Page 75 - Ephesians

enmity. And He came and preached peace to you who were
far away, and peace to those who were near; for through Him
we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father. So then
you are no longer strangers and aliens but you are fellow
citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household, having
been built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets,
Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, in Whom the
whole building, being fitted together is growing into a holy
temple in the Lord; in Whom you also are being built together
into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.”

Right off let me say that we are going to look at this passage
twice. Right now I want to fly over it and pick up the big
movements of God’s Spirit. After that we’ll try to get into more
detail. It’s such a full passage. It’s not possible to deal with it all
at once.

Let me suggest an outline I’d like to follow. First of all, let me
answer the big question, “Unto what are we saved?” We are
saved from our sin. We are saved by created grace. But what is
the goal of our salvation? What’s the consummation? And then
after we look at that, I want to show the ground or the foundation
of this tremendous goal. It wouldn’t be possible without this
foundation. Then, Lord willing, we’ll try to make it practical.

Let me answer the first question. From 2:11-22, unto what are we
saved? I believe the answer is in verse 22,

“A dwelling of God in the Spirit.”

As usual, Ephesians looks at the Church as a body, rather than
as individual Christians. It’s the goal of our salvation that the
whole Church, all God’s people, everywhere, be a dwelling place
of God. That’s what He is moving toward. He wants to dwell in
us. He wants to live in us. The Church, His residence, His
address, His home. What a marvelous goal!