Once Far, Now Near by the Blood of Christ

Ephesians 2:10-14 “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. Therefore, remember that you—the Gentiles—who were once in the flesh and called ‘uncircumcised’ by what is called the circumcision, which is performed in the flesh by human hands, were at that time without Christ, alienated from the citizenship of Israel, strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus, you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” God once had a special covenant relationship with His people, the Israelites, based on His promises to Abraham and his descendants. The Gentiles were “far off,” strangers to this covenant. The Jews sometimes looked down on the Gentiles for this, as David once spoke of Goliath: “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should mock the armies of the living God?” But the Jews, too, failed to uphold God’s covenant through their obedience to the Law and the sacrificial system. As Scripture reminds us, “there is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:22-23). Salvation is by grace, equally for all, Jew and Gentile alike. Verse 11 notes that the Gentiles were “in the flesh,” meaning sin came from our corrupt nature, inherited within us. Sin flowed from within, from our human hearts. Yet God, in His mercy, gave us His Holy Spirit, sealing us for redemption. “No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a person’s praise is not from other people, but from God.”(Romans 2:29). Verse 12 reminds us that we were once foreigners—our ways, our language, our understanding were alien to the life of Christ. We were without hope, without God, even though many worshiped false gods. Today, those “gods” may not be carved idols, but the world still offers many: money, fame, pleasure, and power. Apart from the true God, we become enslaved to these substitutes. Yet the blood of Christ changed everything. His death on the cross revealed the depth of human sin, but more importantly, it revealed God’s immeasurable love. From His pierced side flowed cleansing blood and life-giving water. By this sacrifice, we—once far off, enemies of God in thought and deed—have been brought near. Now, through Christ, Gentile believers can enter the courts of the King. We are made “near by the blood of Christ.” Do we truly grasp this blessed privilege? Our nearness to God is established by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, “by the blood of Christ,” but experiencing it depends on our ongoing fellowship with Him. Let us remain diligent in prayer, walking closely with God, that His presence becomes our refuge and joy. “But as for me, it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell of all Your works.” (Psalm 73:28). Amen. Iman Karras