By the Spirit - We have Access to the Father and become a Dwelling Place of God

March 7, 2013 - Ephesians 2:16-22

2:16  既 在 十 字 架 上 滅 了 冤 仇 、 便 藉 這 十 字 架 、 使 兩 下 歸 為 一 體 、 與 　 神 和 

            好 了 ．

2:17  並 且 來 傳 和 平 的 福 音 給 你 們 遠 處 的 人 、 也 給 那 近 處 的 人 。

2:18  因 為 我 們 兩 下 藉 著 他 被 一 個 聖 靈 所 感 、 得 以 進 到 父 面 前 。

2:19  這 樣 、 你 們 不 再 作 外 人 、 和 客 旅 、 是 與 聖 徒 同 國 、 是 　 神 家 裡 的 人 了 ．

2:20  並 且 被 建 造 在 使 徒 和 先 知 的 根 基 上 、 有 基 督 耶 穌 自 己 為 房 角 石 ．

2:21  各 〔 或 作 全 〕 房 靠 他 聯 絡 得 合 式 、 漸 漸 成 為 主 的 聖 殿 ．

2:22  你 們 也 靠 他 同 被 建 造 成 為 　 神 藉 著 聖 靈 居 住 的 所 在 。

¹⁶ and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. ¹⁷ He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. ¹⁸ For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

   ¹⁹ Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, ²⁰ built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. ²¹ In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. ²² And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

Paul explicates the salvation work of the Triune God in both Jews and Gentiles. Through the cross, both Jews and Gentiles are reconciled to and have peace with God by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit applies the work of the cross of Christ to us that we all have access to the Father.  Christ also becomes the corner stone of the church that is built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets - revelation given to them. We believers now become a dwelling place - a holy temple in which God lives by the Holy Spirit.

I praise for the Trinue God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit - who do amazing things in our life. Without Christ, we still live in hostility to God and to others. But now thanks to Jesus Christ, He becomes our Peace and the Chief Cornerstone of the church. And give thanks to the Holy Spirit that the Spirit leads us to gain access to the Father's Presence and dwells in us that we become the Holy Temple of the Father.