Ephesians 2:19-22 Now therefore you are no more strangers and foreigners, but
fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus
Christ Himself being the chief corner stone;
21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto a holy temple
in the Lord:
22 In whom you also are builded together for a habitation of God through the
Spirit.
The Body of Christ is a creation of God. Yes, it is a Church but it is not a Church under the headship of man. It is under the authority and Lordship of Jesus Christ. All authority in heaven and in earth has been given to Him (Matthew 28:18). Man has continually endeavored to usurp authority over the Church, and he seems to have prevailed in the denominations of churchanity. That will definitely change, though. For now let’s go back over each of these verses for study.
Verse 19 Now therefore you are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God…
In verse 18 Paul said that both the Gentile and the Jew have access in one Spirit unto the Father. The separation is being taken away in the Spirit. Gentiles are now fellow citizens with the saints and are of the household of God. The Body of Christ is made up of Christians from every nation. However, it is not that simple. We need to understand that the Jew is not made a Christian or a Christian a Jew. Both become a new creation in Christ. When the born-again process is completed, a divine race is created. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:28.
Verse 20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone…
The Body of Christ is pictured as a building here, and it is built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Jesus Christ being the Chief Corner Stone. If the foundation was removed the building would crumble. At no time does the Church come to the place where it does not need the ministry of apostles and prophets. Churches that reject them have cut off their access to spiritual growth. The biggest problem, though, is that when the foundation of apostles and prophets are removed the life-line to the Chief Corner Stone is broken.
Verse 21 In whom all the building fitly framed together growth unto a holy temple in the Lord…
The entire building of the Body of Christ – the apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers, and the flock under the Chief Shepherd – must be fitly framed together. There must be no schisms; all must be of one spirit. This is the only way the Body of Christ can grow into a holy temple of the Lord. It is impossible for churches that are divided into denominations to grow spiritually into a holy temple in the Lord. Paul spoke to the Corinthian church about this kind of division. And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto you were not able to bear it, neither yet now are you able. For you are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are you not carnal, and walk as men? For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are you not carnal? I Corinthians 3:1-4.
Verse 22 In whom you also are builded together for a habitation of God through the Spirit.
I don’t know how so much of the church world has missed this! The Body of Christ is the habitation of God through the Spirit. This is the work that the Lord is doing in His people now and has been doing since the beginning of the Church in Acts chapter two. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10. But it doesn’t happen in the churches being ruled by man; only those under the Lordship of Jesus Christ!
Copyright © 2013 by Henry DuBose