PT-5 "Peace with God and His People" (Eph. 2:14-17)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 1/9/2019 8:57 AM

My Worship Time                                                 Focus:  PT-5 “Peace with God and His People”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                 Reference:  Eph. 2:14-17

            Message of the verses:  “14 For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, 15 by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, 16 and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity. 17 AND HE CAME AND PREACHED PEACE TO YOU WHO WERE FAR AWAY, AND PEACE TO THOSE WHO WERE NEAR;”

            We want to begin with the following from verse 16 “and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross.”  This is speaking of both Jews and Gentiles as “both” is in the masculine, clearly referring to men.  As these groups are brought together the ware brought to God.  MacArthur writes “Reconciliation to each other is inseparable from reconciliation to God.  As both are brought to God, they are brought to each other.  The death of Christ accomplished perfectly what God intended-bringing men to Himself.  Verse 13 points to the blood of Christ, verse 15 focuses on the flesh of the dying Savior, and now in verse 16 Paul specifically mentions the place (the cross) where the blood was shed and the flesh was slain.  How did the cross accomplish such reconciliation?  It ‘put to death the enmity between men and God’ (cf. Rom. 5:1, 10).”  “1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,”  “10  For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.”

            Once Adam and Eve sinned there became hostility between God and man, and once Jesus Christ died on the cross paying for sin then that hostility between God and man was ended.  Jesus Christ was the One who received the judicial sentence of God for sin.  God was satisfied with the death of Christ to pay for the sins of those who will accept it.  Gal. 3:13 tells us that He became “a curse” for sinners which provided reconciliation for sinners no mater Jews or Gentiles.

            John MacArthur writes that “Reconcile is a rich term (apokatallasso) which holds the idea of turning from hostility to friendship.  The double use of prepositions as prefixes (apo, kata) emphasizes the totality of this reconciliation (cf. Col. 1:19-23).”  “19  For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, 20  and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven. 21 And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, 22 yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach- 23 if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister.”

            John MacArthur quotes Scottish commentator John Eadie who wrote “The cross which slew Jesus slew also the hostility between man and God.  His death was the death of that animosity.”  MacArthur adds “The cross is God’s answer to Judaizing, racial discrimination, segregation, apartheid, anti-Semitism, bigotry, war, and every other cause and result of human strife.  This is the great mystery of Ephesians 3:6, ‘that Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.”

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  I can’t help but to think about the words that MacArthur wrote “and the flesh was slain.”  Now I may be misinterpreting this but it reminds me of what Paul wrote in Galatians 2:20 “"I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.”  The word “flesh” can have more than one meaning in the Word of God, as it can speak of our bodies that we live in or it can speak of the “old nature.”  My thoughts ran to this meaning that as His flesh was slain for my sins then in the same way it can happen to me, that is the old nature being slain. 

My Steps of Faith for Today:  Continue to think about Romans 12:3 “For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.”  To remember that truth is better than emotions, for truth is always truth, but emotions can change.

Answer to yesterday’s Bible question:  “The first day” (Genesis 1:3-5).

Today’s Bible question:  “What is the substance of things hoped for?”

Answer in our next SD.

1/9/2019 9:46 AM