You Were, You Are
Ephesians 2:11-13, 19 NKJV
11 Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh—who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands— 12 that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,
This chapter two is worth reading slowly and reading multiple times. The chapter is loaded with revelation knowledge of what our condition was before Christ and what we are after receiving Him as Savior.
You were. Paul is writing to believers who are not Jewish. He calls them Gentiles in the flesh. And references the fact that these Ephesian believers were called Uncircumcision by what is called Circumcision. Remember in Scripture, anyone outside of the covenant of Abraham was called uncircumcised. David referred to Goliath as an uncircumcised Philistine, someone who had no covenant or relationship with God. Paul reminds these believers that at that time, before they received Jesus, they were without Him. The CSB version says they were “excluded from the citizenship of Israel and foreigners to the covenants of promise.” They had no hope and were without God in the world. That’s a dismal place to be, without hope and without God.
But now in Christ Jesus. Paul had such revelation of what it meant to be in Christ. He understood that receiving Christ as Savior was so much bigger than escaping hell when we die. Although that’s a marvelous benefit. But no longer being away from God. No longer being without hope. Now brought near to God by the blood of Christ. Paul knew what we were apart from Jesus, and it wasn’t good. And Paul knew what we are because of Him.
Now therefore you are no longer strangers and foreigners. Without Jesus, we were not citizens of God’s kingdom. We were foreigners. I have been to foreign countries, and it’s a different experience. And I know what it means to be a citizen of my country. Joy’s grandparents had to become citizens of the United States, and it meant something to them. It should mean something to us to be made citizens of God’s kingdom under the lordship of our King Jesus. And not only are we citizens, we are members of the household of God. There are many people who are citizens of our country who are not members of my family. Citizenship is great and gives us rights and privileges. Family is even stronger and creates the relational bond that was founded by love. You and I were without God; now you and I are part of His very family. Calling Him Father is more than a nice phrase; it’s a powerful relationship.
One of the hidden keys to spiritual growth and development is established in the two phrases we see in this second chapter of Ephesians. Understanding what we were before Christ and, even more importantly, what we are now because of our faith in Him is a game-changer. There is no need for us to go through life focusing on what we were and living in the past. Let’s focus on who and what we are now. What God has done for us in Jesus is far stronger than what has happened in our past because what we are now is eternal and will not change or fade away.
Prayer
Thank You, Father, for what You have done for me in Christ. What I am now in Him is far greater than anything of my past.