Ephesians 2:16
and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity.
Enmity is defined by Webster’s as “positive hatred that may be hidden or exposed.”
I feel that it is a good translation of the Greek used by the Apostle Paul to describe the ancient animosity between the Jews and Gentiles. Do you think that you have ever experienced enmity from someone? Maybe from the person that you cut off in traffic? How about from your spouse when you win the race to the shower in the morning? Perhaps from your children when you tell them “no” when they ask to eat a steak at Outback instead of hot dogs out back? Surely from the person in line behind you at the pizza buffet when you clean out the only pepperoni by loading your plate with four pieces? (I am truly sorry for my past, and future, transgressions in this particular area) All of these examples are arguably justifiable, but what does the cross have to say about our response when enmity begins to creep into our heart?
Paul’s perspective is that all enmity has been killed by the death of Jesus on the cross. Think about it. If anyone has a right to feel enmity towards you or me it is Jesus. We have and will betray his love. We constantly rebel and turn from his truth. We continually struggle to answer his call on our lives. Yet he feels no enmity, only the sacrificial love of one willing to offer himself in death so that we might have life beyond our failure. In this way the offering on the cross has put enmity to death.
We are unified under the cross. All of the walls of division that exist between individuals and people groups are demolished by the love of Christ. What needs to be clearly understood is that enmity in our hearts toward others is also a means of separating us from God. Look closely at Paul’s words above. He is saying that Jews and Gentiles have been reconciled to God. He didn’t say they had been reconciled to each other. That should be an automatic response when we embrace the hope of the cross as our personal path to the throne room of God. There is no one person who needs the cross more than another. When you get what the cross means, you really see others differently.
There are no more divisions, and no more sincere justification for enmity. All the things that you thought mattered before Christ have little meaning as you begin to see all people as sinners in need of the same grace that offered you cleansing. If you are carrying enmity for anyone in your heart it’s time to pray for release of that burden. It will slowly eat away at your spirit and affect your life in so many negative ways. Most importantly, it will keep you separated from God. Give it to the cross. Remember your forgiveness there and turn your enmity into that kind of forgiving love. Live today in cross-powered reconciliation with everyone in your life. Live today as one who has embraced the vision of God towards others.
--Paul Roberts
Ephesians 2:16
and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity.
Enmity is defined by Webster’s as “positive hatred that may be hidden or exposed.”
I feel that it is a good translation of the Greek used by the Apostle Paul to describe the ancient animosity between the Jews and Gentiles. Do you think that you have ever experienced enmity from someone? Maybe from the person that you cut off in traffic? How about from your spouse when you win the race to the shower in the morning? Perhaps from your children when you tell them “no” when they ask to eat a steak at Outback instead of hot dogs out back? Surely from the person in line behind you at the pizza buffet when you clean out the only pepperoni by loading your plate with four pieces? (I am truly sorry for my past, and future, transgressions in this particular area) All of these examples are arguably justifiable, but what does the cross have to say about our response when enmity begins to creep into our heart?
Paul’s perspective is that all enmity has been killed by the death of Jesus on the cross. Think about it. If anyone has a right to feel enmity towards you or me it is Jesus. We have and will betray his love. We constantly rebel and turn from his truth. We continually struggle to answer his call on our lives. Yet he feels no enmity, only the sacrificial love of one willing to offer himself in death so that we might have life beyond our failure. In this way the offering on the cross has put enmity to death.
We are unified under the cross. All of the walls of division that exist between individuals and people groups are demolished by the love of Christ. What needs to be clearly understood is that enmity in our hearts toward others is also a means of separating us from God. Look closely at Paul’s words above. He is saying that Jews and Gentiles have been reconciled to God. He didn’t say they had been reconciled to each other. That should be an automatic response when we embrace the hope of the cross as our personal path to the throne room of God. There is no one person who needs the cross more than another. When you get what the cross means, you really see others differently.
There are no more divisions, and no more sincere justification for enmity. All the things that you thought mattered before Christ have little meaning as you begin to see all people as sinners in need of the same grace that offered you cleansing. If you are carrying enmity for anyone in your heart it’s time to pray for release of that burden. It will slowly eat away at your spirit and affect your life in so many negative ways. Most importantly, it will keep you separated from God. Give it to the cross. Remember your forgiveness there and turn your enmity into that kind of forgiving love. Live today in cross-powered reconciliation with everyone in your life. Live today as one who has embraced the vision of God towards others.
--Paul Roberts