Daily Bread

Ephesians 2:15 - "Abolishing the law of commandments in ordinances so that in Himself He created of the two one new man, making peace."

Paul calls this the "certificate of indebtedness" in Colossians 2:14 instead of the "the law of commandments in ordinances." In both cases, this was removed through the death of Jesus Christ at the cross. These ordinances were abolished and blotted out when Jesus spoiled principalities and powers. These powers refer to the domination of Satan and his evil effects over man. Now there remains no more sacrifice for sin because Jesus has paid for the sins of man in full with His own blood. To continue on making sacrifices and carrying out the cultic ritual for sin described in the Law is an offense to Christ and an obvious rejection of His redeeming blood. The need for the temple ritual of sacrifices and offerings was brought to an end by Christ Jesus when He died and arose again. The keeping of the law in any form is no longer to be for righteousness, but now all who will believe will possess the righteousness of God that comes by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ alone.

God has provided a new covenant in Christ Jesus so that both the uncircumcised and circumcised are given the same opportunity. Therefore, God has provided a level playing field where there is neither Jew nor Greek, circumcision nor uncircumcision, but a "new creation" (Galatians 6:15; 5:6; 1 Corinthians 7:19). The new covenant allows all to come boldly into the Holies of Holies which before was forbidden to anyone except the High Priest and that only once a year (Hebrew 10: 19). Both the Jew and the Gentile come to God the same way and there is no difference between them now or in the future. If they are going to walk with God then they must be born from above and made a new creature. When Adam sinned and was separated from God it was not the Law that God desired to restore to man; rather, it was fellowship. The fellowship that God wants to have with man could not come by the Law because the Law could not impart the life of God into man (Galatians 3:21). The Law was just, good, and holy but it could only point out to man his sin nature. Paul speaking of "one new man" certainly refers to the believer becoming partakers with Christ so that we become those who are "in Him" thus establishing in Himself perfect fellowship and union for us. The "one new man" may be understood as a 'single new man' made from both Jew and Gentile. Both are referred to as one new man because all must be in Christ Jesus in order to be saved and established in the new covenant. The one new man may also be understood as the church which is His body. The church has already been mentioned in Ephesians 1:23 and is being alluded to in view of the fact that Jesus is described as the cornerstone of the house that God has built. Therefore, Jesus is both the head from which the whole body (His Church) functions and the cornerstone that holds the whole building (His Church) in place. That which Jesus created in His person from both Jew and Gentile may be understood as the new covenant (2 Corinthians 3:6), the new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17), and the new man of Ephesians 4:24, all of which are the glorious newness given in Christ Jesus.

Blessings,

Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
www.abidingplace.org