One New Man: Breaking Down the Wall of Enmity in Christ (Ephesians 2:11-22)

Key Texts referenced:
Ephesians 2:11-22 (primary focus); Genesis 3 (curse and uncircumcision); Deuteronomy 10:16; Acts 15:8-11; Galatians 3:28-29; Micah 7:6; Mark 3:25; 2 Corinthians 5 (ministry of reconciliation); Numbers 21 (serpent venom); John 3; Matthew Henry commentary reference.

Remember Where You Were

While the verses 1-10 from last week’s sermon display the relationship between God and His elect, verses 11-22 shift to focus on the relationship among God’s elect. Paul starts by pointing out the most obvious difference between the Jews and the Gentiles, and the enmity it creates. For Gentiles, Paul describes them as “uncircumcised” and “Gentiles in the flesh” to show the distinction of those who were excluded from God’s covenant. Since Abraham, this physical marker of circumcision represented being under God’s covenant. Not having this circumcision meant that you were in death and curse. The very curse Adam received in Genesis 3 is represented in the uncircumcision. As a result of this spiritual and physical uncircumcision, Paul states they were without hope and without God. No hope of eternal life. No hope for the future. No hope of any Messiah to rescue them from the depths of hell. Despite having so many idols to worship, they were deprived of the one true God. Paul is making them remember where they were before they were drawn near to Christ. As Matthew Henry says,

“You should remember what you have been, and compare it with what you now are, in order to humble yourselves and to excite your love and thankfulness to God.”

Christ Abolished the Dividing Wall

Meanwhile, the Jews prided themselves on their circumcision. It came from their longstanding tradition and the teachings of their forefathers. While this outward sign reminded them of a rich heritage and future promise, it became the object of boast. So, Paul adds, “performed in the flesh by human hands,” to highlight that it is done by man. This boast of the Jews had no inherent power in the circumcision of the flesh. The Jews were forgetting the instruction by Moses, “So circumcise your heart, and stiffen your neck no longer.” (Deut 10:16) Moreover, all the ceremonial laws that God gave through Moses were also promises and foreshadowings of the future Messiah. They gave hope and guidance in worship. Those laws taught the Jews what was clean and unclean. They were the “laws of commandments contained in ordinances” (verse 15) to bless the Israelites. But just like how the circumcision created a wall between the Jews and Gentiles, the ceremonial laws created an enmity between them. However, when Christ finally came, he abolished all the ceremonial laws, because they were only a foreshadowing of Christ. Since Christ fulfilled the laws, the wall of enmity came down. This separation was no more.

The new age has come where no more wall stood between the Jews and the Gentiles. But it proved to be difficult for the Jews to let go of the laws they observed. It was their very identity for more than a millennium. As seen in the Council of Jerusalem, the believing Pharisees instructed the Gentiles to observe the laws. The response of the apostles during the council was,

8 And God, who knows the heart, testified to them giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us; 9 and He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith. 10 Now therefore why do you put God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? 11 But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they also are. (Acts 15:8-11)

The Enmity That Still Divides Us

No matter whether circumcised or not, we all received the same Holy Spirit. We were all saved through Christ the same way. If the Jews truly understood the laws, they would have known, as Peter says above, that it was a yoke that they couldn’t even bear. Jews and Gentiles alike were both dead in sin. Just as the Israelites were all dying by the venom of serpents, we are all dying in sin (Numbers 21; John 3). It was only through the cross that we now have peace. It was only through the blood of Christ that we now have the ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5). As a result of this great peace, “we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father” (verse 18). We are “fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household” (verse 19). We are made “into one new man” (verse 15) without any distinction (Gal 3:28-29).

I just spent a great length to explain the divide that’s created due to the circumcision and the Mosaic Law. The Jews holding on to their traditions created a natural barrier between them and the Gentiles, creating jealousy and a sense of superiority, even though those laws were abolished. The heart of Paul’s message in this passage is for both Jews and Gentiles to be reconciled with one another and have peace, knowing that they are trying to hold on to their past identity. In one sense, they see their new identity based on verses 1-10. But due to their sinful nature and pride, they are stiffnecked to be reconciled to one another.

As the modern reader, it is easy to look down on these people. We may think to ourselves, “they really should get along. Why are they having such a hard time?” But we quickly read about them dismissively because we don’t think that these verses are also about us. Just as a wall of enmity exists between them, this hostility exists within us. As a matter of fact, enmity existed since the beginning of the fall, just as it was between Cain and Abel, Hannah and Peninnah, and Joab and Amasa; it exists in the churches today. The sin resulted in factions within our households.

When a divide inside a household becomes evident, our tendency is to look beyond our household to look for blame. The enemy outside the fence is much more evident while we ignore it within. It’s easy to blame the atheists and liberals who commit abortion, support lawlessness, and go against God. They are creating a culture that goes against God. However, it is an easy cop-out to blame. Yet, the greatest danger comes from within the household.

The enmity exists within us in how we identify ourselves. By what we hold dear. The wall exists between different age groups, the young and the old. It exists in the migrant churches, the ethnic service and the English service. It exists in the duration of church membership, both new and old members. Elders and deacons. Education status. White and blue collar. Veterans and civilians. Political views. Among mothers regarding nutrition for the children. Wealth. The list goes on and on. Countless things separate us and create enmity.

“For son treats father as a fool, daughter rises up against her mother, daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; a man’s enemies are the men of his own household.” Micah 7:6 

“If a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.” Mark 3:25

Conclusion

Therefore, let us examine ourselves first and foremost. Let us examine our attitude towards others. Our behavior. Our words.

From my experience as a teacher, it only takes one single student to create complete disorder in the classroom. This student doesn’t have to scream in anger, disrupt the class outloud, or be obnoxious. It takes just a subtle factious attitude to spread his spirit to the whole class. In a similar manner, it is not the outright hostility that divides the church. It can be as simple as our negligence and indifference toward one another that brings the church to a halt and start it’s destruction.

A church is a sensitive organism. One man’s coldness may freeze a whole meeting; one man’s factious spirit may set a whole church on a blaze of ill-will; one man’s spiritual fervor may set a whole church on fire with love to Christ; and one man’s holy zeal may be the means of bringing a blessing upon thousands.

Your words and your attitude are influential. Do not underestimate your presence in this church. Just as much as you have the capacity to create a wall, you have the great duty, privilege, and power to lift up the members of the church. When Christ brought peace, it was not just erasing our sins. It was more than satisfying God’s wrath. He lifted us up and blessed us with all the heavenly blessings as his precious children, condescending down to us despite our undeserving. Then how much more shall we have this peace with one another? More than negligence. More than indifference. We go out of our way to serve, care, console, encourage, admonish, and rebuke one another.