Page 83 - Ephesians

intolerable offense of the highest degree. That’s the “Middle wall
of partition”.

Let’s go back to Ephesians 2. Now do you see the impact of
verse 14, and how it challenged the very foundations of their
beliefs?

“He Himself is our peace, Who made both groups into one
and broke down the barrier, the dividing wall”.

Oh what a picture! These verses, are about the strongest verses
in the Bible, on the blessings of spiritual unity. The blood of
Christ has broken down the wall of partition. He uses the big
wall to include all the lesser walls. This wall, and every other wall,
was permanently removed, when He died on the cross. The very
presence of God, is now open to everyone. No more walls, no
more steps, and no more gates. No separate courts. Nobody
down, and the other up. Everybody, on level ground. (The
fulfillment of John the Baptizer’s calling). It’s a marvelous,
marvelous picture. That barrier, that middle wall, pictures the
great tragedy of divided Christians.

The goal of our salvation is not only that God will have a home in
His people, but that God will have a home in His people, united.
His people, who are one, with no walls, gates, or divisions. I tell
you, that is heavy, on the heart of God. That’s His great passion.
And yet we search for unity in such superficial ways.

The unity of the ecumenical movement, is not the unity of
Ephesians 2. The laying down of differences, or cooperating with
brother Christians, is not Ephesians unity. When I pastored Maple
Ave. Baptist Church we sang a song every time we broke bread.
It didn’t mean much to me then, but the song means a lot to me
now. “Bless be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love, the
fellowship of kindred minds is like to that above us.” I never
appreciated the phrase, “tie that binds”. I didn’t know what it was.
Ephesians 2 tells you what it is. It’s the precious blood of Christ.