Ephesians 2:21-22, “In whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him, you are also being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.”
At the time Paul was writing Ephesians, he was in prison, under house arrest in Rome. Paul was awaiting trial because he was falsely accused by the Jews, of taking a Gentile into the temple past the literal wall of separation, which divided the Jews and the Gentiles. Paul was making it clear that in Jesus, the wall is gone. They are all one under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. So differences in politics, racial, economic, language, geography, or whatever, should not be causing arguments and division within the church. Those who were causing disunity did not fully understand what it means to be under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?
We all are growing in our understanding of God’s ways, and it continues no matter what age we are, as we seek to serve Christ in all aspects of our life . Taking every thought captive to be pleasing and obedient to Christ is a never-ending challenge and process. Sometimes I succeed, and other times I fail. How about you?
Proponents of legalism seem to feel they have superior access to God during topics of issues with their strong opinions. A lack of humility appears to come out in their communicated dogmatic views. Paul preached and warned against that in his day. We all must have strong convictions in supporting the truth of the gospel and the principles found in God’s Word. But we must be adept in stating our beliefs and our opinions in a love language that our word choices would honor Jesus; showing He is the Lord and Savior of our life instead of giving into the trigger temptations resulting out of pride. If I looked at the person I disagree with, recognizing feeling the friction of the moment as another trigger point I happen to have, and remembered they are also made in the image of God (as I am), how would my words change? The MSG states Ephesians 2:20-22, this way, “You belong here, with as much right to the name Christian as anyone. God is building a home. He’s using us all – irrespective of how we got here – in what he is building. He used the apostles and prophets for the foundation. Now he’s using you, fitting you in brick by brick, stone by stone, with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone that holds all the parts together. We see it taking shape day after day – a holy temple built by God, all of us built into it, a temple in which God is quite at home.”
God is using each one of us, and He is using you, to have an impact on others from your journey in life due to His grace. My new book, “Eliminating The Greener Grass Trap. Quitting The Habit Of Comparisons,” which is on Amazon, speaks about this. Embrace what God is doing and working in your life (chapter 20, Transformer And Not A Conformer). Jon Courson has said, in his Application commentary, New Testament, “You’re being fit together as living stones for a holy habitation in which God can dwell forever.”
Listen to MercyMe – Quarantine Grab Bag – “Dear Younger Me.”