The Church Is A Temple

What is the bedrock that the church is built upon? What did the cross do for the nations? Paul answers these questions in Ephesians 2. Let’s begin by asking, what were we like in the past?

At one time you were like a dead person because of the things you did wrong and your offenses against God. (Ephesians 2:1 CEB)

It may be hard to admit, but who did we obey?

You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. (Ephesians 2:2 NLT)

How were we motivated?

Once we were also ruled by the selfish desires of our bodies and minds. We had made God angry, and we were going to be punished like everyone else. (Ephesians 2:3 CEV)

How are we made alive and saved?

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love that He had for us, made us alive with the Messiah even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace! (Ephesians 2:4-5 HCSB)

How have we been given life and why?

And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2:6-7 NIV)

How have we been saved?

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9 NKJV)

Are good works totally irrelevant then?

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10 NASB)

What were gentiles before conversion?

Therefore remember that once you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “uncircumcision” by that which is called “circumcision” (in the flesh, made by hands), that you were at that time separate from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of the promise, having no hope and without God in the world. (Ephesians 2:11-12 WEB)

How were the gentiles brought near?

But now, thanks to Christ Jesus, you who once were so far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. (Ephesians 2:13 CEB)

Are Jews and Gentiles now united? How?

Christ is our peace. He made both Jews and Gentiles into one group. With his body, he broke down the barrier of hatred that divided us. (Ephesians 2:14 CEB)

What is gone that divided us?

He made of no effect the law consisting of commands and expressed in regulations, so that He might create in Himself one new man from the two, resulting in peace. (Ephesians 2:15 HCSB)

What did the cross do?

On the cross Christ did away with our hatred for each other. He also made peace between us and God by uniting Jews and Gentiles in one body. (Ephesians 2:16 CEV)

How was this made known?

And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. (Ephesians 2:17 ESV)

Does Jesus give both Jew and Gentile access to God the Father? How?

For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. (Ephesians 2:18 KJV)

What is the result?

So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household (Ephesians 2:19 NASB)

Is God’s household built on early church fathers, popes, ecumenical councils, Protestant Reformers, or what? To whom should we listen?

built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. (Ephesians 2:20 NIV)

Into what is this building growing?

in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord (Ephesians 2:21 NKJV)

Who dwells in this building that we are a part of?

Through him you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit. (Ephesians 2:22 NLT)

The church, the holy people of God, are a temple where God dwells. Our foundation is the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. The apostles and prophets taught in the whole Bible, with the teachings of Jesus in the Gospels as the cornerstone of our faith. Is anything else so foundational? You decide!