Ephesians Chapter 2 is rich! I think I could spend a month unpacking and processing this chapter. So much goodness - but let me just hit some themes. We were dead, but now because of Jesus Christ we are Alive. Not because of what we can do, or did do...but because of what Jesus did and his abundant love for us. Grace was freely given, and we are reconciled and united with God. Because of this reconciliation we are united with all who are in Christ. Every man, woman, and child. Every race, color, creed, background, religion, denomination; we are called to be UNITED as one. We are THE TEMPLE...WE are THE CHURCH. We are the space in which God lives by his Spirit. 

THIS! Unity. Oneness. Once we were divided, and separate from Christ, Paul describes this as dead. We were spiritually dead, walking zombies but now are alive and unified. ALL who are made new in Christ. 

Think and process for a moment the state of Christianity and our World. Seems divided, and separate to me. For the most part I see people more passionate about what the are against as opposed to what they are for. I see division when it comes to race, religion, sexuality, politics and for sure college football. 😉 Division and separation. But this is not God’s best, or his plan. 

“In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.” - ‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭2:21-22‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Together, as all followers of Jesus we are the building. We together are called and set apart to be Unified by Christ, and are being built together. We are not suppose to look alike, act alike, think alike and be alike. UNITY IS NOT UNIFORMITY. 

Wrestle with Pauls words here, allow them to work inside of you. Allow them to be uncomfortable, and to cast a light in areas we fall short. Remember we are not who we used to be, and we are not who we need to become yet either. We are on a journey, and with every new revelation from the Spirit we inch one step closer to who God is shaping us to be because we are his handiwork..

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” - ‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭2:10‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Let these words transform and shape your next step.

“Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)— remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.” - ‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭2:11-22‬ ‭NIV‬‬