So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone
Ephesians 2: 19-20 (RSV)
Continuing his discussion of unity, Paul finished the theme in Ephesians 2 describing the community that God created. This devotion looks at the community with the Trinity, the church, saints in paradise, and angels.
Nuggets
- God has restored our relationship with Him so that we can communicate with Him.
- All disciples of the Most High God are called to be a community.
- We are saints along with the apostles and prophets.
- We are fellow citizens with God’s army of angels.
In Ephesians 2, Paul told us that, because we have been saved by grace through faith, disciples should be unified. This fosters the peace that we have with Jesus as our Lord and Savior.
To read a related devotion, click the appropriate button below.
Paul finishes that theme out by saying that we are now a family. The walls of division have been broken down by the Prince of Peace.
Let's Put It into Context
“So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners …” (Eph. 2: 19 RSV).
Remember that the Jews were not friendly with the Gentiles. In fact, if they interacted at all, the Jews thought the Gentiles were way beneath them.
Paul has just taken the last eight verses saying they were one with Christ. He told them there should not be divisions; there should be unity. He told them there shouldn’t be strife; there should be peace.
But old hostilities are hard to bury. It is hard to get over old hurts — even in the church as disciples.
The church is to be one body. “In the same way, though we are many, we are one body in union with Christ, and we are all joined to each other as different parts of one body” (Rom. 12: 5 GNT). Jesus didn’t call His disciples to be at odds with each other. We are called to be a community. Even more, we are called to be a family.
Community with the Holy Trinity
“… but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God” (Eph. 2: 19 RSV).
You know I usually start at the top of the verse and roll from there. We are going to do this backwards here.
Disciples are now members of the family of God. God has restored our relationship with Him so that we can communicate with Him.
We can do this because He dwells in us. “Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you?” (I Cor. 3: 16 NLT).
God has made His home — His tabernacle — in us. Isn’t it wonderful we get to be ourselves with Him?
No, we don’t have to pray in the King James Version. God would much rather hear us say, “I am really scared right now. I can’t make it on my own. But I know that I can make it with You.”
As the Master of the household, God should be obeyed. We should love others for Him and follow His laws and commandments.
Community with the Church
Love others for Him…. Isn’t that what a family does — love each other. Accept each other. Stand up for each other.
You hear about it sometimes. “Yes, those boys were always fighting among themselves, but watch them band together when someone else threatened one of them.”
Yes, there will be diversity in the household. We have different values and experiences.
Not only will we have different spiritual gifts, we may have different interpretations of what He is saying to us. We have to be careful in that. We have to make sure that we are not trying to rewrite the scriptures with our interpretations.
To read Why Do We Try to Rewrite Scripture?, click the button below.
But we have to stay loyal to each other. I love what Herder said. “Obedience is loyalty in action. Works are the fruit of faith.”
All disciples of the Most High God are called to be a community.
We are to fellowship together. “Not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some but encouraging one another, an all the more as you see the Day drawing near” (Heb. 10: 25 ESV).
We are to pray for each other. Galatians 6: 2 says, “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (ESV).
To read Why Should We Pray for Other Believers?, click the button below.
We are to correct each other. Wait! Where does it say that? The pray for one another was right after “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgressions, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted” (Gal. 6: 1 ESV).
God wants us to get along with each other.
Community with Saints in Paradise
“built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone” (Eph. 2: 20 RSV).
Okay, we are not starting everything from scratch. No, it is not irrelevant. It still pertains.
The apostles and prophets not only had things to say for people of their time, but they also had words of wisdom — and reproof and prophecy — for us. We’ve talked before about that. Remember the series on Jesus and His end-times signs? That was for the Jews is His time — and for us.
To read devotions in the How Do We Know If We Don’t Know series, click the appropriate button below.
But they are dead and gone, you say? Wrong. Remember Jesus conquered death.
“The bodies we now have are weak and can die. But they will be changed into bodies that are eternal. Then the Scriptures will come true, “Death has lost the battle! Where is its victory? Where is its sting?” Sin is what gives death its sting, and the Law is the power behind sin. But thank God for letting our Lord Jesus Christ give us the victory!” (I Cor. 15: 54-57 CEV).
We talked about Paul calling us saints and how we — most of the time — think he has a screw loose there. We are saints along with the apostles and prophets.
We have been set apart for God. We are to imitate Jesus — but we imitate the apostles when we walk along beside Jesus.
Yes, all but one of the apostles were killed for their faith. Some of the faithful are experiencing that today. Jesus said, “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me” (Mt. 24: 9 NLT). Persecution for all disciples is coming.
Even if our lives are not required of us, we feel persecution. Satan uses others to make our lives difficult, make our jobs unbeatable, make us want to give up.
We can be like the apostles and prophets when we share our faith. We have to stand up for what we believe in — God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
To read How Do We as Non-Preachers Proclaim the Gospel?, click the button below.
Community with Angels
I bet you are going, “Oh, Chick. You have really fallen off the deep end now. This verse doesn’t any anything about angels.”
Well, no it doesn’t. But we are going to commune with the angels — eventually. “
Ooo, baby. We are fellow citizens with God’s army! Think about that. Think you are alone in your persecution? Think you are alone in your temptation?
Think again!
Would that we be like Elisha and his servant. “When Elisha’s servant got up the next morning, he saw that Syrian troops had the town surrounded. ‘Sir, what are we going to do?’ he asked. ‘Don’t be afraid,’ Elisha answered. ‘There are more troops on our side than on theirs.’ Then he prayed, ‘Lord, please help him to see.’ And the Lord let the servant see that the hill was covered with fiery horses and flaming chariots all around Elisha” (II Kgs. 6: 15-17 CEV).
We are not alone, either. God goes before, with, and after us. In a way, he is enveloping us in a big hug.
Making the Connections
Becoming “… members of the household of God” (Eph. 2: 19 RSV) means there has been a change that has taken place. We don’t get to say, “I know You said this was a sin, but I am going to keep on doing it.”
Christ was the first member of God’s household. They invited the prophets to join, then the apostles. Now they are inviting us to join.
How Do We Apply This?
Disciples have got to learn to get along. We have to learn how to be a family. This internal bickering is killing our witness.
We have to start believing that we are set apart. I know. As someone who has battled low self-esteem my whole life, I shake my head when I run across Paul calling me a saint.
But that is what Paul calls us. And we are. Not because of anything we have done – except ABCing. It is all because of God.
Gracious Lord. You have called all of us to believe in You. Or those of us who do, You now call us family. Help us to live in harmony. Help us to live for You. Amen.
What do you think?
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