“Don’t forget that you Gentiles used to be outsiders. You were called “uncircumcised heathens” by the Jews, who were proud of their circumcision, even though it affected only their bodies and not their hearts. In those days you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from citizenship among the people of Israel, and you did not know the covenant promises God had made to them. You lived in this world without God and without hope. But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ. For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us. He did this by ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new people from the two groups. Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death on the cross, and our hostility toward each other was put to death. He brought this Good News of peace to you Gentiles who were far away from him, and peace to the Jews who were near. Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us.”
Ephesians 2:11-18 NLT
Paul had a daunting task. Not only was he to preach Christ to the gentiles, but he was also to reconcile them all under God. The Jews, who came to God under the Mosaic covenant, had relied heavily on the doctrines of law and sacrifice on Jewish traditions. This would have to be put in proper context to show how the law is meant to point towards the reconciliation found in Christ. It was to create an open door to relationship with God and men. Many Christians today still have this issue. They believe that adherence to the law is evidence of their salvation and that communities should be based around this adherence. But once the law is introduced, Christ takes over care. This lack of transfer of care is a large cost to acceptance of Christianity. Many never consider Christianity or leave it because of the law and it’s continuing influence after salvation. As believers, we must allow the law to speak for the standard of proper relationship, without letting it usurp that relationship. This will open the door to bring more into a relationship with God and each other. When they realize that the law was given by Jesus to point the way to him, they will be more likely to appreciate it and succeed at following through with it, than they would if they were to have it forced upon them.
JOSH McGARY. COM 