Samuel D. High
sdhigh@aristotle.net
-----Original Message-----
From: "Apostle Tom" <pressingon@hotmail.com>
Sent: Tue, 07 Aug 2007 18:19:35 -0500
To: pressingon@hotmail.com
Subject: Morning Manna (Aug. 8); BP: Eph. 2:11-22; RBTTY: Rom. 9:16-33; Ps. 74-76
August 8 “On Making Two One”
“For He is our peace, Who has made both one and has broken down the middle
wall of partition between us, having abolished in His flesh the enmity—even
the law of commandments contained in the ordinances—for to make in Himself
of twain one new man, so making peace. . .And that He might reconcile both
unto God in one Body by the Cross, having slain the enmity thereby.”
Ephesians 2:14-16
His Mission was two-fold: To bring us back to God. . .and each other.
Pride and prejudice.
The two always go together hand-in-hand. Where we find one, we’ll
always find the other one (and vice versa). From the time of Adam and Eve’s
sin in the Garden, division more than fellowship has marked/marred our
relationships.
Think of it:
Right after they ate the forbidden fruit God asked Adam where he was
and why he was hiding (Gen. 3:9-11a). He then asked him, “Have you eaten of
the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?” (v.11b). Instead of
replying truthfully, Adam started the sinful cycle of blaming/scapegoating:
“Well, it was the woman you gave me—she gave me the fruit and I did eat”
(v.12). And, when God confronted Eve, she blamed the snake (v.13).
Likewise, we shouldn’t be surprised that Cain became enraged when
Abel’s sacrifice was accepted and his wasn’t (Gen. 4:1-5). And, the list
goes on and on and on (e.g., Esau’s jealousy of Jacob, Joseph’s brothers’
jealousy of him, Jezebel’s hatred of Elijah, King Saul’s hatred of David,
the Jews’ hatred of the Samaritans and vice versa, etc.).
Let’s face it: We’re born with sinful natures that flourish in the
sinful soils of pride and prejudice. That’s why whites hate blacks and
blacks hate whites. That’s why Republicans and Democrats don’t get along
together. That’s why there are problems in churches. . .and families. .
.and businesses. . .and marriages, etc.
We simply don’t like each other and too often go out of our way to
criticize, backbite, gossip, slander, etc. But, oh, dear Pilgrim, this
shouldn’t be—especially after Jesus’ having died on the Cross to “tear down
the middle wall of partition between us, reconcile us to God and make rivals
one in Himself through His blood.” Hallelujah!
What does all of this mean?
Quite simply, when we’re born from above we become colorblind—or at
least we should always see red (His blood). We realize what we were apart
from His grace (Eph. 2:1-3) and who we are now in Christ (Eph. 2:4-11).
And, it is His love in our hearts that tears down any barriers between us
and others—just as the Father tore the veil in the Temple in half, from the
top to the bottom, the day Jesus died (Mt. 27:51).
The closer we are to Christ, the more we’re transformed by His
Presence. Suddenly, we begin to love those people whom we used to hate. In
Him there is “Jew or Greek, bond or free, male or female; instead, we are
all one” (Gal. 3:28). Glory!!
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