The Mystery

"But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ."
Ephesians 2:13

The context here from which Paul is writing is the separation between the Jew and the Gentile, speaking to the Gentiles at the church at Ephesus located in Asia Minor (modern day Turkey). There was a church planted there, and Paul is writing this letter, Ephesians, to them from his prison in Rome.

While that is the context, for me, when I read this verse, the Holy Spirit uses it to minister to me in a setting other than the Jew-Gentile context. Yes, I am a Gentile as far as that goes, but there is something else that is marvelous and glorious and mysterious all at the same time. You see, in Christ Jesus, there is no Jew. There is no Gentile. There is what I call a third entity. There is the Christian. Yes, I know that the term "Christian" is thrown around and abused a lot in these last days. Some people say they are "Christian" when what they really mean is they are American. Some people say they are "Christian" because they are not Catholic. Some people say they are "Christian" because they are not Jewish, or Muslim. But the meaning of the word is "Christ follower."

The fact that I, a Gentile believer, who was once far off, now can come near to God through the blood of Jesus Christ is a wonderful and marvelous and glorious thing. There is no mystery anymore. God, through His Son Jesus Christ,
has brought us near to God, by His blood. Eternal life through Jesus Christ is not just for the Jew, not just for Israel, but it is also for me, too. What an amazing grace! We who were once far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

Beloved, as you go through this day, know that God loves you so incredibly much, that He made a way for all men and women to come to Him, through His Son Jesus Christ. That in Christ Jesus we live and move and have our being. It is all about Jesus Christ in our life today. So don't go out there in the world and try to fight the battle on your own strength. We have been brought near by the blood of Jesus Christ. It is no longer a mystery.