God's plan to create man anew in Christ
Jesus, will be accomplished by having Christ
create in Himself the "One New Man" in
place of the two in this way peace with God
will be attained.
15. by abolishing in his flesh the law
of commandments and ordinances, that
he might create in himself one new man
in place of the
two, so making peace,
16. and might reconcile us
both
to
God in one body through the cross,
thereby bringing the hostility to an
end.
(Ephesians 2:15-16, RSV)
Note:
The
word "two" in the above verse 15 and "both" in
verse 16,
will for now be assumed to mean "Christ and
men" because it is through Christ that
men—the sinner, will attain peace with God.
This assumption will be proven correct at the end
of this Topic 28E. Please notice that this is contrary to the belief of many
people that it mean to be the "Jews and
Gentiles". Please check your Bibles and
notice the contradiction
and
inconsistency.
28E.1 What is
God's requirement before Christ can create in
himself the "One New Man" in place of the two
(Christ and men),
so
making peace with God?
In Ephesians 2:16 it is
documented:
and might reconcile us both to God in
one body through the cross, thereby bringing the hostility to an
end. (RSV)
The same verse in
another version of the Bible:
And that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the
cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. (NKJV)
God's requirement is, for
both (Christ and men) to be reconciled to God in "one body"
through the cross.
Which is this "one body" who will reconcile them both (Christ and
men)
to God through the cross?
13. But now in Christ Jesus you who
once were far off have been brought near in the blood of Christ.
(Ephesians 2:13, RSV)
The "one body" is of
the Lord Jesus Christ who shed His blood on the cross in order to
bring those who are far off (sinners) near to God.
28E.2
What will reconciliation of both (Christ
and men) to God in one body (Christ's body)
through the cross
accomplish?
In Ephesians 2:16, this is written:
And that He might reconcile them both to
God in one body through the cross,
thereby putting to death the enmity.
(NKJV)
The same verse in other versions of the
Bible+:
and might reconcile us both to God
in one body through the cross, thereby
bringing the hostility to an
end. (RSV)
Then he could make them friends of
God with one body through the cross.
He used the cross to kill the
hate. (IEB)
Reconciliation of "both (Christ and men)
to God in one body (Christ's body) through the
cross" will put
to death the enmity or hate or
bring the hostility to an end.
What is this
enmity or hate that was put to death, or
hostility that was brought to an end when
"both"
(Christ and men)
were reconciled to God?
The
following verses will give us the
answer:
For
God sent Christ Jesus to take the
punishment for our sins and to end
all God's anger against us.
He used Christ's blood and our faith
as the means of saving us from his
wrath. In this way he was being
entirely fair, even though he did
not punish those who sinned in
former times. For he was looking
forward to the time when Christ
would come and take away those sins.
(Romans 3:25, Living Bible)
Whoever
commits sin also commits
lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.
(1 John 3:4,
NKJV)
How many are my iniquities and sins?
Make me know my transgression and my
sin. Why do You hide Your
face, and regard me as Your enemy?
(Job 13:23-24, NKJV)
This
enmity or
hostility is the anger or hatred of God
for
men brought about by man's violations of
His law of commandments and ordinances.
God consider sin as lawlessness and
those who commit it as His enemies.
28E.3
What is the reason
why Christ Jesus have to die on the cross in
order to reconcile
"both" (Christ and
men)
to God?
In Hebrews
9:22, the answer is written:
Indeed,
under the law almost everything
is purified with blood, and without
the shedding of blood there is no
forgiveness of sins. (Hebrews
9:22, Revised Standard)
Christ must fulfill God's law. God's law
require the shedding of blood for the
forgiveness of sin.
28E.4
Who are these men whom Christ's is shedding His
blood for in order that their sins will be
forgiven by God?
In Romans
3:25, this is written:
God offered him, so that by his
sacrificial death he should become
the means by which people sins
are forgiven through their faith in
him. God did this in order to
demonstrate that he is righteous.
(Romans 3:25, TEV)
These are
the "men" who have faith in Him—Christ.
These "men" (who have faith in Christ)
are the beneficiaries of Christ's
sacrificial death on the cross because
their sins are forgiven by God.
28E.5 What
became of the men whom Christ's shed His blood
for so their sins are forgiven by God?
In Colossians 1:22, this is written:
But now he has reconciled you by
Christ's physical body through death
to present you holy in his sight,
without blemish and free from
accusation—(NIV)
The same
verse in other version of the bible:
yet now he has brought you back as
his friends. He has done this
through his death on the cross in
his own human body. As a result,
he has brought you into the very
presence of God, and you are holy
and blameless as you stand before
him without a single fault. (NLT)
They became holy
in the sight of God. They became holy and
blameless before God without a single fault.
28E.6 Which is the
"One New Man" that the Lord Jesus Christ created
in Himself in place of the two (Christ and
men—who have faith in Him), so making peace with
God?
When Christ's
died the sacrificial death on the cross, He
created in Himself the "One New Man".
In the eyes of God "Christ and the men—who
have faith in Him" is the One New Man.
In Acts 20:28,
the answer is written:
"Take heed therefore to yourselves and
to all the flock over which the Holy
Spirit has appointed you overseers,
to feed the Church of Christ which he
has purchased with his Blood."
(LBP)
The same
verse in another version of the Bible:
"Therefore, take care of yourselves,
and of all the congregation in which
you have been appointed through the
holy Spirit as bishops, to
shepherd the church of Jesus Christ,
that which he established* by his
blood. (Aramaic Bible)
The "One New
Man" is rightfully called the "Church of
Christ" for it is Christ who died and
purchased (paid for) the Church with His own
blood. This is all accordance with
God's master plan of salvation for the
Church through Jesus Christ (Ephesians
3:21, LVB)
28E.7 Why are
we so sure that the words "two and both" in the
verse Ephesians 2:15 &16, refer to Christ and
the men—who have faith in Him?
In
2 Corinthians 5:18-19 & 21, Apostle Paul
explains:
18. Everything comes from God. He
uses Christ to bring us back to Himself.
God gave us the work of bringing
people back .
19. When God was bringing the people
of the world back to Himself in Christ,
He was not counting their sins against
them. God gave us the message about
how He brings men back to Himself.
21. Christ never sinned, but God
caused him to become sin for us, so that
we could be right with God in Christ.
(IEB)
Here are some of
the reasons why the words "two and both"
refer to Christ and the men—who have faith
in Christ:
-
Because it
was Christ who was used by God to bring
the people of the world back to Himself.
(2
Corinthians 5:18-19)
-
Because when God was bringing the people
of the world back to Himself in Christ,
He was not counting their sins against them
(2
Corinthians 5:19). It was
Christ who gave Himself for them so God
will not count their sins against them.
-
It is for
this reason that God made Christ who
never sinned to become sin for the men
who have faith in Him, so they could be
right with God. (Romans
3:25, 2 Corinthians 5:21
Christ in creating in Himself the One New Man, is Christ's way of making peace with
God for the men who have faith in Him (Eph. 2:15, RSV).
Thus. reconciling or bringing them back
to God, thereby bringing God's enmity or
hostility (anger or hate) to an end. (Eph. 2:16, RSV).
This is all in accordance with God's master
plan of salvation for the Church through Jesus Christ.
(Ephesians 3:21, LVB)
_______________
God's master plan was clearly
explained in the Bible. God destined all men to be created in
Christ Jesus (Eph. 2:10) Although all men have sinned, God
has made it possible to redeem their sins through His Son Christ Jesus
by creating in Himself (Christ Jesus) the One New Man from the two
(Christ and men who have faith in Him) thus making peace. (Eph 2:15), It is only through
this union, the creation of the "One New Man" where peace between God
and men is attained.
Before Christ and men can be
created as the "One New Man", God's requirement that must be fulfilled.
God requires that both ( Christ and men) be reconciled to God in one
body through the cross, thereby putting the hostility (God's anger
against men for the violation of His laws) to an end. (Eph. 2:16)
This is the reason why God offered Christ to die on the cross, so that
by his sacrificial death (shedding of blood, Hebrews 9:22) he should
become the means by which people sins are forgiven through their faith
in him. (Romans 3:25, TEV)
In
the eyes of God "Christ and the men—who have
faith in Him" is the One New Man. The "One
New Man" is rightfully call the "Church of
Christ" for it is Christ who died and purchased
(paid for) the Church with His own blood.
_____________________________________________________________