In chapter 1 Paul wrote of amazing things bestowed upon the followers of Christ. He told the Ephesians that he prayed for them, mentioned their eternal position going on and on into their present and future excellence. The problem was that such revelation threatens to distill pride in the human heart.
In chapter 2 he crashes that glass of potential pride with a tincture of reality. Paul tempered the pride with a glance at their past. All people have a bad beginning, but in
Midway through this second section of his letter, Paul will begin to address other things, things that might be like an elephant in the room. Those were spiritual racism, spiritual immigration: topics with which 21st Century First World communities can readily identify. Paul will address the spiritual side of this event as a current tension with a permanent solution. All parties may not be at ease, but all parties are in the middle of it.
Different than before
With that let us jump in to the first of our three verses for today (and coincidentally, the last for our year).
11 Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— (Ephesians 2:11–ESV)
“Therefore remember,” Paul begins. In this 11th and soon to follow 12th verse he tells them to think back upon their past. Wanting the Ephesian Christians to grasp their present station he directs them to recollect their path to God’s grace.
To that end, he says, “remember that at one time…” Verse 12 follows along as if inside a similar
12 remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. (Ephesians 2:12–ESV)
See how the word remember is used in this sentence? Also, and closely appended to that word is the similar phrase “at that time.” Paul had used the past tense in the first section of chapter 2 to describe their origins as mired down in sinful existence. They were dead amongst those affronts to God, but that was the past. Verses 11 and 12 do not introduce a new subject but are tie-ins to the course of his writing.
He has been saying, “You were dead, but now live.” Not only so, but also Paul declared them to be God’s workmanship. As living workmanship, they have received purpose for life. That purpose rests in Christ. So Paul urged them to look back to their former station to inform the current one. He called them to remember their past to brighten their present.
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