Ephesians 2:13-22
NIV (New International Version)
13But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.
14For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, 16and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.
19Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, 20built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
New International Version
International Bible Society
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984
I find this passage so very encouraging, especially verses 15 and 22.
Christ has "abolished...the law with its commandments and regulations." How many Christians do you know you spend their days either in angst still trying to obey the Law themselves or by forcing their angst upon others as they guilt their fellow pilgrims into shameful obedience? Misery does love company...
But Christ's work on the cross frees us, and that freedom produces a life of gratitude. It is not self-debasement and other-loathing that gives us joy for life, but knowing our lives are freed from the Law through the blood of Christ.
I also find the present continuous form of the verb built extremely helpful. None of us have completely arrived at our destination of wholeness: we are all in the process of being built. Isn't that freeing!
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