Rise to become a holy temple in the Lord
Ephesians 2
Key Verse 21: 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord.
In the first part of this letter, Paul explained the entire scope of God’s plan for the world. First, God chose the believers before the creation and then predestined them to be adopted as son so that they may enter into the glory to praise God’s glory. This plan was worked out through Jesus’ suffering, death and resurrection, and then ascension to the side of God the father.
Based on this plan of God, Paul prayed on behalf of Ephesians two things; one is toward God that he might enlighten their eyes to see God’s grandeur plan for the world, in which they are integrated into to play a greater role to fulfill God’s ultimate purpose. Second he prayed that the Ephesians may be enlightened to know three things, hope, inheritance, and power that are associated with God’s great salvation work.
Today’s passage is about how the hope of this prayer can be actualized in their lives. First, they were to know how God created us in Christ to be a new being and the way how he did is tightly geared to fulfill God’s purpose for them and for the world. It is about what God did. In the second part, Paul taught them what they were to be, i.e. God’s ultimate purpose for them that they were to pursue.
A. God’s handiwork (2:1-10)
We were by nature deserving of wrath (1-3)
As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.
Before they came to know Christ, the Ephesians lived according to the ways of this world, and according to the way of the ruler of the kingdom of the air. What the way of the ruler of the kingdom of the air is further explained in the parallel clause “the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient” It is talking abut the way how or what principle they operate, the sphere of mind and thought. Simply it means that the spirit of disobedience governs their minds and thoughts. Simply deed as well as their inner thought was under the influence of this world, which opposes God and that influence. No matter how good one might be, as long as one is under the sphere of this world, he is a living-dead. He has not seen and known the heavenly realm at all. Here we should notice that there are two spheres, one of heavenly realm and the other of the kingdom of the air or of tis world. By separating the realms, Paul clearly indicates that when one is in and of one of these two spheres, he cannot be in or have influence from the other sphere. Simply when one is in the sphere of this world, which is under the power of death, he has no hope for life, which can be found in the heavenly realm. It implies the totality of loss under the world, no chance to enter into or no knowledge of the heavenly realm.
This is a situation of total or complete loss. The chance to see or to enter the realm of life is simply nil, zero. It is a situation of complete hopelessness!
But many people of the world, even some among believers refute this truth and are unwilling to accept the total lost condition of himself and the world. When one keeps the door open for the possibility to be good and right, he or she will likely to make efforts to do right by her or his own effort. This is the idea that Paul was going against because this is false or pseudo-Christianity and this is direct and the most common path to failure to know the Gospel, the grace of God. This truth is most starkly revealed in the history of Jews. They had the law and benefit of knowing and seeing the full power of God. And yet they utterly failed to meet God’s righteousness and eventually they fell into the worst form of God’s punishment under the Law of Moses, i.e. losing country and becoming exile. If it were possible even for a single man to be right and good by his or her efforts, then it should happen among the people of Israel. Destruction of the temple of Jerusalem and total loss of their kingdom signifies the fact that no man can become right by his or her own effort. So what God said is true, no one is right, not even one. What is it like to be under such predicament? This is not an idea of Paul. Long before Paul, God gave prophecy concerning of this situation coming through Isaiah. Isaiah denotes this condition in ch 8
7 therefore the Lord is about to bring against them the mighty floodwaters of the Euphrates— the king of Assyria with all his pomp. It will overflow all its channels, run over all its banks 8 and sweep on into Judah, swirling over it, passing through it and reaching up to the neck. Its outspread wings will cover the breadth of your land, Immanuel!”
It is picture of one just about being drawn. Life is about to snub out in the brink of an eye. The neck is choked that he is gasping for air in his last breath! On this condition, we can truly comprehend what it means
5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.
Here this world is the world antithetical to the heavenly realm, where God’s will is upheld. It is this world under which they were living. Also it is the sphere of the ruler of the kingdom of the air. The authority of this world and the kingdom of the air is Satan or devil. The basic spirit of that power is the spirit of disobedience to God the Creator. The ways of this world is how they actually live, the ways and means of life. The way of the ruler is about the spirit of this ruler of this world, the basic attitude of this spirit is disobedience to God the father. In this way, not only their life expressed in daily activities but also what governs their spirit is of disobedience and Satanic. In this way, their spirit as well as their acts were evil and under the darkness.
Before Ephesians knew this world only. Within this perimeter, they thought, reasoned, and believed and carried on their lives. Paul labeled this condition as ‘dead in transgressions and sins’. It is not a spiritual way of saying of the condition but is a description of the true reality where deadness ruled the world. Simply there was no hope beyond death and deadness ruled the heart and minds of all people. But it was not just the Ephesians.
V3 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh m and following its desires and thoughts.
Here all of us include Paul and his companions. This means that not only Ephesians but also Paul and his companion Jews, faced the same predicament, i.e. the wrath of God. The reason? But here Paul describe the reason a little differently; the Jews, unlikely gentile, had all the knowledge of God’s will but they succumbed to the cravings of their flesh by following its desire and thoughts and violated God’s Law. The end result was the same as the Ephesians;
3b Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.
For the gentiles the major force on them were the two things; the ways of this world, of the ruler of kingdom of the air or the spirit that working among the disobedient. These came by alienation from God’s truth. For the Jews, despite of the access to the full knowledge of God, they did not follow through because they could not overcome the cravings of the flesh and lived a life of disobedience like the rest of the world. Like this, Jews as well as the Gentiles fell into the wrath of God. This came by the fact that such sinfulness is deeply rooted in the human nature, the essence or fundamental constitution of human being that no one could escape such wrath of God or dead condition.
Paul addressed in depth on this in Romans ch 1-3. He concluded this;
Romans 3:10 As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one; 11 there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. 12 All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one." (Rom 3:10 NIV)
What does it mean? There was no hope for the entire human race. They all faced God’s judgment and literally all faced death and human race shall face utter judgment of God. This is a pathetic, hopeless and dire condition. But for God it is far more than a pitiful condition; it is a pain and anguish for the fact that what he created as his pride possession are to be thrown away for good in his judgment! What did God do?
God made us alive in Christ (4-6)
4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.
God made us alive! God made us alive with Christ! He did this because of his great love for us in richness of his mercy.
How was God’s mercy shown? He showed his mercy even when we were dead in transgressions. Transgression is direct offense against God’s law and authority. So it means that even when we went against God directly and willfully, in His mercy and out of his deep love for sinners, God made us alive with Christ.
How did he do this?
6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,
Christ Jesus condemned by sinful men and then, suffered, died on the cross bearing sins of men. This is the way of life of all sinners. But God raised him from the dead and he ascended to heaven in glory. He is now sitting at the side of God the father. As the proof of his authority in Father’s side, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to his followers and through Him he imparted the salvation and made known the truth and hope that they were raised up with Christ and were seated along the side of Christ in heavenly realms.
This means that what God has done to Christ, He will impart the same blessing to those who believe in Jesus, His Son on his behalf. In this way, as Jesus was resurrected and seated at the side of the father, his followers also were seated with him. It is interesting to note that though the Ephesians were still living on the earth, they had been seated in heavenly realm already.
In the past, they followed the ways of this world and under the rule of this world, and under the spirit of disobedience. In contrast to this, they are now in the heavenly realm along with Christ. This is an amazing change in their status and privilege and blessing. In the past, may be even now, they might have felt so much unprivileged or deprived of the things of this world. And yet they were to know the richness of the blessing in heavenly realm that they have now which is far exceeding to the things of this world. This was a remarkable thing; it was so remarkable that some may wonder how such things could be possible. Why did God do such thing?
We are God’s handiwork (7—10)
7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.
The most important reason in doing so was to show the incomparable riches of his grace. God wanted that no one miss out this grace by making this obvious to all, even to the eyes of calloused heart, even to the minds of the depressed and the sorrowful and the faint hearted. He did this even to attract the attention of all kinds of sinners, even the worst sinners like murderers and idolaters! This kindness offered through one conduit, Christ Jesus, the truth, the life and the way. Though they may not have any other conditions or merits, in and by and through Christ only, all people may be able to come to God and receive heavenly blessings!
“By the grace in Jesus only” means to exclude all other means. The most common one considered is one’s hard work. In this matter, Paul said this;
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
Though they received such a great blessing and they enjoy such privileges, none of these blessings and privileges are of his own making but by the grace of God. So the grace of God must be the theme of their lives. God’s grace must be evident in their lives. There shall not be any tinge of pride or boasting of his or her own achievements! Never! Absolutely no! This is the distinctiveness of someone born of God in Christ. Paul describe such distinctiveness in God’s chosen people in this way;
10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
We are God’s handiwork. In ESV, it is translated ‘workmanship’ Some called it God’s master piece. Often it is taken to mean that what our being as God’s created work is so wonderful and so great in his wisdom, applying this as the creation act of God shown in the beginning of creation of the world. But here ‘handiwork’ or workmanship denote a particular talent or a remarkable work in creating an object. In other word, particular character of the creator is impregnated or imbued in that master piece that he created. So what is that something wich God imbued in creating us? This may note the fact that God created us new; making a new creation. But whatever he did must be in line with God’s purpose; the purpose was to show the incomparable riches of his grace. God imbued in us the incomparable riches of his grace and this makes us a masterpiece or his handiwork. So, when God created us as his handiwork, God made his grace a distinctive character in us that cannot be hidden but ooze out because this grace is deeply ingrained in our inner being as the fundamental nature or constitution of our being. In order to create us with such a distinctive character God himself had to show through his son Jesus. This is what he meant when he says “5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.” In this way how we are created is tightly tied to God’s purpose in letting the world know God’s grace in and through those whom he saved. This is truly remarkable God’s handiwork, the master piece or wonderful workmanship! This is the Spirit of Christ implanted in the depth of all of his followers. Jesus mentioned how such distinctive character will be seen or perceived in the one born of the spirit in an answer to Nicodemus’ question "How can someone be born when they are old?" (Joh 3:4 NIV)
8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” John 3:8
Paul, in his letter to Corinth, mentioned how the incomparable riches of God’s grace worked in his life:
1 Corinthians 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them--yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. (1Co 15:10 NIV)
We believers look the same as any other people. To the eyes of men like Nicodemus, it is impossible to discern whether one is born in the Spirit of Christ or not. But in their hearts is full of God’s grace and God’s grace is the energizer for the person and it exudes wherever he or she goes and whatever he or she does. As long as Christ lives in us, the spirit of Christ, i.e grace wells up in and through such person’s life.
Then what was God’s purpose in creating such a remarkable handiwork? In order to create such a master piece he even let his only son suffer death for sinners. Why such a favor or grace or hard work?
10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Here good works are not likely to mean observing the letters of the Law of God. As we know God alone is good.
18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. Mark 10:18
The good work is something that pertains to God’s character and his will. The good is well and fully revealed and represented in Christ. That particular good of God’s character is and is encapsulated in incomparable riches of His grace. So the purpose of God in creating us converges on one thing; to do good works in and through which God’s grace may be fully represented! This is why God labored so hard in creating a master piece or the handiwork! We are totally renewed and radically reframed by the grace of God in Jesus. What does it mean to us? This is that particular kind of grace which God showed in Jesus’ life-giving sacrifice for sinners.
The focus of this grace lies in dealing with sins of others. If one is not willing to deal with or turns away from sins of others, then he may not be able to do good that God purported in calling him. The most expressive of this intent is positively stated in Jesus command to preach the kingdom of God to all nations. (Mat 28:15)
At the same time, if one is not willing to forgive sins of others, then such man also fails to honor God’s purpose in calling him. Problem lies in the fact that forgiving others always cost us something. Yet we must be willing to give and to pay that cost to forgive others. This is the utmost expression of the grace in our lives as Jesus’ was.
Lastly how can we do good while we ourselves are still under the same predicament of those whom we are to forgive? Here we are to know that when God created us as his handiworks, he elaborated to put in each of us all the necessary elements to live out the life of grace. It is powerfully revealed in the cross of Jesus and at the same time through the cross, he imparts us the power that enables us to do good works. Peter fully acknowledge such sufficiency in the work of Jesus in 2 Pet 1:3; ‘3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.’
There are various forms of good works. We are to do and to live in all forms of good works. But the primary and most important good work among all is the grace shown through life-giving love so as to do away with sins of others. May God bless us so that each of us may live out that grace!
B. The whole building rises to become a holy temple (11-22)
In this second part Paul teaches what the Ephesians must do, or where they were heading to, or what was the ultimate goal or sense of direction of their lives?
Once in a while, I ask students one question, who are you, Michael? What do you know about yourself? It sound odd but it is serious question. Who am I? In order to know who I am, I must know three things, where I come from and where I am going and what the purpose of my life is. Since we are God’s handiwork tailored specifically for his purpose, we cannot find our purpose or meaning apart from what God planned for us. In addition, what is the ultimate goal of life in doing such good works?
Know what we were (11-12)
In order to know, we are first to understand what we were and what we have become. Only after that we will be clear what we shall be. So Paul wanted the Ephesians to know what they were:
11 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)—12 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.
They were gentiles and called uncircumcised. They were totally unaware of God and His blessing. They lived a life of pagan, a life cut off from God. They had no concern and care for God and godliness at all. Simply they lived according to the sinful nature of his being, facing sure destruction in comparison to the Jews who had God’s promise and kept the Law of Moses in order to follow God.
Also they had to remember that they had no knowledge and no connection to the Savior Christ because they had no promise of God given to Israel; they were aliens or foreigners to the Jews who had the covenant of promise. They had no hope and no God! Literally they lived in darkness and a life of death. This was the cause of utter despair. They had No hope and no glimpse of life at all.
What was it like to live in such a life cut-off from God? Solomon had everything that he wanted; richness, power, honor but he felt so much hopelessness and darkness without God and exclaimed life this: Ecclesiastes 1: 2 “Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.” This was the true picture of our life and we are to measure all things that have happened against this base line. Since then, what have they become?
What we have become (13-20)
13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations.
In the past they had not have even a slightest idea about God and lived a life without God. They lived a life filled with all kinds of sins.
So God’s chosen people, Jews, looked down upon the gentiles with contempt and disdain because of their ignorance and sinful, godless life. To their eyes many of what the Ephesians did were disgusting and ungodly. Through the temple worship and the Law of Moses, they lived with a keen sense of God’s holiness and his holy presence. They were proud of their upright life in the law and their access to the Lord. But the Gentile Ephesians were totally unaware of God’s holy requirements and were ignominious to God. Simply they lived a life that was cut off completely from the author of life, God. This was a pathetic predicament in which we all lived once before.
In such situation, through Christ, they were brought near to God. It was an unthinkable thing for them. Yet now this becomes a true reality; they have come so near to God and actually has become God’s children. How could that be made?
15 by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations.
By putting his body to death, Jesus do away with all the power of the flesh in and of the Law. In this way, those who claimed the power of flesh were neutralized and frustrated in their effort in seeking power in the Law.
The law was given to Jews and it gave them a tremendous pride and prestige because their exclusive access to the Lord. Prestige or elitism comes from one’s superiority in goodness and morality. More precisely, the thing that drives one to look down on others are senses of being right, good or better than others. One example is Hitler. Hitler thought that Arians race was superior to all other people that they must rule over all other people, particularly Jews because Jews had also the same pride in what they could do. This was the prime example of such hostility.
Again all these are hung on one’ effort to do away with sin, desiring to be right and good according to the Law. If we classify all people of the world, there are two classes, Jews and Gentiles. Or we can classify those who try to do good and build their pride in what they do and those who try to do good but failed to do good ending in disappointment and failure. Both build all things by their efforts. This creates a deep cleavage among peoples, nations, and races.
This is self-made justice and goodness. In such superiority one builds his pride and meaning of life. Also it creates in their hearts contempt, disdain over and discord with others. This was typified in the relationship between Jews and Gentiles. Such conflicts are inevitable as long as one builds the meaning and purpose of life on the things that he can achieve in and by the flesh. So as long as the desires of flesh looms in any relationship, there will be such conflicts and discord. The only one to make any two into one is to do away with flesh and its power. Jesus did: he brought death on that flesh by his death on the cross. In this way he had done away with the power of the Law that binds all men in flesh.
The door to the Lord was open wide to all in Christ. So even the gentile have access to the Lord, not by works but by faith in Jesus. This nullified the power of the law that took away the superiority of Jews over the Gentiles. In this way Jesus not only put both Jews and gentile in equal footing but also united one in Christ.
This built up dividing walls. This was the cause of all kind of conflict and dissension among all men. But Jesus subjected both Jews and gentiles to judgment so that only in Jesus blood they could have true access to the son-ship.
Why?
His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace,
By nullifying the power of the law over the flesh, God left only one way to be reconciled; it is only through the blood of Jesus that either Jews or gentiles could have access to the Lord for salvation. In this way God destroyed the dividing wall between the two and made them one in peace.
16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.
So the locus of the hostility is in flesh. Flesh and its ability to do something right and good was the source of such pride and that pride was the causes of conflict among people. But Jesus put all pride in flesh to death by his own death on the cross. In this way, Jesus gave clear message and empowerment that only by putting to the death of their flesh and its desires, they could have access to the Lord and they could become one, removing all hostility.
What is its significance?
17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.
There was only one temple in Jerusalem. In order to get close to him, Jews came to that temple and there they offered God animal sacrifices. Gentiles far away had no chances. Now having shed the blood of Jesus, all were offered ‘the message of peace in Christ’. It is done by preaching and listening and believing that message. It has nothing to do with getting access to the Lord with sacrifices of animals as Jews had done. Now it is done by accepting the spirit of Christ even if they are far away, no matter where they are. It is amazing that even far away in America or Asia or Africa, it is possible to get access to the Father by the message and by believing and by the spirit of Christ. In this way the whole human races now has access to the Lord to be their children and opportunity to have sonship in Christ.
This is made possible because Jesus suffered and died by shedding all his blood on the cross so as to nullify the power of the law that condemns the flesh and its desires. It is by the Spirit of Christ in and through which all are offered such blessing.
This is an amazing outcome and perspective for all human races;
19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household,
The prime example of this is the believers in Ephesus. From Jerusalem to Ephesus is about 1000 miles. (1775 km) But Paul preached and they received the message of Jesus and were saved and now in the spirit of Christ, they were brought to God, ever close to the Lord than any Jews could do. They were no longer foreigners and strangers to God’s people. Actually they have become God’s people members of God’s household though they were thousand miles away where the eternal sacrifice of Jesus was made for the sake of sinners. How could it become possible? The idea that even a thousand miles away, anyone could become members of God’s household and enjoy all the richness of being a member of that household is amazing one, a perfect God’s design. Actually God dreamed this long before. Isaiah 57:19 reads;
19creating praise on their lips. Peace, peace, to those far and near,” says the Lord. “And I will heal them.”
This became possible because Jesus offered his life and because all can come to the Lord through the message of the cross and by believing it. This was God-intended from the beginning of creation and is now being implemented since all power to do so was accomplished and attained by the blood of Jesus Christ. It is not any more of hard work in flesh but of listening and believing the message of the cross, the final and ultimate sacrifice. In this way, the Ephesians has become God’s family. This opened a door wide for all wherever they are, whoever they are, whatever they are, to become God’s family. What does it mean that they have become God’s family? They came to Christ and came to the Lord, who planned long before at the outset of his creation. What happened to them was not just happened haphazardly. It was the plan of God, the creator of heaven and earth. It was the will of the Lord who wants all of his creation to come closer to Him. Then what is the ultimate will of God in this?
Must rise to become a holy temple in the Lord (21-22)
How was God’s household established?
20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.
They have become the members of God’s household. That household was established on the foundation laid by the apostles and prophets before them. Now the Ephesians are being built into them. The works the apostles and prophets were phenomenal. They were recorded in the book of Acts. Their stories lived vividly among the first believers. Even Paul, an acclaimed apostle, did such a great work of God. Through his teaching Ephesian church was established and many gentiles joined in this household. In other word, the power of God was real and living in and through their lives within this household. Into this powerhouse of God, they were built into. In addition, Jesus, the one who suffered and died for their sake and rose from the dead and ascended to heaven is the chief stone of the house. In him is the power that overcomes the power of death and in him is the glory and victory over all ungodly forces of this world. This Jesus is the chief stone for the house that they have become the member! Why should they worry or fear? What should they worry or fear? In such comfort of this house, what then should they do? What does God expect them to do?
21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord.
The whole members of this household are joined together with Jesus the chief stone in order that they may rise to become a holy temple.
Here first they must be joined together. There is no Jews or gentiles. There is no Koreans or Americans, there is no Asians or blacks or whites. They became one God’s people redeemed by the blood of Jesus, the chief stone of the house. Under him, all and every members were to uphold the chief stone, his work his purpose and his spirit.
Second the whole building is to rise to become a holy temple. Ultimate hope of God in all these is here; they become a ‘holy temple’ where God may be among them. Here is an idea of growing to the holiness of God.
God saved each of us according to his perfect will. But ultimate purpose of God is not just in what he could achieve in each individual. His purpose was in the whole, one household where all members joined together to be ready and to uphold God’s holiness and his purpose so that He may reside in his temple, among his people. This is not a house where each individual strive to holy. No! All members are joined together to form a single corporate body! As a corporate body, the chief of which is Jesus, they live out the distinctive purpose of God, so as to rise to become a holy temple.
Here becoming holy temple implies two things; first they were to be holy as a corporate body and second God was to be among them in his spirit. This vision is explicit in the next verse:
22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
This is the beginning of fulfillment of God’s desire to be among his people. So the church as a whole is where God’s resides in his spirit. We are incorporated into it. We as individuals have many weaknesses and sins. But we as a corporate body of believers is the dwelling of the Spirit of God. This body will be built up
Certainly, God’s hope for each individual is salvation of that person. But the final and utmost purpose of God for salvation work is to make all under God and in and among them he may reside. This is the one corporate body, of which God will establish his eternal kingdom on the earth. His desire to be among his people was at the beginning of creation and since then it never wade and finally will be fulfilled through those who accept the blood of His Son as their way of life and conform themselves to the utmost will of God.
Now we are to remember where we were, being cut off from the Lord and lived in darkness. We are to sense and know fully what God has done in us, a new creation, with his distinctive signature, the incomparable riches of his grace. We are not aliens or strangers but have become incorporated into the house of God, a member of God’s family, of which Jesus is the chief stone. In and through the power of the chief stone Jesus, we are to rise up to become a holy temple in which God may dwell in his spirit!
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