Ephesians Chapter 2:

Ephesians Chapter 2:

13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;

15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;

16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:

17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.

18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.

19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;

20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;

21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:

22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

Okay guys, this is some really rich spiritual meat here. Allow me to expound just a bit on what the great apostle to the Gentiles wrote to the saints in Ephesus. We as Gentiles were not part of God's old covenant with Israel. He makes it clear in the first cited verse how we got into this new covenant, and that very simply is by the shed blood of Christ. No mystery. No hidden meaning. Jesus literally paid our admission ticket with his life. Not only so, but at the same time that he gave his life at Calvary, he settled the Jew-Gentile issue forever, by making the way for both to be in the same body; which is to say HIS body. Hold that note for a moment, and I'll get back to it shortly here. Paul also declares in verse 15 that Jesus 'abolished' all of the natural, symbolic ordinances of the law, SO THAT he could bring both Jews and Gentiles together in one body. He referred to the ceremonial ordinances of the law as "the enmity," meaning that the ceremonial law, beginning with circumcision, and ending with John's baptism; was the very separation between Jew and Gentile. Jesus said that he came to fulfill the law, and this same Paul informs us in Romans 10:4 that "Christ is the END of the law for righteousness for every one that believeth." When Jesus died he said, "It is finished." He meant it too. He finished a system of righteousness that was never able to deliver anyone from the condition of sin, or impart eternal life (He. 10:4; Gal. 3:21).

At that same time he began a NEW system of righteousness that DOES deliver from sin, and that DOES impart eternal life to the soul of the believer (Heb. 7:19; Heb. 9:13,14). JESUS IS THAT SYSTEM!! In another place Paul said it like this: "He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second" (He. 10:9). You see, Jesus IS the new covenant, and he both fulfilled and replaced ALL of the ceremonial law WITH HIMSELF. It all symbolized him, but since he was manifested, and since he FULFILLED it all, HE IS ALL THAT IS LEFT!! And it is certain that he is enough. To continue to honor and practice any carnal, symbolic ordinances, is to take away honor from Jesus; and it is also to act as though he did NOT take it away in order to establish himself. The body of Christ is still partly acting like there is separation of faith between Jews and Gentiles in Christ, by continuing in things that were part of that "middle wall of partition" that separated Jews from Gentiles. Paul made it clear that there is no difference when it comes to faith in Jesus, because both have been made one IN CHRIST (Rom. 2:28,29; Gal. 3:23-29). Remember the note I said to hold? Well, here is why I said that. It was about Jesus making the way by his death on Calvary for both Jew and Gentile to be in one body. The apostle stated in the above passage that both Jews and Gentiles now have "access by one Spirit unto the Father."

Well, here is the vastly overlooked, but ultra-significant scripture that really puts together everything we have read here: "For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit" (I Cor. 12:13). POW!! The Spirit baptism is how anyone gets into Christ, and as Paul says, it is that baptism which is administered from heaven by Jesus, that makes Jews and Gentiles one. In reality the manifestation of the holy Ghost baptism at Pentecost ended every carnal ordinance and established Christ as the new covenant in the earth, though this was not revealed or understood until Jesus sent Paul to the Gentiles, who had never been under the law to begin with. Even Paul didn't get everything from God overnight, but there is no doubt that he got it all eventually; because he declared plainly in Ephesians 4:5 that there is now "one baptism." It is certain that baptism is the one that Jesus had to both die, raise from the dead, and go back to heaven to give us. No wonder John the Baptist told everyone, "There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose. I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost" (Mk. 1:7,8). And it's no wonder I named my ministry 'By One Spirit.' With that I will simply say that Jesus is truly what it's all about. Just him. Amen.