One New Man--continued

Ephesians 2:11-22
Jesus Christ has torn down the wall that separated the Jew and Gentile. They are to become one.

1.) vs. 12-13--These Gentiles were excluded from Israel and had no idea of the commandments of God, thus hopeless. But, by the blood of Jesus they have been brought back from where they had been scattered.

2.) vs. 14--Christ is the peacemaker who tore down the wall of division . What was this wall that caused the division between the two?

3.) vs. 15-16--What caused division was not the law. It was the enmity of the law.
A.) Enimity--is hostility
1.) The actual law itself was not bad, in fact, it was good. It was what man added to it that created problems that Jesus had to come and resurrect. By resurrecting this hostility that man added to the law, Christ was able to make a way for the two to become one--ONE NEW MAN. What has kept both separated is the feelings both have towards the law. The Jew and Gentiles perspective of the law has kept the division. The law itself has not kept the div ision, but rather the way each party views it. Christ cme to do away with their perspectives, not the law.
B.) "by abolishing in His flesh the enmity.....establishing peace," The law in itself is peaceful. It's the hostility of the perspectives of the two parties that causes the disunity.
1.) The law is not bad. Law(Torah) means teachings. If it were not for teachings of God we would not have any foundations to live by, nor would we have been able to pave the way for Christ. Christ fulfilled all the commandments of God perfectly. Although we are not perfect, like Him, we too are to strive to be as Christ.
C.) A gain scripture reiterates that it is the enmity, not the law that Jesus came to destroy. By the cross, the shed blood of Jesus, this enmity was put to death or destroyed.
1.) vs. 16--It is through Jesus that the two become one by wiping out all hostility of the law, not the law itself.
2.) Matthew 5:17--"Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill."
a.) Destroy--(strongs)--means to dissolve, overthrow, or demolish.
b.) Fulfill-----(strongs)--means to render it perfect, to complete, to cause to abound.

4.) We can break down both sides and see the wall of enmity between the two. The hostility which Ghrist came to destroy and make peace and unite the two into ONE NEW MAN.