The Book of Ephesians: "Before and Ever After" - Ephesians 2:11-22

The Gentile nations were once without hope for a Savior to save them. There was no basis for the Gentiles to look for the Messiah, they knew not of him. Christ belonged to Israel, and therefore the Gentiles were excluded as the privileged recipients of the promise. They were strangers to the covenants of promise. The Gentiles had no hope, they did not share in the hope of salvation, nor the possibility of having a relationship with the Lord. They were pagans, and ignorant of the true and living God. “But now in Christ Jesus” all of that has changed. In Christ Jesus a dramatic change has occurred. Now all can be brought near by the blood of Christ. Jesus is the meeting point with God for all of humanity. We are brought near to God because of the blood of Jesus. We see the high cost of bringing us close to God — Jesus’ death. Paul is announcing the seemingly impossible: the Gentiles who were once excluded from the promises of God have been brought near by the blood of Jesus Christ.