Tag Archives: one new man

PEACE THROUGH THE CROSS

Bible Study, ,

PEACE THROUGH THE CROSS

For he Himself is our peace who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in His flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in Himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which He put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through Him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit (Eph. 2: 14-18).

The great barrier in the ancient world was the conflict between Jew and Gentile. There were many reasons for hostility between these two groups. The Jews thought they were better than the Gentiles because they no longer worshipped idols. Their great suffering throughout their history as a nation cured them of idolatry and turned them against the pagan nations around them. They considered themselves superior to all other people because they were God’s chosen people, and they worshipped the one true God.

They believed that God was their God alone. They tolerated the Gentiles who had turned from idols to become “God-fearers” but they vehemently hated and persecuted the apostles for taking their God to the Gentiles, even if they were propagating the hated message that God was their Father and Jesus was their Messiah.

The pagan world was polytheistic. Greeks and Romans worshipped many gods and even revered the Caesars as god. They despised the Jews for their monotheism, their exclusivism and their superior attitude. Although the Roman government barely tolerated the Jewish religion, the Jews were not welcome in their society.

It would take a mighty act of God to reconcile the two groups and recreate a new race of people who were identified by a higher loyalty than loyalty to their ethnic origins and religious persuasions. Sin was the root cause of their racial hatred. Remove sin and there would be no more cause for the deep-rooted antagonism that drove them apart.

The blood that Jesus shed on the cross dealt with sin in every human heart and removed the reason for hostility between people and people groups. Paradoxically, the death of Jesus and faith in Him, not only drives people apart; it also brings them together and redefines them according to their new citizenship in the kingdom of God.

The reason for this transformed attitude and relationship between people of differing colours, cultures and languages is what Paul calls “peace”.  This new state of peace begins between God and man. Since Jesus paid the debt of sin for the whole human race, there is no need for hostility between God and man. Jesus appeased God’s wrath against sin. God has forgiven our sin and cleansed our hearts from its guilt. We have all, whether Jew of Gentile, been brought near to Him. We have been reconciled and restored to fellowship with Him as His sons and daughters.

In spite of the intrusion of sin, we can still see this “echad” in the amazing interconnectedness of the many systems in the world. The heavenly bodies function in oneness and God keeps them in place and functioning together by His powerful word. What we call “ecosystems” are microcosms of harmonious interaction between creatures and their environment. Every element of creation is adapted to function within its environment. People  alone have the power to interfere and disrupt the systems which God has put in place, by exploiting and plundering resources for our own selfish ends.

Just as God planned the natural world to function in perfect oneness, so He also created human beings to live together in unity and harmony. Sin interrupted this plan but God put it back on track by dealing with sin. Only through the forgiveness that Jesus bought for us through the cross can He reconcile us to one another and restore the peace between us that is the foundation of oneness. And He did it!

How amazing it is to see ancient enemies come together when Jesus is the centre of their lives – black and white, Jew and Arab, rich and poor, male and female, high-born and low-born – it’s as though we have been born again, and we have. We have made a new start and left behind all our old prejudices and hostilities because of a love that transcends our selfish love.

There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ (Gal. 3: 28).

Scripture is taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Have you read my first book, Learning to be a Son – The Way to the Father’s Heart (Copyright © 2015, Partridge Publishing)? You’ll love it!

ISBN: Softcover – 978-1-4828-0512-3,                                                                              eBook 978-4828-0511-6

Available on www.amazon.com in paperback, e-book or Kindle version, on www.takealot.com  or order directly from the publisher at www.partridgepublishing.com.

My second book, Learning to be a Disciple – The Way of the Master (Copyright © 2015, Partridge Publishing), a companion volume to Learning to be a Son – The Way to the Father’s Heart, has been released in paperback and digital format on www.amazon.com.

THE BOOK OF ACTS – CRAZY MIXED-UP GUY

Bible Study, ,

CRAZY MIXED-UP GUY

“The next morning he got up and went with them. Some of his friends from Joppa went along. A day later they entered Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had his relatives and close friends waiting with him. The minute Peter came through the door, Cornelius was up on his feet greeting him — and then down on his face worshiping him! Peter pulled him up and said, ‘None of that — I’m a man and only a man, no different from you.'” Acts 10:23b-26 (The Message).

Cornelius had a lot to learn. His pagan background played havoc with his understanding of the relationship between the natural world and God’s realm of the spirit. In spite of his conversion to Judaism, he had obviously brought with him his belief system of spirits that inhabited nature and used natural phenomena to deal with humans. Not that he still worshiped idols but that he had not completely dissociated himself from his old religious system.

He had not yet realised that human beings are not God. He was so wound up over the angelic visit that he lumped Peter together with the angel as some sort of supernatural being to be worshipped, especially since it seemed that Peter was somehow part of this supernatural realm he had glimpsed. Peter had to pull him up short. ‘No, Cornelius, I’m not in the same category as God.’

Peter was also on a learning curve. He had his own misunderstandings to contend with, not pagan beliefs but religious prejudices and scruples to unlearn. It must have taken a serious decision on his part as well as careful explanation to convince his Jewish companions that this was a God-thing and not his own idea. They must surely have been convinced, not only by Peter’s account of his vision, but of the timing of the arrival of the men from Caesarea.

Cornelius’ expectation spilled over onto family and friends. He was not in this for himself alone. While he was awaiting Peter’s arrival — and he had no guarantee that Peter would come; after all, he, Cornelius was a hated Roman soldier — he got the whole neighbourhood together to share in this message he was anticipating from Peter.

The fact that Peter actually came, together with a contingent of Jewish believers from Joppa, must have overwhelmed Cornelius. Race and prejudice forgotten, he greeted Peter like a brother and Peter reciprocated even before Cornelius had experienced the joy of true Christian brotherhood. Did he fall on his knees, not to worship Peter as God but to honour him as someone greater than himself?

Peter would not accept that kind of obeisance. He was no super saint. He refused to be elevated above Cornelius, not even as an apostle. He made it clear to this muddled-thinking Roman that he was just Peter with a message from Jesus.

Throughout the earthly ministry of Jesus He made one thing clear — all people stand on level ground before the Father. God has no time for high-minded conceit. We are dead wrong if think that we are better than anyone else, especially on the grounds of human position or achievement. Jesus said, ‘Don’t take or accept titles.’ He resisted people who expected preferential treatment for any reason whatever.

Peter had learned that lesson well. He had been part of the squabbling that went on among the disciples when they were vying for positions in the kingdom of God. Time and again he heard Jesus’ rebuke and His instruction on true greatness. The Spirit of God in him was nurturing His fruit in Peter — among the nine fruit being humility.

With the ground cleared of prejudice and misunderstanding, both parties were ready to focus on the message Peter had to give — the message of Jesus who brings not only reconciliation to God but reconciliation to one another to restore man to man in the family of God.

“For He is our peace, who has made the two one and destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in His flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in Himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which He put to death their hostility.” Ephesians 2:14-16 (NIV).

Peace Through The Cross

Bible Study, , ,

PEACE THROUGH THE CROSS

For he Himself is our peace who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in His flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in Himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which He put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through Him, we both have access to the Father by one Spirit (Eph. 2: 14-18).

The great barrier in the ancient world was the conflict between Jew and Gentile. There were many reasons for hostility between these two groups. The Jews thought they were better than the Gentiles because they no longer worshipped idols. Their great suffering throughout their history as a nation cured them of idolatry and turned them against the pagan nations around them. They considered themselves superior to all other people because they were God’s chosen people, and they worshipped the one true God.

They believed that God was their God alone. They tolerated the Gentiles who had turned from idols to become “God-fearers” but they vehemently hated and persecuted the apostles for taking their God to the Gentiles, even if they were propagating the hated message that God was their Father and Jesus was their Messiah.

The pagan world was polytheistic. Greeks and Romans worshipped many gods and even revered the Caesars as god. They despised the Jews for their monotheism, their exclusivism and their superior attitude. Although the Roman government barely tolerated the Jewish religion, the Jews were not welcome in their society.

It would take a mighty act of God to reconcile the two groups and recreate a new race of people who were identified by a higher loyalty than loyalty to their ethnic origins and religion. Sin was the root cause of their racial hatred. Remove sin and there would be no more cause for the deep-rooted antagonism that drove them apart.

The blood that Jesus shed on the cross dealt with sin in every human heart and removed the reason for hostility between people and people groups. Paradoxically, the death of Jesus and faith in Him, not only drives people apart; it also brings them together and redefines them according to their new citizenship in the kingdom of God.

The reason for this transformed attitude and relationship between people of differing colours, cultures and languages are what Paul calls “peace”.  This new state of peace begins between God and man. Since Jesus paid the debt of sin for the whole human race, there is no need for hostility between God and man. Jesus appeased God’s wrath against sin. God has forgiven our sin and cleansed our hearts from its guilt. We have all, whether Jew of Gentile, been brought near to Him. We have been reconciled and restored to fellowship with Him as His sons and daughters.

In spite of the intrusion of sin, we can still see this “echad” in the amazing interconnectedness of the many systems in the world. The heavenly bodies function in oneness and God keeps them in place and functioning together by His powerful word. What we call, “ecosystems” are microcosms of harmonious interaction between creatures and their environment. Every element of creation is adapted to function within it environment. Man alone has the power to interfere and disrupt the systems which God has put in place, by exploiting and plundering resources for our own selfish ends.

Just as God planned the natural world to function in perfect oneness, so He also created human beings to live together in unity and harmony. Sin interrupted this plan but God put it back on track by dealing with sin. Only through the forgiveness that Jesus bought for us through the cross can He reconcile us to one another and restore the peace between us that is the foundation of oneness. And He did it!

How amazing it is to see ancient enemies come together when Jesus is the centre of their lives – black and white, Jew and Arab, rich and poor, male and female, high-born and low-born – it’s as though we have been born again, and we have. We have made a new start and left behind all our old prejudices and hostilities because of a love that transcends our selfish love.

There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ (Gal. 3: 28).

Scripture is taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Have you read my first book, Learning to be a Son – The Way to the Father’s Heart (Copyright © 2015, Partridge Publishing)? You’ll love it!

ISBN: Softcover – 978-1-4828-0512-3,                                                                              eBook 978-4828-0511-6

Available on www.amazon.com in paperback, e-book or Kindle version, on www.takealot.com  or order directly from the publisher at www.partridgepublishing.com.

My second book, Learning to be a Disciple – The Way of the Master (Copyright © 2015, Partridge Publishing), a companion volume to Learning to be a Son – The Way to the Father’s Heart, has been released in paperback and digital format on www.amazon.com.

For more details, check my website:

http://luellaannettecampbell.com/

Have you read my blogs on www.learningtobeason.wordpress.com ?