familiar to me that I can't imagine my life without them. I think this is evidence of God's grace as well. I could have been born to a family who didn't know God in a place where it was very unlikely that I would ever hear of the true God. I could have remained un-chosen. The more I think about, the more I remain amazed by God's grace.
And then I come to the end of the passage to a wonderful image of the temple of God - a temple that I am a part of. I know that Paul says in Corinthians that my body is the temple of God but I like this image even better - that as the unified Church of Christ, we are the dwelling of God. The unity between Gentile and Jew, man and woman, child and adult, slave and free testifies to God's presence in this earth and inspires worship. This unity could never be achieved apart from him. It is laid on the cornerstone of Christ and his sacrifice. And as great as this temple is, I still wonder like Solomon: "But will God really dwell on the earth with men? The heavens, the highest heavens cannot contain you. How much less this temple..." More evidence of God's amazing grace!
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2 comments:
Dude,
I can relate to the inablitiy to truly fathom what it means to have not been part of the "chosen nation" but now to have been adopted. I am thankful for the grace that has allowed me to grow up in the environment that I have, but I am also frustrated because I feel it has kept me from a deeper understanding of His grace, a deeper sense of awe and thanksgiving...maybe I should be careful of what I long for, maybe I should just open my eyes.
I love that image of being a part of the temple. I always enjoy visiting the largest, grandest cathedral I can find in a city and just sit there and be amazed at the beauty I see and how that begins to reflect on God's awesomeness. This passage will add to the richness of those visits as well as a better appreciation of the Christian Church's history and how all the saints are a part of building this temple.
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