Reconciliation to God and one another11So never forget that you used to be foreigners, outside of God's Kingdom, because you had only natural birth and were not among those whom God had set aside for Himself by entering into covenant with them. The relationship you have with Him now has nothing to do with outward actions such as circumcision, works done by men.12You used to be separated from Christ because of your sin. You were excluded from having citizenship in Israel, God's chosen people. You were outside the covenant relationship with God based on His promises. You were without hope for the future and had to live your life in the world without God.13Look at the difference now that you are in Christ Jesus and belong to Him. Instead of living far away from God, you have been united with Him through what Jesus did by shedding His blood for you.14So He is our peace. Because we have been forgiven and accepted by God, we are at peace with Him. Those who were outside the covenant, the relationship God has made possible for His people, are now made one with those who belong to the covenant. He has made these two one, Jew and non-Jew, by destroying the barrier that once divided them, that was like a dividing wall of hostility that existed between them.15-16Through what He accomplished when He became man, He abolished the whole idea of serving God through a legalistic approach of obeying a series of religious rules and regulations. His intention was to create a new people out of the two opposing groups that existed before. The only way was to make it possible for anyone, no matter what his race, to be at peace with God, and to draw them together into one body, to reconcile them to one another. He accomplished all this through the cross which dealt a death blow to their former hostility.17Jesus came and preached peace with God to those outside His covenant with Israel, as well as those who were part of that relationship.18Now through Him we all have direct and personal access to the Father through the same Holy Spirit who lives in every believer in Jesus Christ.19So as a result, you are no longer foreigners outside of God's purpose; you are not aliens but children of God, fellow citizens with all who belong to Christ. Together you are God's people and members of His household.20Your life together is built on the foundation of truth that has come to us through the apostles and prophets, Jesus Himself being the chief Cornerstone, the pivotal truth of the revelation God has given us through them.21In Christ Jesus the whole building of living stones, whether believing Jews or non-Jews, is built to be a holy temple housing the Lord's presence.22Yes, in Him you are being built together to be those in whom God Himself lives by His Spirit.
Scripture quoted by permission. The passage above is taken from THE TRUTH VERSION. Copyright © 2009 by Colin Urquhart. All rights reserved worldwide. (The Truth New Testament)