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Out And In


     (Sorry, I can't figure out how to turn the "highlighting" off. )

          Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)— remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. (Ephesians 2:11-13)

          After the Jews were led out of Egypt, God told them repeatedly to remember that they had been slaves in Egypt Here, Paul is doing the same thing. We need to remember from whence we came, partly because it unites us. It doesn’t matter whether we’re Jew, Gentile, male, female, slave, free, or something else. We were all separated from God by sin. We were all excluded from citizenship in Israel, even the Jews. We may have been derided by the Jews, or some other group, as not being part of the acceptable few, but now we have been brought near. There is no room for discrimination based on race, nationality, social class, gender, or special treatment of one’s pet sins.
          Remembering who we were and where we came from keeps us from getting proud. We didn’t get ourselves into Christ. We don’t deserve to be in Christ. Citizenship was conferred on us, not because we’re good candidates, but because God is generous. (Something for us to remember as we consider immigration issues.)
          It wasn’t our works that brought us near, but is is our works that are to bring others near, and then Jesus’ work that brings them in.

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