R351 Unity in Christ

God has an encouraging word for you and me today to the Bible-based preaching of Dr. Don Wilton in a message called unity in Christ. Right now their wonderful resources about unity on our website if you haven't visited lightly drop ITW online.org that's TW online.org and sign up for the daily devotion of Dr. Wilton do it today about not like a copy of God's word and turn with me to Paul's letter to the Ephesians chapter 2 Paul's letter to the Ephesians chapter 2 again to read from verse 11 as we continue our study before I begin to read. I want to say something about the first word of verse 11 is a full you see, up until this point, the apostle Paul has been telling us, telling the church of Ephesus telling believers who they all in Christ he's made some remarkable statements that God has told him to tell us. For example, that we mean seated together with Christ at the right hand of the father and son from verse 11 through to verse 22 Yaron, this remarkable letter. The apostle Paul begins to say what he is about to say based upon what he has already said Paul is beginning to tell us some things about ourselves that need to be sated based upon what we already know about our sewers. This is a consequence of having been seated in Christ, if you please.

The apostle is looking back now at this particular point in time and he saying. Therefore, all having come to understand what it is that God has done for us because he has raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus. Therefore, we are now able to have a fresh understanding about some things related to our lives now friends are blocked an apology to Mike to you this morning.

There is a real sense in which every word in the next several verses or to be exegete. That means that as I have begun to prepare, and I know some of you been reading and studying these passages. There is a real sense in which we could spend literally weeks upon almost every word that is said that's how rich God's word is out there is a sense in which we should be coming back to her six weeks from now if not six months from now and you will walk in here with your Bibles inside our phone number he still on the same word. I remember as a boy my father preaching. I 12 week series on John 316. I thought how positively laborious and it's only as I have begun to grow in God. As I began to understand the depth of God's grace that I'm beginning to understand how far away I am from the riches of his grace, how little I really do know and how deep and eternal God's grace really is. So I want to read it for you and we might stop once or twice.

I'm sure Ephesians chapter 2 in verse 11. Therefore, remember that formerly used to all the Gentiles by birth and cold uncircumcised by those who call themselves the circumcision that is that done in the body by the hands of man, not pool here is talking about two different classes of people and the awkward walk all that class distinction between the Jew and the Gentile was the physical law of physical circumcision.

That's what separated them awkwardly, physically in the body, but as a consequence of that physical separation between the Jew and the Gentile that more of them apart. The parameters of the lines that were drawn from that juncture carried old Hawaii into the Jewish interpretation of who and who was not in a right relationship with God we going to discover some remarkable things here about this. Look at verse 12. Now those of you that that order that all uncircumcised. Those of you that all on Gentiles. Those of you that all non-Jew if you not a Jew, you fall into this category. Remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants notice in the plural. I'm going to talk about it. The covenants of the promise without hope and without God in the world but now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ, for he himself is our peace, who has made the two which to the Jew and the Gentile. According to the Jew, the religious and the nonreligious. They would write about it, but according to them, what is God done God in Christ has made the 21 and has Garrett is he ready for this. He has destroyed the barrier.

Now listen how he describes that the dividing wall of hostility. How did he do this, verse 15 by abolishing in his flesh that folks listen to me circumcision is of the flesh.

Listen to what God's word is saying that this is very important. If we going to understand what it is that God is teaching us here today by abolishing in his grace that is in Christ place, why in Christ flesh, because he gave himself in his flesh. He was beaten and bruised for our transgression. He died in the flesh as man but 100% is God by abolishing in his flesh the law with its compartments and regulations. That's incredible. The Jew said wait a minute, there are laws and rules and regulations and the laws and the rules and the regulations are going to be the means by which you are going to come into a relationship with God and Jesus Christ say is absolutely no way that is not the way you come to know me.

I've abolished that it doesn't matter which side of the fence you sit on, well, let's see what he says walkway through verse 15. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two out of the Jew and the Gentile, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God.

How did he do this through the cross. Why through the cross my friends because it is through the cross that he abolished the law with its compartments and regulations is through the cross that he has sent us completely free and what happens in verse 16 and in this one body that is the body of Jesus Christ to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put today there hostility he put an end to the nonsense that existed amongst mankind in this separation from one another. What I need to reclaim any preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who would mirror for through him we both have access to the father by one Spirit. Consequently, what's the result you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and the members of God's household.

In that amazing God say that that's what he's told me right there you are no longer a foreigner and alien, but you are a fellow citizen with God's people and a member of God's household house this happen. It is booting. Verse 20 on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone in him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord and in him due to being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his spirit by the Lord writing his word upon our hearts people.

You and I Boston prison part of our sinful nature is to create barriers between people. The question about Garrett was between Jew and Gentile. It was between slaves and their monsters in their time.

It was also between husbands and wives. Women in these days didn't have any rights. Like many countries today, especially in the Middle East that women have no rights whatsoever they have to cover themselves up in hideaway. They own nothing more than objects of pleasure. They are nothing more than people who give birth to children that are nothing more than workers, but I have no rights as human beings. Such applause here in the time of your possible. What was he saying here. I think the apostle Paul was beginning to head toward a point, my friends, that he gets.

In chapter 4 verse three we going to get to that at some time later but is trying to say My friend that disunity among God's own people has always been a special heartbreak for God. That's what Jesus prayer in John 17 is all about that.

We studied some months ago. You see, frames unity in Christ has been achieved positionally while because we all one in Christ. It's like some people say to me, will I think that I'll make Jesus Christ Lord you don't think about whether or not to make Jesus Christ Lord he is Lord down the same way as Christian men and women you don't think that you are going to be one with every person of every, of every nation, you don't think you're going to be one.

You are one. If you're a born again believer frame. It doesn't matter what the color of your skin as you are one in Christ.

It doesn't matter whether it's a he or she will one in Christ. It doesn't matter where you come from the side of the tracks are what you happen to think about it positionally in Christ Jesus. We all one, but practically in the human mind is still one of the greatest tragedies in the world.

Positionally God has settled the issue. Practically mankind is resisting the righteousness of God. Mankind is saying no. That's why in Ephesians 4, verse 23 be diligent, that's what the word says make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. Why through the bond of peace where you go back to verse chapter 2 verse 11 through 22 and you see that he is our peace, and because of the peace of God, we have received his peace.

I want us to try and study this into what I know we got a short time to look at it.

So listen quickly.

We going to try and understand what Paul is trying to cite by looking at the world without God.

And then I want us to look caring this passage at the world with God.

There are six facts that Paul tells us about the world without God number one.

A world without God is separated and is unaccepted socially. It is unaccepted socially look back in verse 11.

Yet the apostle Paul talks about the physical rite of circumcision on man on man literally who became the symbol of what society was all about non-Africa today in tribal Africa there is a ceremony that is still as strong today as it is ever been all young man from the age of 13, 14 or 15 go through a ritualistic right into manhood.

The first thing they knew is that they are circumcised in the flesh, they are taken by which doctors and by the elders and they are circumcised in the flesh. If you want to read about it read Pres. Nelson Mondale is famous biography and he'll tell you about what he went through as a cause of tribesmen near them totter in South Africa. They talk about. It is a very important part of a ritual in African tribal custom, he circumcised is then put into a little grasshopper about three months with these friends, they placed themselves in what kind of mud date laid literally at the white mud that they put all over themselves. They stay in that hot plate not allowed to see any woman for those three months, but not not look upon strangers. They feed off the land. At the end of the three months the which doctors, they take those young men. They put them into a little pond or a dam. Thereby they wash off this mud, and while they washing it off they burn not cross how they lived, and the young men are not allowed to turn around and look back at that hunt. If I turn around and look back at the heart that means that the evil spirits are literally going to accompany them for the rest of their lives because they all looking back on the boy who'd entered symbolizes the burning away of the childishness of the childlikeness of a boyhood and once a young man by the way they are known as the, quieter, if you're taking notes that, known as the, quieter, that's IAM a kite WETHI, quieter, and when they go through these rituals. The other quieter then all qualified to become men. Now you can imagine when a young black man in tribal Africa is led to the Lord Jesus Christ and these things are no longer important, why they not important they not important, my friends, because the Bible says that Jesus Christ in the giving of his flesh has done what he has published all regulations and commandments and rituals. I've heard people say to me we need to have more rituals in our service, God forbid you don't come into God's presence through rituals, but a powerful challenge for the pastors we move away from ritual and into relationship. We have wonderful resources that will help you grow in your walk with Christ. I pray you signed up for the daily Encouraging Word email from Dr. Wilton the pups out into my email box about 6 o'clock every morning and will literally jumpstart your day sign up for TW online.org. Click on a physical copy.

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It's absolutely free at 866-899-9673… Today's teaching the way in which you saying the way in which you walk away in which you do these things are absolutely unimportant to God. They have their place at certain times. But they are not the means by which you come into the presence of the King of Kings and Lord of lords, and what is a world without God.

It is on acceptance will surely it means that outside of God in the family of God. You all away from the very social atmosphere that God has created Freezone but he goes on from there.

He says they were separated from Christ, what an ultimate consequence. Look at verse 12.

Remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, and that would separate means that you are apart from you have no connection with God who is the author and finisher of life. In other words, Paul is saying yet again how lost is a lost person they are completely and totally 100% loss there is no such thing as a sort of lost person.

Just the same as there's no such thing as a sort of ciphers I've spoken to people from time to time and I've said to them, do you know Jesus Christ well I think so.

There's no such thing as an I think so are no Christian, not according to what the apostle's site. You either know God or you don't know him, you don't think you know him and if you don't know God, you lost, you completely lost all way lost. You are totally unaccepted, socially, you are totally separated, but in the third place they were excluded from citizenship.

Did you see that in verse 12.

Now there is a saying spokesman which I'm standing at the top of the mountain here and I bought a little ball of snow and it's wintertime and I start rolling that's noble and when it rolls down, it gets bigger and bigger to collect. This is what's happening here.

You see, from verse 11.

It's as if were that the apostle Paul is saying because you were of the on circumcision because of the physical mark in your body that excluded you because you have been Outside of the grace of God I want you to know something. It has a snowball effect and what is that snowball effect your unaccepted socially just separated from Christ. Your excluded from citizenship. What is it mean to be excluded from citizenship means the sphere in which God has made himself known to you is not available to you this year. The exclusion of the citizenship in the King James version. The authorized text, the word right there, is that you are an alien from the commonwealth of Israel, your Department but he goes on, and he says you not only excluded from citizenship. But you are a foreigner to the covenants that in verse 12 foreigners to the covenants of the promise. What is the covenant what was the covenant that was the covenant given to Abraham when God came to him in Genesis chapter 12 and said to Abraham, I'm gonna be with you. I'm gonna watch over you. I'm gonna bless them that bless you, I'm gonna curse them that curse you, and you will all the nations of the earth be blessed front. From that moment on, God began to pour out the covenants of his promises upon God's children. What is God say God says one of my covenants is that I will never leave you nor forsake what is God's covenants of promise and site if you pray to me, I'm going to hear you if God says to me come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you learn of me, lean upon me.

Give yourself to me this is the covenants of God's promise and what is happening here is that a world without God is asked from citizenship and they all complete foreigners to the covenants of God's promises that have no part. Now that's pretty serious means that you and I can walk down the silencer we move in the place of lost God to on throughout prayer. But if we don't know him. We are excluded.

That's pretty tough. You see friend any relationship with Jesus Christ has got to begin with Jesus Christ at the cross. It is the beginning point of our relationship. Salvation is paramount. I have people say to me all the time.

Foster I need to go and talk to people about how good they need to be and how this and that. I want you to know these things are important but it is absolutely paramount. According to Scripture that we gotta understand that it is Jesus Christ who has abolished in his flesh the Lord with all its rules and regulations and that there is no other way to the father but through the son is an amazing what God does. Then of course he climaxes this. He says not only are they unaccepted socially and separated from Christ and excluded from citizenship and foreigners to the covenants, but they are without hope, and they are without God. He closes out verse 12. What incredible statement when he says that without hope is not saying they did not have aspirations and goals and dreams he is saying simply this, that hope is a blending of desire with expectation and that expectation is rooted in the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ when he said they were without God. He didn't say that regardless they were not godless people that I had many gardens. They served all kinds of dogs.

If anybody serve the God of athletics. It was in the time that Paul wrote. In fact, I'm convinced that Poole really loved athletics because he uses athletic metaphors and similes all the time to illustrate what he was say the games that were held in Smyrna and at the church of Ephesus would've boggled the mind they would put Atlanta 1996, but the apostle Paul is saying listen.

They are tired of a personal relationship with the living God. That's what you say well that's a world without God. How does he juxtapose this against the wonderful joy about the world that is involved in the world with God. What is the Bible site number one the world with God is United look at verse 13 through 18. I'm not going to read it again, but they are united together.

They all brought together. What is he say for example in verse 14 he himself is our peace. He has made the 21 he has destroyed the barrier, I love this phrase the dividing wall of half ability and you know where that dividing wall of hostility begins. It begins between man and God.

The Bible says that when sin entered into the world a dividing wall of hostility, time and bang between God and he's Micah and it was only because of Jesus Christ that we were able to remove that will hostility and that is why Jesus said I am the one the truth and the life and no man can get through that will cost 50 bucks. Finally, only men can come to God because of Jesus Christ.

That's what he said they were united. Secondly, they gain peace.

Verse 17 by game piece he came in he preached peace to you who are far away and peace to those who were near you just have to open the newspapers to understand that world is not at peace spokes but I'm going to say to you, my friend, we can cry peace, peace, and they will never be peace on this Jesus Christ is at the center of that the world without God is United and gains peace, but not in the third place the world with God enjoys access I want you to look with me at verse 18 for through him who is the him this is Jesus Christ is not the one who abolished any splash.

The law for through him the one who abolished the law. We both use the both the Jew and the Gentile, the black and the white the Tiedeman and the American African and the Australian we both the male and the female of the side of the tracks and the guy that side of the tracks, the rich and the poor the big and the small the toll in the short he says we through him. Both of us have access to the father by one Spirit, Jesus Christ doesn't even make us wake down at the race with an old fuddy-duddy security God. Peace is pieces utilize some indeed somebody God loves someone. God sent his son Jesus to die for.

Before we get away. The pastors stepped out of the pulpit into the studio to share his heart. Are you ready to give your heart and life to the Lord Jesus Christ. Why don't you pray this prayer with me right now. Dear God, I know that on the center and I know that Jesus died for me on the cross today.

I repainted my sin and by faith I receive you into my heart. In Jesus name, my friend. I welcome you today into the family of God.

This is exciting news and by the way, don't go away because I'll be right back in just a minute if you just give your life to Christ.

Welcome to the family.

Gotta rededicate your life all we have wonderful resources absolutely free dockable to want you to have you call us at 866899 word that's 866-899-9673 or email us at online@tewonline.org we really would love to hear from you and I'm so glad that we been able to share together by means of radio today you just mean so much to me and mindful we are going to get you can call right now and connect with me at 866-899-9673 you get that 866-899-9673 call and connect with me right now. My times gone for this week that Aubrey will join us of the we can find ways to watch and connect on our website@twonline.org and thank you so very much. The Encouraging Word sponsored by good friends like you and your prayerful and financial support