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The unsearchable riches of Christ

The Unsearchable Riches of Christ, Pt30

Reconciliation by the cross, Pt1

Scripture: Eph 2:14-17.

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This is a chapter of change and contrasts. Having depicted the misery in which the Ephesians dwelt before conversion to Christ, Paul also detailed their happy estate in Christ. They are no longer “far off”  but have been made nigh and it is all because of the blood shed by Christ,v 13.

I CHRIST HAS RECONCILED THE GENTILE CONVERTS TO THE TRUE ISRAEL
1. Ceremonially, the gentile had been cut off from Israel. “That at that time ye were . . . aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise” verse 12.

a. Middle wall broken down. The Church of God in the TO had been as a garden, walled off, from which the Gentiles were excluded.“A garden inclosed is my sister, my spouse; a spring shut up, a fountain sealed,” Song of Solomon 4:12.

b. Enmity abolished. The Gentiles were the enemies of God against whom a war of opposition must be fought to stop them polluting the house of God. The Gentiles hated the distinctives, Esther 3:8.

Christ abolished this enmity by abolishing (render idle, of no further use) its cause, verse 15. Note just what was abolished. It was the “ordinanaces” — the ceremonies of the Old Testament. Not the whole Law or the whole Commandments but that section called the ordinances, Col 2:14. But these ordinances were at enmity with the Jewish worshipper also. Every sacrifice he made, condemned him as one  guilty of death.

2. The Jew and the Gentiles are now one. “To make in himself of twain one new man,” verse 15. Gal 3:26-29; 7-9. We shall partake of Abraham’s blessing, Gen 12:2-3; 7. Matt 5:5.

The unsearchable riches of Christ, Pt29

From foreigners to fellow-citizens, Pt2

Scripture: Eph 2:11-13.

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 II. WHEN WE REMEMBER OUR FORMER CONDITION, WE WILL SEE IT TO BE THE SAME AS THE EPHESIANS.
We were Gentiles and without Christ.
1. We were without Christ. That is, “outside of Christ.”  We were not part of Him or in touch with Him. We were in the place of danger and damnation.
2. We were aliens from the commonwealth of Israel. Israel was the people of God and we were outside of that commonwealth or community.
3. We were strangers to the covenants of promise. We were foreigners, having no part in the covenant of grace. It is called covenants (plural) because it was so often renewed and published to new generations in ancient times (Adam, Abraham, David etc.). We were ignorant of the promise contained in that covenant for we were strangers to it all. What is the covenant? “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him,” John 3:36.
4. We were without hope. Being cut off from God, His people and His gospel, we were without hope for eternity.
5. We were without God. We had religion but not God! Note the words “in the world.” The unconverted sinner is alone in this world. Without guide or comfort; without direction or knowledge; without friend or companion. Without God.
What a dreadfully destitute state to be in
Such were we when Christ in mercy saved us.
How can we ever forget that this was so?
III. OUR DELIVERANCE FROM THIS DREADFUL STATE WAS BY THE BLOOD OF CHRIST.
“But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ,” Eph 2:13.
“For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God,” 1 Peter 3:18.
We owe all to Christ and His death at Calvary.

The unsearchable riches of Christ, Pt28

From foreigners to fellow-citizens, Pt1

Scripture: Eph 2:11-13.

The word “wherefore” at the beginning of this, the second part of the chapter, indicates that Paul is drawing some conclusions from that which he has stated in the previous verses. He had already reminded them in the earlier verses, of their spiritual state before the grace of God delivered them. He was now going to reinforce those memories.
I. REMEMBERING OUR FORMER STATE IS AN ESSENTIAL EXERCISE FOR THE CHILD OF GOD.
1. How quickly we forget God’s merciful dealings with us. James 1:23-24. We are not inclined to retain spiritual impressions. In Egypt, Israel’s circumstances were terrible, Exodus 2:23-25; 3:7. But once delivered, they soon forgot, Ex 16:1-3. This was but four weeks later!
So it is still with God’s people. Gal 1:6. They had turned away from the gospel, having forgotten what it had done for them. This church at Ephesus was to do the same, despite Paul’s exhortations here, Rev 2:4.
2. Such forgetfulness leads to great sin. It is the seed-bed of all rebellion. “The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God,” Psalm 9:17. It is the basis of apostasy, Rom 1:28. “And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the LORD thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish,”  Deut 8:19. Job 8:11-13. Gal 4:9; 2 Pet 1:9-15.
3. God repeatedly commands remembrance of His dealings with us. “And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the LORD thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the LORD thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day,” Deut 5:15. “And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no,”  Deut 8:2.
There is a “looking back” that is essential to our wellbeing. “Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the LORD: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged. Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him,” Isaiah 51:1-2. “Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led,” 1 Cor 12:2.