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Jesus came to reconcile a broken relationship between God and man and to establish a community in the unity of Christ— the church.
Ephesians 2:19-22 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.
What is the greatest need of our time? In our broken world, it has always been unity. Unity builds a community. A divided community does not stand a chance against the internal or external enemy. This is true for families, firms, nations, and the Church. The church is called to live in unity as a community of believers. Ephesians 2 ends with a challenge to believers to live in unity in Christ in the community of Christ— the church.
Tomorrow is Inauguration Day as well as Martin Luther King Jr. Day. In 1963, Dr. King said, “It is appalling that the most segregated hour of Christian America is 11 o’clock on Sunday morning.” Experts claim that this remains true even today. So, what is the solution? Is it in political and social reforms? Not really. It may seem a cliché, but the truth is that the solution is in unity in Christ in the community of Christ— the church.
The problem is that our culture unites people around their differences, whether racial, social, or linguistic, which results in more division. People need to know that while the culture divides, Christ unites in the community of Christ— the church.
Unity in Christ in the community of Christ— the church was Paul’s focus in Ephesians 2:19-22. It was meant to be a confrontational passage that contained a challenge for the church to live in unity and grow in unity in Christ in the community of Christ— the church.
The big idea is to not fall for the culture; rather, follow Christ in the community of Christ—the church, so that we may grow in unity with God and each other. Ephesians 2:19-22 shows by understanding that Jesus is the point of relation, reference, and reality for the church.
Jesus is the Point of Relation for the Church (Ephesians 2:19)
Jesus is the relation between God and the church and between Christians in the church. Christian unity is not dependent on politics, laws, contracts, or religious identity. It is based on our relationship with Jesus.
Ephesians 2:19 starts, “So then” which indicates a transition. It tells us what we are about to read next logically depends on what has gone before, which is how we were united with God and each other in Christ. We were dead in our sins, and we were living in hostility, that is, hate and enmity toward God and each other. The problem was, we did not have access to God.
Since Ephesians 2:19-22 are the direct result of the preceding verses, reference verse 17, “And he [Jesus] came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near.” At the time Paul was writing this letter, the last temple, known as Herod’s temple in Jerusalem, stood as a visible and physical demonstration of how Gentiles did not have access to God.
Primarily, there were three major sections in the temple: the outermost courtyard, the inner courtyards, and the Holy of Holies.
The outermost courtyard was for Gentiles. Beyond that, no foreigner was allowed.
The inner courtyards were only for Jews. There was a sign in Greek and Latin posted at the entrance of the inner courtyards that warned the foreigners, the uncircumcised, of the punishment by death if they entered the inner courtyards.
The Holy of Holies was beyond the inner courtyards, where God’s presence dwelled. Only priests were allowed in the Holy of holies. Essentially, other than priests, no one, whether Jews or Gentiles, had direct access to God.
Verse 18 continues, “For through him [Jesus] we both [Jews and Gentiles] have access in one Spirit [the Holy Spirit] to the Father.” This shows the unity of the community of the triune God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
Therefore, Ephesians 2:19 says, “…you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God” The two reasons that gave them access to God was their citizenship and their membership.
Citizenship refers to a person's political or legal status. It gives us certain rights. In Ephesians 2:12, Paul said Gentiles were excluded from citizenship in Israel, but in verse 19, this changed because of their relationship with Jesus. Jesus made both Jews and Gentiles citizens in heaven.
I remember how difficult the American citizenship process was because I had no relatives here. However, for my parents, it was no problem because of my citizenship. Jesus is the relative we all need to receive citizenship in heaven. It is about relationship and not religion.
Membership often refers to social status. In certain exclusive social clubs, you get membership only if you belong to a certain family. The Ephesians received membership in the family of God by faith in Jesus and His relationship with the church made us the family of God.
Application
The application is that we have access to God because of our relationship with Christ. We did not earn our citizenship in heaven or membership in the family of God. We have it because of unity in Christ.
Jesus is the Point of Reference for the Church (Ephesians 2:20-21)
Often disunity comes when people have a different viewpoint. However, when Jesus is the point of reference for the church for everything, Jesus becomes the guideline, baseline, and standard for evaluation for the church, not some rules, rituals, or regulations. This is true for families too.
Because Jesus is the foundation of the church and its cornerstone. Talking about the church, Ephesians 2:20-21 say, “20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.” Paul uses the metaphor of a building structure and the temple to show the church's unity and how it is no longer the physical structure where God came to meet people but the spiritual building, the Church.
In the physical structure, the temple, the law, rules, rituals, and religious practices bind the people of God together. In the spiritual structure, the church, the Holy Spirit in the person of Jesus binds them together to live and grow in unity in Christ.
Verse 20 does not mean that the apostles and prophets were the foundation of the church. The foundation is their proclamation of Christ, which makes Jesus the foundation of the Church and its cornerstone. We know that without a strong foundation a building cannot stand; it will collapse. That is also true of the cornerstone.
In ancient times, the cornerstone was the first stone you set in the construction of a foundation. It was the most skillfully shaped, large, solid, and steady stone carefully measured to ensure the building was properly aligned. This stone guided the workers to their course in determining the position of the whole building structure. All the other stones were aligned with it and it held the building together.
Jesus is the cornerstone of the church because He holds the church together as the church aligns with Him. The church is given a clear pattern, a guide to follow, which is Jesus. Every person in the church is being shaped after that pattern by the power of the Holy Spirit so that it may fit together. Christ is the cement that holds it together.
One day I was putting some furniture together that came in a box with directions. I ignored the directions, looked at the parts, and started putting them together. When the piece of furniture was done, I realized that I had large screws were left. This is when I looked at the written directions and discovered that without those screws, the piece of furniture that seemingly looked alright would collapse.
Application
Unless we align our life with Christ, the cornerstone of the church, we may appear to be Christians, but sooner or later, we will collapse. Is Jesus the cornerstone of your life? Is Jesus the point of reference for your life decisions? Is Jesus the guideline, baseline, and direction for Christian living and growth for you for both faith and practice?
Jesus is the Point of Reality for the Church (Ephesians 2:22)
Jesus defines our reality. He points to what is true and factual rather than what we might wish to be true. The reality is that we all are in the making and it will not end until either we go home and see Jesus or Jesus come to take us home.
The last verse of Ephesian 2, verse 22, “In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.” Paul again comes back to the temple metaphor saying that God now dwells in us. God is no longer just for us and with us; He is in us. Yes, God lives in us individually, but we grow in Him collectively. This is the point Paul is expounding through the building and temple talk.
This idea of “being built together” is the reality of the church and every individual in the church. No individual who lives outside a community of believers, the church, can experience unity with other believers. Christian growth requires community— the church.
Romans 12:5 NIV says, “so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.” The church is the body of Christ and not an individual. The individual Christian has no accountability or encouragement. It is provided in the church.
First Corinthians 12:14 says, “For the body does not consist of one member but of many.” The point is that Ephesians 2:22, unconcerned with what we think is the truth, tells the reality of our being that in Christ, God is building us together into a church so that God can dwell in the church by the Spirit.
Not too long ago, I was talking to a group of pastors who were concerned about how, post-pandemic, many Christians never returned to in-person gatherings. I tell you, there is no substitute for in-person gatherings. Hebrews 10:25 says, “Do not forsake the assembling of the saints.” We are a body of Christ and we need all the parts of the body to function together.
Application
Don’t neglect fellowship with other believers in the body of Christ, the local church community. We need the church, the community of Christ, for unity and growth.
What kind of Christians we would be if we studied the Word alone, prayed alone, and had no relationship with other Christians? It is in a church community that we share and receive love, care, service, encouragement, and accountability. Yes, we are saved by faith, but we grow when we practice faith in the community of Christ.
Action Step
Commit to meeting on Sundays regularly. Join one of our small groups so you can study the Word and discuss life situations where you may find lifelong friends but also mentors and mentees. If you cannot join a small group, study God’s Word as husband, wife, and family, with your children.
Appeal
Don’t fall for the culture; culture divides based on differences. Christ united based on relation. When He is the reference for everything in our life and the reality of our existence, we grow in unity with God and each other.
If you do not have a church community, look for a church that is aligned with Jesus, a church in which Jesus is the point of relation for the church— relation with God and others, Jesus is the point of reference for the church— the basis for everything the church does, and Jesus is the point of reality for the church— defines the reality of the church.
Jesus did not come to establish a new religion or revive the old. He came to reconcile a broken relationship between God and man and to establish a community in the unity of Christ— the church.
Study Questions
1. Why does Ephesians 2:19 start with “So then” (other translations may say, “Consequently” or “Now therefore”)? Reference Ephesians 2:18 also.
2. In Ephesians 2:19, why does Paul identify the Ephesians as “fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God?” What is the significance of fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God?
3. In Ephesians 2:19, who are “the saints?”
4. In Ephesians 2:20, what does the phrase “built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets” mean? Contrast Ephesians 2:20 with 1 Corinthians 3:11.
5. In Ephesians 2:20, what makes Jesus the cornerstone of the church?
6. In Ephesians 2:21, what does the word, “temple,” mean? Read 1 Corinthians 3:16.
Deeper Study Questions
1. Share how you are specifically growing into a holy temple in the Lord. For example, “I have noticed I do not shy away from talking about Jesus,” “Lately I feel the urge to spend more time in prayer,” “I have been leading a Bible study at my work and God is giving me favor with my bosses and colleagues.”
2. In Ephesians 2:21, “joining together” can be translated as “fitted together.” Share what that means to you. Perhaps God is fitting together something in your life. Focus on the areas where you are seeing changes or challenges.
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