Ephesians 2:19-22 ESV
“So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.”
Now that we are saved by the grace of God, we are not strangers or aliens anymore. We are no longer standing on the outside looking in, but now we have entered into the church of the Lord as fellow members.
At times I feel that we struggle to understand the depth and the weight of what this truly means. Paul wanted his fellow christians to understand the freshness of this new life in Christ. The danger is that once we have come to the Lord, we just continue to live like we used to; that we see ourselves no different that what we once where, or even worse that we still see other brothers and sisters as strangers and aliens, because we don’t realise the spiritual shift and newness that took place when we came to Christ.
Paul aware of how easily we can exclude ourselves from the fullness of new life in Christ Jesus, explains to the Ephesians the depth of the relationship we have been called to. We being gentiles, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel and far off from God are now, in Christ, longer strangers , no longer far off, but now united with Him in his body, the church.
Just how deep does this connection or relationship run?
Paul explains it in three tiers or three levels of depth if you will. Understanding these three levels of depth will help us to relate to fellow Christians, no matter their cultural, social or ethnic background.
Like a Country, State or Town (fellow citizens)
The Ephesian converts, who had one stage had no way of becoming part of the people of God, now through the work of Christ has become fellow citizens and together with the messianic Jews, became one new man. They now have found a place of belonging as children of God, being chosen and adopted by God. Through the the blood of the lamb they are also known as God’s people.
This is the first tier or level of depth. Once outside the walls of the city now inside as a fellow citizen, partaking in the benefits of the kingdom. In this holy city of God, some are Jews others are gentiles, but yet all are citizens in this kingdom.
This level is the most comfortable level of relation. Fellow citizens can walk the same streets, shop in the same malls without truly knowing or interacting with one another. Much of our Christian walk is in such a manner. You are connected through the commonality of the kingdom, and birthright, but other than that we are mostly separated on any other level of relationship.
Like a Family (fellow members)
The second tier of depth is that of a family. The illustration and picture Paul uses is a deeper one. A person generally is closer to family members than the fellow citizen of a country, city or state.
As chosen, children of God, we know that God is our Father and that Jesus is our older brother and the citizens of this Godly nation, the citizens of God’s kingdom are brothers and sisters. These brothers and sisters have been given to me, without me choosing them and I have been given to them, without them choosing me.
It is a Scriptural fact that those who are in Christ are brothers and sisters. We are family, God’s family. A family is a place of love and acceptance.
Like a Building (Bricks & Stones)
The third tier of depth we find in Paul’s illustration is that of a building. Now if you think about this, you will realise that the closeness of being united as a building is much more profound and deeper than the other two illustrations.
Relations between citizens of a country might not be close. The relationships we have with members of our family might be closer BUT in a building we are being built into one another.
All throughout the book of Ephesians Paul places a high emphasis on togetherness. He uses these illustrations to make it plain to us how God united us in Christ Jesus.
There is a Godly anointed power at work in the church when we operate within this unity. Paul was very serious about it. His biggest quarrel with Peter was because of this very issue (Gal 2:11-14). Paul also encourages the church in Ephesus to fight to keep this unity that is brought by the Spirit of God, in Chapter Four. We have to understand the importance, the depth and spiritual value off being united in Christ.
It is one thing to believe it doctrinally in our hearts, it is quite another to walk it out practically in our lives. In Christ we first find a place of belonging, as we grow in relationship with Him and with others we find a place of love and acceptance and thirdly we come to the deepest level of relationship, which is unity, oneness, togetherness.
The Holy Temple
Let us have a look at some practical things we can learn from this illustration from Paul. Some of the traits of this building.
1. A Building with Foundation
(v20)…built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone……
In Montagu where we live we have beautiful buildings dating from the 1700’s & 1800’s. When you want to buy such a building you have to understand that structurally they might not have been built on the best foundation. The house might have the allure of traditional beauty but once you move into that building, you might find that the house might have a weak or no foundation at all.
Paul states very clearly that this building; the church of the Lord is known and identifiable by the foundation it is being built on. I don’t think that this foundation is a hidden foundation like most of our modern buildings. I rather think this foundation is open for all to see and the building is identified by the foundation.
Here we have two clear pictures of what the church is built upon. It is built upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets and the cornerstone of this building is Jesus.
Extract from Michael Eaton’s writings on Ephesians: Some believe (i) that the apostles and prophets are a unique one-generation group of men who were the channels of revelation for the first generation of the church. A once-for-all work of Christ is accompanied (on this view) by a once-for-all prophetic and apostolic revelation, including eye- witness testimony to the resurrection.
(ii) At the other extreme are those who insist that apostles and their prophetic colleagues continue to the end of the age. (iii) My own view is that these two extremes must be combined. On the one hand, Ephesians 4:11–16 teaches that apostles and their prophetic colleagues must continue until the full maturity of the church.
The apostles were men who founded churches. The prophets were their colleagues who spoke from God with words given by God.
The first generation of apostles clearly had special responsibilities:
eye-witness testimony to the literal resurrection of Jesus,
the writing of the New Testament documents,
by their ministry they established the foundation of the church.
They Taught the second generation believers
The first generation – said Jesus in Matthew 28:20 – wins the second generation, ‘teaching them (the later converts) to observe all I have commanded you (the apostles and their colleagues)’. Jesus makes a similar distinction when He prays for the first generation and the later generations separately. He prays for ‘those (in later times) who will believe in me through their word’ – the words of the group that travelled with and were trained by Jesus.
If we see this clearly we realise that anyone who operates within the office of Apostle or Prophet today, should not contradict the teachings of the first generation Apostles (Sent Ones) and Prophets (Proclaimers of God’s Word). So many people running around in the name of the church and of the Lord, with titles of apostle and prophet, not building on the precepts of God’s Word is dangerous for the church.
Paul also paints the picture of Jesus Christ our cornerstone. A cornerstone was traditionally the first stone that was laid in the build of a building. In ancient architecture it was the most important stone, because the level and the direction of the entire building was determined by the cornerstone. In other words: Every other brick or stone that will be laid in the building will be laid in relation to the cornerstone.
Jesus is the One we cling too, He is the One we align too. When things go haywire in our own personal lives, the most important check we have to do, is to check if we are still aligned with the cornerstone. What determines whether one is part of the church is wether we are in Christ or not. No one is really part of the church if they are not in Christ, and in fellowship with Christ our cornerstone.
2. A Building with Character
“(v21) in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.”
When we look at buildings we would be drawn to specific building by its particular character. It might be quaint, french, tuscan, homely or you even find cold buildings. In a sense the style of a building determines it’s character. God’s building has plenty of character or if you like characters.(wink, wink)
This Building according to the Word of the Lord has been joined together, fitted together. This is in itself can tell us that there is plenty of character to be found. The whole structure, from the first generation believers until today are being fitted together supernaturally by the master builder. Many people from different cultures & backgrounds have been joined by God, the master builder, into this Holy temple. You will not find factory issued face bricks on this building, like you find on most modern buildings. It is not like every stone has the same shape and indentations. No God in his almighty wisdom and love, individually has picked everyone in his building and has carefully and lovingly fitted every individual into this building.
Not just has this building been fitted and joined together but this building is growing. The only way a buildings can grow is in size. Whether it is up in the air or on the surface of the earth the only way to see a building grow is in size. Well that is so in the natural, but in the spiritual, the growth of God’s building is measured in holiness or spiritual maturity.
As local assemblies go through the ups and downs of life. We might get frustrated when church attendance is down or when friends that used to be interested in church services are no longer so keen. With this frustration and disappointment we might think that the church is shrinking. This deflating feeling might even be supported by the reports from all across the world that people are not interested in going to church anymore. If we are measuring the growth of this building by the number of people that are attending, we are missing the point. The measure of this building is maturity in the Lord and the character of God’s building is Holiness.
This temple of holiness has never stopped growing. Just like you, since you came to Christ, has never stopped growing.
Many times the suffering we go through, the chiselling of our hearts and our souls, have felt like a reducing and step backwards instead of growth and flourishing. But through God’s grace and mercy and the nature of His love, He is not been reducing me as I thought, He has been shaping me to fit perfectly into His building alongside my brothers & sisters. As I grow in the Lord so you grow in the Lord and as you grow in the Lord so I grow in the Lord.
Romans 8:18-19 ESV
“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.”
The character of this building is Holy. Witch means it is set apart for a purpose. It is being built to be revealed. So the question arise; for what reason are we then being built into this building?
3. A Residential Building
(v22) In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.”
The Ephesian Christians and every true regenerated believer today, are being built together into a dwelling place for God. We experience His presence by His Spirit. Every growing child of God will have a clear experiential knowledge of the presence of the living God. God has taken residence in this building; He will not only be moving in once the building is complete, no He has already taken residence in the heart of every true believer. He is a renovating engineer, a spiritual architect and a master builder who has taken residence on sight.
John 14:21-23 ESV
“Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?” Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.”
God’s invitation on that day was for every single person: whoever was created. Jonah struggled with the fact that God opened the door for the people of Nineveh. Peter struggled with excepting gentiles truly united with him. Today we might be struggling to understand the depth of this connection; more than willing to operate within the sphere of fellow citizen, but never allowing God to fit me into the unity of his building. It is not about where I want to fit, but is the resident of the building, that is shaping, forming and fitting me into His building.
Do not allow the enemy to steal from you today. Not growing in the Lord with the church; not becoming one with your brothers and sisters up to the point where you actually feel the togetherness, might be gradually separating you from the presence of the Lord.
Using excuses to practically live contrary to written Word of God is self removal from the foundation of Christ and a rejection of the building God is erecting.
Some Self Reflecting Questions
Is there a separation between what I believe doctrinally and the way I actually live my life practically?
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2. Are the things that I believe doctrinally & theologically, based on the foundation of the Word of God?
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3. Am I weighing up the things that I hear on TV, news, social media and the things I hear from the pulpit against the Word of God? (like the Berean’s did in Acts 17)
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4. How do I relate to other brothers and sisters in the Lord that don’t have a similar background than me?
Fellow Citizen
Family
Built together as One (mark one or more or none)
5. How would you like to relate to others in he family of God?
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6. Are you experiencing being fitted into this building of God and have you experienced the growth of this Temple? (if yes, Testify. If No, try to access why)
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7. Can you testify about the manifested presence of God in your life? (If Yes, Explain)
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