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Ephesians – The Symbol of Christianity
What makes us distinct? Israel began in Abraham with circumcision as a segregated symbol. The nation continued under Moses with dietary laws and the Sabbath, again as segregated symbols. Good Jews were marked by these distinguising features. What, if anything, symbolizes Christianity?
One answer would be confessing Jesus as the son of David, and Son of God, God incarnate, our King.
Another distinguising feature would be our baptism as an apologetic reenactment of Jesus’ crucified death, burial, and bodily resurrection.
And just as essential, we must not forget the answer given by Paul in Ephesians: The all-encompassing church. This universal congregation includes all races and nations as Jesus broke down the barrier between Jew and Gentile (2:14), making them both co-heirs (3:6).
Missing the mark (i.e. the literal definition of sin), in America and in most every society, baptized confessors have failed in living out this distictive mark of racial desegregation. Such exclusionary practices among Christians makes as much sense as an uncircumcised Israelite operating a pulled pork BBQ restaurant and being open on the Sabbath.
CSB’17 Ephesians 3:10-11: “This is so that God’s multi-faceted wisdom may now be made known through the church to the rulers and authorities in the heavens. This is according to his eternal purpose accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
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