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The Lord is building His church to be a spiritual palace- a church that the gates of hell can never overcome [Matthew 16:18]. And therefore, He is building you and I and every child of God, as a demonstration of His glory, revealing in the process, His power, His character, or in other words, who He is, His Personhood. It is the promise of God, in the words of the psalmist, The Lord has built up Zion; He has appeared in His glory [Psalm 102:16].
Christ – the Cornerstone :
When Christ is the Cornerstone or the foundation, He begins to build you up, step by step, line upon line, precept upon precept, so that with every precious nugget of the truth, you, together with the saints will rise up to become a spiritual palace, His glorious dwelling place. For, He is also the Capstone, the Head of the church, that He fills with His fullness.
Breaking new ground :
The construction of an earthly house begins, as the ground is broken and prepared, to be cleansed of all the impediments, and the foundation is laid. It proceeds from there little by little to ultimately be a beautiful house, a sight to behold, and delightful to live in. And at a deeper level, it is what He does to build you up spiritually, that change may come in you, that transforms your family. And family being the basic unit of society, it will then see the society and community built up and transformed, reflecting the Father’s glory.
But God, the Father of Lights, dwells in unapproachable light. Hence you and I cannot approach Him unless He comes to us. It is why the central truth of the scriptures is, God so loved the world, that He gave His Only Begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him, shall not perish, but will have eternal life [John 3:16]. Christ came to die on the Cross for your sins, and sins of the whole world, that by your faith in Him, you are brought near unto God, by His Blood [Ephesians 2:13].
For we were once without Christ, aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, strangers from the covenant of promise, having no hope, and, Without God in the world [Ephesians 2:12]. Formerly, in the Temple of Jerusalem, a thick curtain separated man, and the Holy of Holies. Only the high priest could venture beyond it, once a year, with blood to be sprinkled on the mercy seat, as an atoning sacrifice, an offering for cleansing from sin, for himself and on behalf of those on the other side of the veil.
For there can be no remission of sins without the shedding of blood, declared the law of God, pointing and preparing the way for the ultimate sacrifice of Christ on the Cross, the one, perfect sacrifice that has perfected forever those who are being sanctified. And it has to be borne in mind that this was the worship ordained for the Jews, the people of Israel, under the Old Covenant. The Gentiles, people other than Jews like you and I, could never have found a place in it.
Christ – in you :
But now, Christ in you is the hope of glory [Colossians 1:27]. It is the new mindset that now ought to liberate you to align yourself with the plan of God for your life. In Christ, you are a new creation and a child of God. It is the magnificent groundbreaking truth of the New Covenant. By His Body, and, by His Blood, you can in reverence and awe, boldly approach God’s holy presence, draw near to Him without guilt or shame to worship and adore Him. And as the ground is prepared by the knowledge of your closeness to God, of you being in Christ, and Him making His tabernacle or dwelling place in you, you will know that it is the fundamental truth, the foundation upon which He is going to build you up into a spiritual palace.
Christ – your peace :
And what He does before He begins to build you is to break down the divisive wall of separation that was there between the Jew and the Gentile, or non-Jew. The peace that He gives you is more than something that you receive from Him; it is He Himself. For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, having broken down the middle wall of separation [Ephesians 2:14]. God’s plan was for the redemption of all of humanity, and not merely the Jewish race. But, having received the oracles of God, the Jews began to develop a condescending attitude towards anyone who was not a Jew, whom they likened to be as the firewood needed to sustain the burning fire of hell. And in doing so, they played into the hand of the devil, who always tries to bring division in any community or relationship, to gain control and dominate. But it is never the will of God when such a thing happens in any individual or society.
1. The dividing wall demolished :
God has made each human being unique and beautifully different from every other person on planet earth. Differences exist that you and I may complement each other in fulfilling the purposes of God for our lives. But sadly, it is not the case in almost all societies, including our own country. There are invisible walls that divide people on the basis of reasons, flimsy and ungodly, that breed enmity in the place of unity, and hostility in the place of peace.
It can be found even in the basic unit of society, within a single family. But it has no place in the heart of God. For He instituted the first family, bringing together Adam and Eve, to speak His word of blessing over them, to be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth. It was listening to the voice of the devil that separated them from God.
And it need not be so in the family that God has given you. Therefore, may the truth of God’s word bring down every barrier that the devil has orchestrated to put up in your family, to bring you closer together that you may be built up. The wall of separation came down, even as Christ was lifted on the Cross. It is the groundbreaking truth!
2. The law fulfilled :
The law that came through Moses was good; but it was impossible for an imperfect man couldn’t fulfill it completely, to be blessed. And then, the verdict was the payment for sin that was death, curse, and destruction. But Christ on the Cross fulfilled the law. And by putting your trust in His finished work, you are reckoned to be righteous in Him. Christ is your righteousness, and because of it, your peace. The law does not stand against you anymore. It is the groundbreaking truth.
Having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is the law of commandments, contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself, one new man from the two, thus making peace [vs 15].
3. Reconciled to God and to man :
Having dealt with the enmity or hostility on the Cross, Christ makes peace by reconciliation, or bringing together what was divided, or separated. And that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the Cross, thereby putting to death the enmity [vs 16]. It is the peace that is more than a superficial feeling of quietness. Rather, it is a wholeness in you where you have everything you need to live fruitfully, and it is in the manner that it needs to be. And it is how Lord Jesus is your peace. He completes you.
A plot of land on which a building is to come up needs to be first cleared and made level. Similarly, when you are being built up to be a spiritual palace, the groundwork for it has already been laid by Christ. By what He has accomplished on the Cross of Calvary, Christ is the Door to the Father in heaven. There is no other entrance. And in Him, all, whether Jew or Gentile, have equal access to God the Father, to enter into the Most Holy Place.
The devil may try to plant a doubt in your mind and heart, concerning your freedom of access, in order to keep you away from reaching out to God, the Father. But, in the blessed assurance of the Holy Spirit in you, you can now call out, ‘Abba Father’, to approach His holy presence in a relationship of sonship. For through Him [Christ] we both have access by one Spirit to the Father [vs 18]. We are all sons and daughters of God.
4. Not an outsider, but His child :
You, and I, and every Christian, can no longer be considered a stranger or outsider, who does not enjoy any right or privilege with the Father. The Jews, in their misguided thinking, thought they had special rights. But Lord Jesus, broke the dividing wall, for it is written, But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His Name [John 1:12].
HIS great love :
And one can only stand amazed at the love of God that has made it all possible. The apostle John exclaims in wonder, Behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called the children of God [1 John 3:1]. We were sinners, separated from God, but cleansed by the Blood of the Lamb, the Only Begotten Son of God, by faith in Christ Jesus are now sons of God, enjoying a privileged right – to be called His children!
It is a sad scene in the world though, where people have down through the ages, had to struggle to receive rights that should have automatically been theirs. The very fact that there is a human rights commission bears testament to the fact. And even sadder is the fact, that walls still remain for all the wrong reasons, even today, in pockets of the Christian church. It is certainly not the will of God. And it is why the Bible encourages you not to be conformed to the pattern of the world, but to be transformed by the renewing of your mind, and in the process be rid of all the needless baggage from the devil.
Your faith in Christ Jesus :
For, as Paul has written to the Galatians, both Gentiles and Jews who made up the church, by their faith in Christ Jesus, You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ, have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus [Galatians 3:26-28].
The specifics of it are so clearly laid out :
Neither Jew nor Greek – it has particular relevance in the culture of our Indian nation. And though still prevalent in the church community, the caste system needs to be cast out, for it is the devil at work! Neither male nor female – the woman in general, has had so many rights denied to her in society. But with God, it is gender equality, qualified by gender specialty, acknowledging her uniqueness in the role that she needs to play, so that she and her environment may be built up. It is as the truth of God’s level ground is settled in your heart, that you will be able to co-operate with Him in the building work that He wishes to undertake and accomplish in every child of His.
Therefore, as you put off your old self, clothed in lying deceit of the devil, with a mind renewed and inspired by God’s word you will begin to realize that you are being transformed into the image of Lord Jesus, who has brought down every dividing wall. For it is Christ who is all and in all [Colossians 3:9-11]. But even today, distinctions are being made in the church to raise walls of division among God’s people; walls that have been destroyed by Christ on the Cross. And it is only the truth that can set people free.
The steps of God’s building work! :
a. Therefore, the one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and is now living in you, works in you continually, that you may be built up, together with the saints [Ephesians 4:6].
b. And by the teaching of the inspired word of God you will know and understand that the foundation has already been laid, with Christ Jesus Himself being the chief cornerstone [Ephesians 2:20].
c. In Christ the whole building being fitted together grows into a holy temple, a spiritual palace in the Lord [vs 21].
d. And in Christ, you are also being built together to be a dwelling place of God in the Spirit [vs 22]. Thus, Christ is the Cornerstone. And He will also be the Capstone, the flourishing finish, as grace takes you from where you are to where God wants you to be.
The CHRIST foundation :
Be encouraged, therefore, as it is also written in the scriptures, Behold, I lay in Zion, A chief cornerstone, elect, precious, And He who believes in Him, Will by no means be put to shame [1 Peter 2:6]. Indeed, as you come to the Lord, putting your trust in Him, as a precious Cornerstone laid in Zion, you will not be disappointed. And may this be the foundation of truth that will see you being built up in the coming days according to His design, that His glory may be seen in all its brilliance. For, He is here even now, mending your heart, bringing down divisive walls, turning your life around.
And as you give thanks unto the Father, for giving you His Son, Lord Jesus, who is your foundation, your Cornerstone, that will also be your Capstone, may you be built up as an individual, as a family, as a church, that He may be glorified. In the Name of Christ Jesus Amen.
