Brought Near

Continuing on in Ephesians 2. Other posts in this series are listed below.

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

This short statement summarizes the solution to the Gentiles’ alienation from God described in the previous verses. The contrast between this verse and the one before it is striking. The Gentile believers Paul is writing to were “at that time”—before the new era instituted by Christ’s death and resurrection—“separated from Christ.” “But now”—in the new era, under the new covenant—they are “in Christ Jesus.”

What’s more, there’s contrast right within this verse, too. They had been “far off” (a term used to describe the Gentiles in Acts 2:39 also), but now they’ve been “brought near.” Gentiles who were once separated from God have been given access to him (see verse 18).

The details of the Gentiles’ reconciliation to God, and the reconciliation to the Jews that springs from it, are explained more in the verses that follow. For now, it’s enough to note that this new peace with God is worked by “the blood of Christ.” Those are biblical code words (Can we them that?) for Christ’s substitutionary death. Christ’s cross work makes peace between God and those Gentiles who are in Christ.

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Previous posts on Ephesians 2:

• Our Hope for By Nature
• Seated in the Heavenly Places
• Showing His Grace
• So That No On May Boast
• Without Hope

Theological Term of the Week

liturgy
An established or customary pattern for a public religious service. It may include prescribed content for readings and prayers, and/or designated times for hymns, responsive readings, scripture readings, prayers, the Lord’s Supper, and teaching, etc.

• From scripture, a few element that should be included in an established order of service:

Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. (1 Timothy 4:13 ESV)

• From Philip Schaff’s History of the Church, a description of John Calvin’s liturgy: 

The service began with an invocation, a confession of sin and a brief absolution. hen followed reading of the Scriptures, singing, and a free prayer. The whole congregation, male and female, joined in chanting the Psalms, and thus took an active part in public worship, while formerly they were but passive listeners or spectators. This was in accordance with the Protestant doctrine of the general priesthood of believers. The sermon came next, and after it a long general prayer and the Lord’s Prayer. The service closed with singing and the benediction.

Learn more:

1. Got Questions.org: What does the Bible say about liturgy? and What are the ingredients to a truly biblical worship service?
2. Christian Apologetics and Research Ministries: What is liturgy?
3. R. Scott Clark: Two examples of liturgies: Heidelberg 1563 and Strasbourg 1545

Related terms:

• regulative principle of worship
• worship

Filed under Ecclesiology

Do you have a a theological term you’d like to see featured here as a Theological Term of the Week? If you email it to me, I’ll seriously consider using it, giving you credit for the suggestion and linking back to your blog when I do.

Clicking on the Theological Term graphic at the top of this post will take you to a list of all the previous theological terms in alphabetical order.

Linked Together: "I Am"

Here are two pieces on Jesus’ “I am” statements in the gospel of John. They each use an argument from context to come to opposite conclusions regarding Jesus’ use of “I am” in John 18:5-6. Which argument do you find more persuasive?

Mounce
“[I]s Jesus referencing God’s name in 18:5? I doubt it. There is nothing in the context that suggests this.” Read more from Bill Mounce at Koinonia.

Kruger
“[W]hen Jesus is arrested in the garden, he declares in 18:6: ‘I am he (ego eimi).’ While most readers would miss the connection here, the response of the soldiers gives us a clue to what is meant: ‘When Jesus said to them, “I am he (ego eimi)” they drew back and fell to the ground’ (18:6).” Read more from Michael Kruger at Canon Fodder.