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Ephesians Chapter Two

 
Chapter Two General Review
 
OBJECTIVES IN STUDYING THE CHAPTER
 
1) To consider the riches of God's grace toward sinners, how we are
 saved by grace through faith
 
2) To understand the Gentiles' condition outside of Christ, the effect
 Jesus' death had on the Law, and what Gentiles can now become in 
 Christ
 
SUMMARY
 
Having expressed his desire that his readers might know the exceeding 
greatness of God's power toward those who believe (1:19), Paul reminds
them of how they had been dead in sin but made alive together with 
Christ. Indeed, they were raised and made to sit together with Christ
in the heavenly places, that God might show even more riches of His 
grace in the ages to come. All this God did by His love, grace, and 
mercy. While it involved their faith, it did not involve any works 
whereby one could boast. The end result is that they have been created
in Christ to walk in good works, as God planned beforehand (1-10).
 
Paul also wants them to remember how far they have come as Gentiles,
courtesy of Jesus Christ. Once strangers from the promises made to 
Israel and without God in the world, they can now draw near through the
blood of Jesus. By His death on the cross Jesus abolished the law of 
commandments which separated Jews and Gentiles, and has reconciled them
both to God in one body. The Gentiles can therefore be fellow-citizens
and members of God's family; they are also part of that grand temple 
being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Jesus
as the cornerstone, in which they serve as a habitation of God in the 
Spirit (11-22).
 
OUTLINE
 
I. RAISED AND SEATED ON THE THRONE (1-10)
 
 A. OUR CONDITION OUTSIDE OF CHRIST (1-3)
 1. Dead in trespasses and sins (1)
 2. Walking according to the course of the world and the devil (2)
 3. Fulfilling the desires of the flesh and mind, by nature the
  children of wrath (3)
 
 B. MADE ALIVE TOGETHER WITH CHRIST (4-10)
 1. God made us alive together with Christ (4-5)
 a. By virtue of His mercy and great love
 b. Even when dead in trespasses
 c. By His grace we have been saved 
 2. God raised us with Christ (6-7)
 a. Made to sit with Him in heavenly places
 b. That in ages to come God might show the exceeding riches of
 His grace
 3. Saved by grace through faith (8-9)
 a. Not of ourselves, it is the gift of God
 b. Not of works, lest any man should boast
 4. We are thus God's workmanship (10)
 a. Created in Christ Jesus for good works
 b. Created to walk in good works which God prepared beforehand
 
II. RECONCILED AND SET INTO THE TEMPLE (11-22)
 
 A. THE GENTILES' CONDITION "WITHOUT" CHRIST (11-12)
 1. Aliens from the commonwealth of Israel
 2. Strangers from the covenants of promise
 3. Having no hope and without God in the world
 
 B. THE GENTILES' CONDITION "THROUGH" CHRIST (13-18)
 1. Made near by the blood of Christ (13)
 2. Can now be "one body" with the Jews, because...
 a. Jesus has made Jew and Gentile both one, breaking down the
 wall of division between them (14)
 b. Jesus abolished in His flesh the law of commandments
 contained in ordinances that had separated them (15)
 c. Jesus now reconciles them both to God in one body through
 the cross (16)
 d. Jesus preached peace to those afar off and those near (17)
 3. Can now have access by one Spirit to the Father (18)
 
 C. THE GENTILES' CONDITION "IN" CHRIST (19-22)
 1. They are now "fellow citizens with the saints" (19)
 2. They are now "members of the household of God" (19)
 3. They are now part of "a holy temple in the Lord" (20-22)
 a. Built upon a foundation of the apostles and prophets, with
 Jesus the cornerstone
 b. Joined together and growing as a holy temple, a habitation
 of God in the Spirit
 
REVIEW QUESTIONS FOR THE CHAPTER
 
1) What are the main points of this chapter?
 - Raised and seated on the throne (1-10)
 - Reconciled and set into the temple (11-22)
 
2) What was our condition outside of Christ? (1-3)
 - Dead in trespasses and sins
 - Walking according to the course of this world and the devil
 - Fulfilling the desires of the flesh and mind, by nature the 
 children of wrath
 
3) What motivated God to save us? (4)
 - His rich mercy and great love
 
4) What did God do, even though we were dead in trespasses? How? (5)
 - Made us alive together with Christ
 - By grace
 
5) What else has He done? Why? (6-7)
 - Raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places
 with Christ
 - To show the riches of His grace and kindness toward us in Christ
 in the ages to come
 
6) Upon what basis have we been saved? Upon what basis have we not
 been saved? (8-9)
 - By grace through faith, as the gift of God
 - Not of ourselves or of works, lest anyone should boast
 
7) What are we now in Christ Jesus? For what purpose? (10)
 - God's workmanship
 - Created in Christ Jesus to walk in good works which God prepared
 beforehand
 
8) What was the Gentiles' condition outside of Christ? (11-12)
 - Aliens from the commonwealth of Israel
 - Strangers from the covenants of promise
 - Having no hope, without God in the world
 
9) What has Christ done through His blood? (13)
 - Those who once were far off are now brought near
 
10) How has Jesus become "our peace" through His death on the cross?
 (14-17)
 - By breaking down the middle wall of partition between Jew and
 Gentile
 - By abolishing in His flesh the law of commandments contained in
  ordinances that had separated Jew and Gentile
 - By reconciling them both to God in one body
 - By preaching peace to those afar off (Gentile) and those near
 (Jew)
 
11) What do we both have through Christ? (18)
 - Access by one Spirit to the Father
 
12) What can Gentiles now become because of what Christ has done? (19)
 - Fellow citizens with the saints
 - Members of the household of God
 
13) Upon what are we being built? (20)
 - The foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ as the
 chief cornerstone
 
14) What kind of building are we? For what purpose? (21-22)
 - A holy temple in the Lord
 - To be a habitation of God in the Spirit

Our Condition Outside Of Christ (2:1-3)
 
INTRODUCTION
 
1. In the last half of chapter one, we saw where Paul mentioned several 
 things for which he had been praying in behalf of the Ephesians:
 a. That they might know God - Ep 1:17
 b. That they might know the hope of His calling - Ep 1:18a
 c. That they might know the glorious riches of His inheritance in the
 saints - Ep 1:18b
 d. That they might know the exceeding greatness of God's power toward
 believers - Ep 1:19
 
2. In a previous lesson we briefly noted that Paul equated this great 
 power with the working of God that was exercised...
 a. In raising Jesus from the dead and exalting Him to be the head of 
 all things - Ep 1:20-23
 b. In our own conversion, when God took us who were "dead in sin" and
 made us "alive together with Christ" - Ep 2:1-7
 
3. In order that we might appreciate more fully the grace and power that
 was at work in our conversion, this lesson will focus on the 
 description of our condition BEFORE our conversion
 a. For we will not likely appreciate our PRESENT wealth, unless we 
 fully appreciate our FORMER poverty!
 b. Without a proper appreciation of our PRESENT wealth, we will not 
 likely heed the exhortations found later in this epistle (e.g., 
 Ep 4:1,17; 5:1-2)
 
[As we consider, then, "Our Condition Outside of Christ", we learn that 
prior to our conversion we were truly "the walking dead"! For as Paul 
states at first, we were...]
 
I. DEAD IN TRESPASSES AND SINS (1)
 
 A. "DEAD" IN WHAT WAY?
 1. Not in the sense of being devoid of ANY good or godly desires
 a. As some who believe in "Total Hereditary Depravity" would 
 teach
 b. For consider that most of those people whose conversions are
 described in Acts were "God-fearing, Bible-believing" people
  BEFORE their conversion!
 1) The thousands of "devout men" in Jerusalem for Pentecost 
 - Ac 2:5
 2) The Ethiopian Eunuch, who had traveled great distances to
 worship God and was reading Isaiah when Philip found him 
 - Ac 8:27-28
 3) Cornelius, a devout God-fearing Gentile who "prayed to 
 God always" - Ac 10:2
 4) Lydia, a prayerful woman "who worshipped God" - Ac 16:
 13-14
 5) The "fair-minded" Bereans - Ac 17:11
 6) Saul of Tarsus (i.e., the apostle Paul) - Ac 22:3; Ph 3:
 4-6
 2. Rather, "dead" in the sense of being "separated" from God
 a. Just as "physical death" is a separation of body and spirit 
 - cf. Ja 2:26
 b. So "spiritual death" exists when we are separated from God 
 - cf. Ro 6:23; Is 59:1-2
 
 B. THE CAUSE OF THIS "DEATH"...
 1. Our separation from God has been brought about by "trespasses 
 and sins" - cf. Ro 6:23
 a. "trespasses" (deviations from the straight and narrow path, 
 Hendriksen) - what we might call "sins of COMMISSION"
 b. "sins" (inclinations, thoughts, words, and deeds which "miss
  the mark" of glorifying God, Hendriksen) - including what we
 might call "sins of OMISSION"
 2. "trespasses and sins" that WE committed...
 a. As made clear in verse two of this chapter ("in which you 
 once walked...")
 b. Not those of our forefathers - cf. Ezek 18:20
 
[Before our conversion to Christ, then, we were "dead" because of our 
OWN sins, and as such, spiritually separated from God, even if we were 
as religiously devout as those described in the book of Acts. That 
should tell us something about the terribleness of sin!
 
But the terribleness of sin becomes clearer as we learn what sort of 
"company" we kept before our conversion. For though "dead", we were...]
 
II. WALKING WITH THE WORLD AND THE DEVIL (2)
 
 A. WALKING "ACCORDING TO THE COURSE OF THIS WORLD"...
 1. Before conversion, one walks "in conformity with the customs 
 and manners of the world at large" (Barnes)
 2. The moral condition of those still "in the world" is described 
 more fully in Ep 4:17-19
 a. Alienated from the life of God because of ignorance and 
 hardened hearts, those "in the world"...
 1) Walk in the futility of their mind
 2) Have their understanding darkened
 b. Being past feeling, those "in the world"...
 1) Give themselves over to licentiousness
 2) Work all uncleanness with greediness
 -- Sounds pretty much like our own present generation, doesn't 
 it?
 3. With keeping such "company" before one's conversion, you can 
 understand why they are spiritually "dead" (separated from God) 
 - cf. 1 Jn 2:15-17
 
 B. WALKING "ACCORDING TO THE PRINCE OF THE POWER OF THE AIR"...
 1. Before our conversion, it is not just the "world" we walk 
 according to, but "him" who Paul describes as:
 a. "the prince of the power of the air"
 b. "the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience"
 2. This can be none other than Satan himself!
 a. The great "Adversary" (the word "satan" literally means 
 "adversary") who seeks to "devour" all he can - cf. 1 Pe 
 5:8
 b. Those "in the world" are under his influence, captives to do
  his will - cf. 2 Ti 2:26
 3. Those still under his influence are called the "sons of 
 disobedience", because they serve him rather than obey God!
 
[Influenced by Satan, walking "according to the course of this world", 
we can see why a person before their conversion is truly "dead in 
trespasses and sins"!
 
But is this also true of those devout, religious souls who are not yet 
"in Christ"? Like those devout Jews at Pentecost, the Ethiopian Eunuch, 
Lydia, the Bereans, Saul of Tarsus, and God-fearing Gentiles like 
Cornelius?
 
Yes! For as Paul says in verse 3, "among whom ALSO WE ALL once
conducted ourselves...". Yes, even the religiously devout before 
conversion to Christ were...]
 
III. FULFILLING THE DESIRES OF THE FLESH AND MIND (3)
 
 A. BEFORE HIS CONVERSION, EVEN A RELIGIOUSLY DEVOUT PERSON LIKE 
 PAUL...
 1. Conducted himself "in the lusts of our flesh"
 a. "Living to gratify the flesh" (Barnes)
 b. As described in Ro 7:14-24, even one who desires to do 
 good, outside of Christ finds himself "enslaved" to the "law
 of sin" in the members of his flesh
 2. Fulfilled "the desires of the flesh and of the mind"
 a. The "desires of the flesh" are those "unrighteous cravings, 
 such as belong to and are spawned by the flesh" (Hendriksen)
 b. The "desires...of the mind" would include "all kinds of 
 hostile, self-righteous, and/or immoral plans and 
 cogitations, which finally result in wicked deeds"
 (Hendriksen)
 
 B. THUS, EVEN RELIGIOUSLY DEVOUT PEOPLE BEFORE CONVERSION ARE
 "CHILDREN OF WRATH"...
 1. "just as the others", Paul says, placing himself before 
 conversion on the same level as the "sons of disobedience" 
 described in verse two
 2. All are "children of wrath" (or "sons of disobedience") "by 
 nature"...
 a. Some understand this "nature" to be something one is born 
 with
 1) This passage (Ep 2:1-3) does not actually say "when" we
 began to be "children of wrath"
 2) Only that before we became "children of God" (at our 
 conversion), we were "children of wrath"
 b. The term "nature" can be understood as "a mode of feeling 
 and acting which by long habit has become nature" (Thayer)
 1) In the context of Ep 2:1-3, Paul is not talking about 
 sinful conduct committed by ancestors, the consequence of
 which is felt by their descendants
 2) But sins in which "YOU once walked", "WE all once 
 conducted ourselves", i.e., sins PERSONALLY committed
 c. Therefore, because of our "conduct" before our conversion, 
 we developed a "nature" that resulted in our being:
 1) "sons of disobedience" - 2:2
 2) "children of wrath" - 2:3
 
CONCLUSION
 
1. We have seen that "Our Condition Outside Of Christ" is one in which 
 we are...
 a. Dead in trespasses and sins - Ep 2:1
 b. Walking with the world and the devil - Ep 2:2
 c. Fulfilling the desires of the flesh and mind - Ep 2:3
 -- And thus "sons of disobedience", and "children of wrath"!
 
2. How can such "sons of disobedience" and "children of wrath" ever 
 become...
 a. "holy and without blame"? - Ep 1:4
 b. Receive the "adoption as sons"? - Ep 1:5
 c. And be "accepted" by God? - Ep 1:6
 
3. The answer will be explained more fully in Ep 2:4-10, where we 
 learn of "Salvation By Grace Through Faith"
 a. We will examine that answer in detail in our next lesson
 b. But for now, compare carefully Ep 2:5 with Co 2:11-13
 
Have you experienced the working of God's grace in your life, by being 
buried with Christ in baptism where your sins are "cut away" and then 
raised with Christ, thereby "made alive together with Him"...?

Salvation By Grace Through Faith (2:4-10)
 
INTRODUCTION
 
1. In the previous lesson we saw our true condition outside of Christ:
 a. Dead in trespasses and sins - Ep 2:1
 b. Walking with world and the devil - Ep 2:2
 c. Fulfilling the desires of the flesh and mind - Ep 2:3
 -- Truly we were "sons of disobedience" and "children of wrath"!
 
2. At the close of the previous lesson, I asked, "How can such 'sons of 
 disobedience' and 'children of wrath' ever become..."
 a. "Holy and without blame"?
 b. "Receive the adoption as sons"?
 c. "Accepted" by God?
 
3. In the text for this study (Ep 2:4-10) we find our answer, where we
 learn that "salvation by grace through faith" involves many elements 
 besides just grace and faith
 
[To begin with, "Salvation By Grace Through Faith"...]
 
I. INVOLVES THE "GREAT LOVE" OF GOD (4)
 
 A. THIS IS THE BEGINNING POINT OF SALVATION...
 1. From this, all else flows
 2. What mercy, grace, etc., that God shows mankind is founded upon
 the fact that God has a great love for us - cf. Jn 3:16
 
 B. THIS LOVE IS NOT BECAUSE OF WHO WE ARE, BUT WHO GOD IS...
 1. God did not love us because we were lovable, but because God is
 loving!
 2. As John wrote in an effort to inspire his brethren to love one 
 another, God is love, and that moved Him to offer His Son - 
 cf. 1 Jn 4:7-10
 
[Starting then with the love of God, "Salvation By Grace Through Faith"
also...]
 
II. INVOLVES THE "RICH MERCY" OF GOD (4)
 
 A. DEFINING MERCY...
 1. The word "eleos" is defined by Vine's Expository Dictionary as 
 "the outward manifestation of pity"
 2. Mercy, then, is compassion that one has for those in trouble
 
 B. GOD'S "GREAT LOVE" MAKES HIM "RICH IN MERCY"...
 1. His great love for sinners enables God to be filled with 
 compassion toward them
 2. The riches of His mercy seek to reach out to all who will 
 accept it - cf. 1 Ti 2:3-4; 2 Pe 3:9
 
[Unfortunately, not all receive His great mercy. But for those who do, 
they soon learn that "Salvation By Grace Through Faith" also...]
 
III. INVOLVES BEING "MADE ALIVE TOGETHER" WITH CHRIST (5)
 
 A. HERE IS WHERE "GRACE" REALLY ENTERS IN...
 1. For notice that Paul says "WHEN we were dead...(God) made us 
 alive"
 2. While STILL "dead in trespasses" God has somehow made us alive 
 together with Christ!
 3. Though not fully explained in this passage how (and when) this 
 happened, it occurred because of God's "unmerited favor" (the 
 definition of "grace")
 
 B. HOW (AND WHEN) WE WERE "MADE ALIVE TOGETHER WITH CHRIST" IS 
 EXPLAINED ELSEWHERE...
 1. Especially in Co 2:11-13
 2. Where we learn that it is in baptism...
 a. We are buried with Christ and then raised with Him - Co 2:
 12; cf. Ro 6:3-6
 b. We, who were "dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision
 of your flesh", were thus "made alive together with Him 
 (Christ)" - Co 2:13
 c. Our trespasses were all forgiven - Co 2:13; cf. Ac 2:38;
 22:16
 
[So while our text in Ephesians doesn't actually refer to baptism 
itself, it describes that which occurs when one is baptized into Christ:
by the grace of God we are being "made alive together with Christ"!
 
But there is more, for as we continue to read our text we learn that 
"Salvation By Grace Through Faith"...]
 
IV. INVOLVES BEING "RAISED UP TOGETHER" WITH CHRIST (6-7)
 
 A. WE SAW IN EP 1:20...
 1. Where Christ was raised from the dead
 2. And then was seated at the right hand of God in the heavenly 
 places
 
 B. NOW WE LEARN FROM EP 2:6-7...
 1. That we too are raised up and made to sit together with Christ
 in the heavenly places!
 a. This speaks of our present condition in the "spiritual 
 realm" (heavenly places)
 b. Because of our union with Christ, we enjoy an exalted 
  position together with Him
 c. Which union serves as the basis for our wonderful spiritual 
 blessings - cf. Ep 1:3
 2. But our present condition, and the blessings it entails, are 
 only the beginning!
 a. There is more "in the ages to come"
 b. There are "exceeding riches of His grace in kindness" yet to 
 be shown in Christ Jesus!
 
[How wonderful, then, is this salvation by grace! Not only does it 
pertain to "this age", but looks forward to the "ages to come"!
 
As we continue, we find Paul making sure we understand the basis of this
wonderful salvation, and that it...]
 
V. INVOLVES "FAITH", AND NOT MERITORIOUS WORKS (8-9)
 
 A. SALVATION IS FIRST AND FOREMOST, BY "GRACE"...
 1. Up to this point, Paul has said nothing about man's part in the
 process of salvation
 a. It was GOD'S mercy, love, and grace which made salvation 
 possible
 b. It was GOD's working that "made us alive...raised us up...
 made us sit together with Christ"
 2. Truly, salvation is...
 a. "not of yourselves; it is the gift of God"
 1) Some understand this phrase to refer to "faith"
 2) But I understand Paul to be referring to salvation 
 b. "not of works, lest anyone should boast"
 1) We are not saved by works of merit, whereby we earn 
 salvation
 2) But as Paul told Titus "according to His mercy He saved 
 us..." - Ti 3:5
 
 B. NEVERTHELESS, SALVATION IS BY GRACE "THROUGH FAITH"...
 1. "Faith", together with the "working of God", is how we were 
 "raised with Christ" in baptism - cf. Co 2:12
 2. In other words, it is an obedient faith that receives the 
 salvation in Christ - cf. He 5:9
 3. So when a person in faith is being baptized...
 a. They are not "earning" their salvation
 b. Rather, they are "receiving" their salvation which is by 
 God's grace and God's working, for in baptism they are 
 receiving Jesus Christ and all He accomplished by His death
 and resurrection! - cf. Ga 3:27
 
[Finally, we note that while "Salvation By Grace Through Faith" does 
not include meritorious works whereby we try to earn our salvation, 
it...]
 
VI. INVOLVES BEING "CREATED...FOR GOOD WORKS" (10)
 
 A. IN CHRIST, WE ARE "HIS WORKMANSHIP"...
 1. As Paul intimated in his discussion of baptism in Co 2:12 ("the
 working of God")
 2. Through God's "working" in which He...
 a. "made us alive"
 b. "raised us up"
 c. "made us sit together in the heavenly places"
 ...we have truly become "a new creation"! - cf. 2 Co 5:17
 
 B. THE GOAL OF THIS "WORKMANSHIP": CREATED FOR GOOD WORKS...
 1. Though not saved by good works, we are to do good works!
 2. God "prepared beforehand that we should walk in them"
 a. It is part of His predetermined plan
 b. Not just to save, but to create a people diligent in good 
 works! - cf. Ti 2:11-14
 3. Therefore, the people of God should...
 a. "be ready for every good work" - Ti 3:1
 b. "be careful to maintain good works" - Ti 3:8
 c. "learn to maintain good works" - Ti 3:14
 
CONCLUSION
 
1. So it is "by grace through faith" that...
 a. "Children of wrath" can become "children of God"!
 b. "Sons of disobedience" can "receive the adoption as sons" of God!
 c. We can be "accepted" by God!
 
2. Because "Salvation By Grace Through Faith" involves:
 a. God's great love
 b. God's rich mercy
 c. God making us alive together with Christ 
 d. God raising us up together with Christ to sit with Him in the 
 heavenly places
 e. An obedient faith that trusts in God's workmanship, not one's own 
 works
 f. A new creature that is diligent in doing good works to the glory 
 of God
 
How can one receive this wonderful salvation? Let Jesus and His 
apostles show you the way, for it is when we in faith submit to the 
Lord's command to be baptized that we enjoy the blessings of God's love,
mercy, and workmanship... - Mk 16:16; Ac 2:38; Co 2:12-13

How Gentiles Became Fellow Heirs (2:11-22)
 
INTRODUCTION
 
1. It should be evident by now that one of Paul's purposes in writing
 this epistle was to help answer his own prayer for the Ephesians;
 e.g., that they might know such things as:
 a. What is the hope of His calling - Ep 1:18a
 b. What are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints
 - Ep 1:18b
 
2. In the first half of the second chapter, Paul has spoken of the
 wonderful grace of God as expressed in their "personal" salvation -
 Ep 2:1-10
 
3. Paul now speaks in more "general" or "corporate" terms, especially as
 it relates to the salvation of the Gentiles and how they became 
 "fellow heirs" - Ep 2:12-22
 a. This is an important section, as it pertains to the "mystery" to 
 which Paul refers in Ep 3:3-6
 b. But this passage is also important because it describes "us", as 
 most of us are likely "Gentiles" rather than Israelites
 c. And it also makes clear what our condition can be today, either 
 "outside" of Christ, or "through" and "in" Christ!
 
[Let us begin, then, by observing...]
 
I. HOW THE GENTILES BECAME FELLOW HEIRS
 
 A. THE GENTILES' CONDITION "WITHOUT" CHRIST...
 1. "Aliens from the commonwealth of Israel" (12)
 a. They were not part of the state of Israel
 b. They were not included together with God's "chosen people"
 2. "Strangers from the covenants of promise" (12)
 a. Promises and covenants were not made with them
 b. Promises such as "...to be God to you...and I will be their 
 God" - Gen 17:7-8
 3. "Having no hope" (12)
 a. Hope springs forth from promises made
 b. Being strangers from the covenants of promise, they did not 
 have the hope the Jews did
 4. "Without God in the world" (12)
 a. In one sense, they did have God, as "He did not leave 
  Himself without witness..." - cf. Ac 14:17
 b. But they did not have the true knowledge of God, a knowledge
 that provides righteousness, peace and the joy of salvation
 
 B. THE GENTILES' CONDITION "THROUGH" CHRIST"...
 1. Can now be "one body" with the Jews (13-16)
 a. Because of Jesus, who is "our peace"
 b. Because of Jesus, who broke down the "middle wall" of 
 division
 1) That "law of commandments contained in ordinances" which 
  once separated Jews from Gentiles
 2) By His death on the cross, he abolished that which 
 created "enmity" between Jew and Gentile
 3) I.e., the law of Moses given at Mt. Sinai
 c. Because of Jesus, who "made peace" by reconciling both Jew 
 and Gentile to God in one body through the cross
 2. Can now share access to the Father with the Jews (17-18)
 a. Because of Jesus, who came and "preached peace" to those 
 "afar off" (Gentiles) and those "near" (Jews)
 b. Because of Jesus, for "through Him we both have access by 
 one Spirit to the Father"
 1) The access to the Father is "through Him" (Jesus) - cf. 
 Ro 8:34
  2) The access to the Father is "by one Spirit" (Holy Spirit) 
 - cf. Ro 8:26-27
 
 C. THE GENTILES' CONDITION "IN" CHRIST...
 1. They are now "fellow citizens with the saints" (19a)
 a. Before, they were "aliens" from the commonwealth of Israel 
 and "strangers" from the covenants of promise
 b. But now, they are "fellow citizens" with God's people
 2. They are now "members of the household of God" (19b)
 a. Before, they were "without God in the world"
 b. But now, they are members of "God's family"
 3. They are now part of "a holy temple in the Lord" (20-22)
 a. Before, they "without God in the world"
 b. But now, God dwells in them through His Spirit!
 
II. MAKING APPLICATION OF THIS PASSAGE TO OUR LIVES
 
 A. UNDERSTAND WHAT ONE'S CONDITION "OUTSIDE" CHRIST TRULY IS...
 1. A person is still an "alien" and "stranger", with no 
 participation in covenants and promises that God has with His 
 people today!
 2. A person has no basis for hope, and must go through life 
 without the blessing of God guiding them in this world!
 
 B. UNDERSTAND WHAT HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED "THROUGH" CHRIST...
 1. He has brought to an end the Old Law; we should not seek to be 
 justified by the Law - cf. Ga 5:4
 2. He has sought to unite all into one body; we should not try to 
 undo the work of Christ on the cross through religious division
 - cf. Ep 4:1-6
 
 C. UNDERSTAND WHAT WE HAVE BECOME "IN" CHRIST...
 1. We have become "fellow citizens with the saints" in the 
 wonderful kingdom of God; let's live accordingly! - cf. Ro 14:
 16-19
 2. We have become "members of God's household (family)"; let's 
 behave and treat each other as the family of God! - cf. 1 Ti 
 3:15; 5:1-2
 3. We have become "the temple of God" in which God dwells through 
 His Spirit; let's be careful not to profane God's holy 
 habitation! - cf. 1 Co 3:16-17; 1 Co 6:19-20
 
CONCLUSION
 
1. Though Paul may have been speaking in "general" or "corporate" terms,
 I trust that we have seen the implications of what he has said 
 affects each of us "personally"
 a. With salvation coming to the Gentiles through Jesus Christ, we 
 each benefit greatly on an individual level
 b. With salvation coming to the Gentiles through Jesus Christ, we 
 each bear an individual responsibility to live up to our "holy 
 calling" as God's kingdom, God's family, and as God's temple!
 
2. What is YOUR condition in regard to Jesus Christ?
 a. Are you still "outside" of Christ?
 b. Have you benefited from the work that was done "through" Christ on
 the cross?
 c. Are you living as a person should who is now "in" Christ?

－－《Executable Outlines》