Jew and Gentile

Dec 06, 2009 By: Pastor Joseph LoSardo Series: Ephesians III Scripture: Ephesians 2:11-22
Over 100 years ago, James Denney wrote: Is the great appeal of the Cross one which is intelligible only to men of a single race …? On the contrary, there is nothing in the world so universally intelligible as the Cross; and hence it is the meeting-place not only of God and man, but of all races and conditions of men with each other. There is neither Greek nor Jew, male nor female, bond nor free, there. … But of all Christian truths which are confessed in words, this is that which is most outrageously denied in deed. There is not a Christian church nor a Christian nation in the world which believes heartily in the Atonement as the extinction of privilege, and the leveling up of all men to the same possibility of life in Christ, to the same calling to be saints. The spirit of privilege, in spite of the Cross, is obstinately rooted everywhere even among Christian men. How tragically accurate this statement is. While the grandeur of the Biblical vision for a new and unified society cannot be overstated, today Christians continue to erect new barriers of denominationalism, racism, prejudice, jealousy, and divisive class and caste systems. Personal animosities engineered by pride separate human beings, while Christ is most glorified where there is unity and love among of His people. May this text challenge us to live as we indeed are – with all barriers which separate us from each other, torn down by Christ’s peacemaking cross-work.