We Are One - Your Daily Forward Devotional

We Are One

January 18

Read Ephesians 2:14-16

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. 

Reflect

How did Jesus Christ make peace between the Gentiles and the Jews?

Last week, we talked about the Gentiles and how they had previously been considered outsiders. Gentiles (anyone who is not Jewish) were considered far from God. They were not God’s covenant people and therefore, they were not entitled to the blessings that belonged to the Jewish nation. Throughout history, the Jews warred against many Gentile nations. They were even oppressed and conquered by Gentile nations. The Jews and Gentiles were sworn enemies.

Because the Gentiles did not follow God’s laws and were considered “unclean” or “profane” many Jews treated them with disdain. The Torah was like a “dividing wall” between the Jews and non-Jews. In the temple, there was even an actual wall that kept the Gentiles away from the inner courts and away from God’s presence. The wall kept the Gentiles physically and spiritually far from God and separate from the Jewish people.

Until Jesus. Paul tells the Ephesians that Jesus Himself is their peace. How? By abolishing the very laws that kept them separate. But Jesus didn’t just make the two separate groups friendly with each other. Paul clearly states that Jesus made the two groups one. This wasn’t just a peace treaty. This was unification. Through Christ’s work on the cross, Paul says that both groups were reconciled to God and therefore, the hostility between the two has been killed. The hostility died with Christ on the cross. The law has been abolished and a new covenant was made between God and His people. Jew and Gentile both make up the church of Jesus Christ. We are now one body. His body.

What does that mean for us today? It means that if we are in Christ, we are one body. Regardless of our culture, race, ethnicity, gender, or social status, we are His body. All who believe in the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ for our salvation and reconciliation to God are united in Him. We are one.

Friends, we are united so we should be at peace with one another. There should no longer be hostility between the members of the body of Christ. He Himself is our peace. Let’s walk in that truth!

Pray

Jesus, thank You for Your grace and mercy that tears down the walls that divide people. Thank You for making us one body, your church. Help us to live out the peace that You have sacrificially given to us. Amen.

~ Pastor Nat Crawford

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