Ephesians 2:13-16
“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 expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.”
When we trust in Christ—Jew or Gentile—we are placed into the unique, supernatural fellowship called the body of Christ. If you are a Christian, you are a member of this incredible fellowship. You are part of the community of the King.
In the world, unfortunately, there are many barriers and divisions. In the community of the King the divisions are eliminated. Everyone who trusts in Christ is unified and part of the same body of Christ. This great truth has significant implications for the life to which the Lord calls us.
We live in a time of great social conflict and racial division. Some of the conflict is fabricated and promoted by activists and agitators, and some of the conflict is very real. Into the midst of this confusion and conflict, the gospel offers true reconciliation and unity.
The gospel first initiates reconciliation between God and man, and then the gospel initiates reconciliation between people and communities of people. The latter depends on the former. When we are reconciled to God through Christ, the Holy Spirit motivates us to be reconciled to other people.
“All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.” (2 Corinthians 5:18-21)
As a result of being reconciled to God through Christ, the apostle Paul now wants us to understand that we have been placed into the community of the King. We have been supernaturally placed into the body of Christ.
In this supernatural community, there are no divisions or barriers. The true barrier, the true dividing wall between people, is sin. Through his shed blood on the cross, Jesus broke the sin-barrier for those who repent and believe, and he “has broken down the dividing wall of hostility” and has “reconciled us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.”
This means that the body of Christ on earth—the church—should be a diverse community of believers that come from a wide variety of backgrounds, nationalities, and ethnicities. The church should be a shining example of what true diversity and racial integration looks like.
Again, the gospel initiates reconciliation between God and man, and then extends to reconciliation between people and communities of people. The latter depends on the former. When we are reconciled to God through Christ, the Holy Spirit motivates us to be reconciled to other people.
May the Spirit of God move powerfully through the church in our time to bring healing and reconciliation to a broken world.
