Our Cornerstone

Study of Ephesians

Week 8 

Ephesians 2:18-22

Paul addressing the Gentiles, establishes in their newfound faith, their position in Christ.

In Ephesians 1 and Ephesians 2, he methodically lays out for them a new way of thinking in light of their salvation.

You are chosen by the Father. Ephesians 1:3-6

You are redeemed by the Son. Ephesians 1:7-12

You are sealed by His Spirit. Ephesians 1:13-14

You were dead in your sin. Ephesians 2:1-3

You are alive in Christ. Ephesians 2:4-10

You are reconciled with the Jews. Ephesians 2:11-13

You can walk in peace because of Christ. Ephesians 2:14-18

In our focus scripture today, Ephesians 2:18-22, Paul continues to teach the Gentiles about their position in Christ.

“For through Him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household, having been built upon the foundation of the apostles an prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.”  Ephesians 2:18-22

Let’s break these verses down into three parts.

Through Jesus, “we both have access in one Spirit to God the Father.” Here, Paul highlights the trinity in this one verse: Father, Son and the Holy Spirit.  This concept of direct access to God must have been so revolutionary, especially for the Gentiles. But as we look at scripture, Paul explicitly mentions what we call the trinity in several passages.  We see this in 2 Corinthians 13:14, but even the Gospels give an account for the triune God, in Matthew 3:16-17.

Their understanding of the ability to come to God, unhindered, is a foundational truth. Paul is setting the stage for even more.

In Ephesians 2:19, he continues to mold the identity of these new believers.

“You are no longer strangers and aliens” but “fellow citizens with the saints. You are of God’s household.”  These words create an extremely visual concept.

As you recall, Paul earlier in the chapter noted that the Gentiles were called the Uncircumcised. Here, he throws in “stranger” and “alien, words that clearly identify. These terms meant something to the Gentiles. There were not, by any means, terms of endearment. Quite frankly, to be a stranger or an alien meant that you did not belong, one not welcomed. This word, “alien”, is used only two times in the New Testament. It alludes to someone with limited rights, a non-citizen of sorts. 

But Paul teaches them that they no longer must live with this identity. He shares their new position in Christ: “fellow citizens with the saints and are of God’s household.”

As we have mentioned before, a “saint” in the Greek means one who is set apart for God, one who is holy.  

Why is this concept so very important?

Because if we do not believe wholeheartedly that we are who God says we are, we will never live wholeheartedly the way God intends for us to live.

Paul gives the Gentiles, and us, the pivotal component of why our position in Christ is so imperative. He shares it with us in this way, “you are…of God’s household, having been built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets,  Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.”

What a visual picture Paul continues to paint for us.

You are of God’s household.

You are being fitted together into a dwelling place for God.

Not based on yourself, but based on Christ Jesus Himself, the Cornerstone.

 This word “cornerstone” is mentioned only two times in the New Testament. Both instances point to Jesus as the Cornerstone. Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance provides this illustration: “For as the cornerstone holds together two wall, so Christ joins together as Christians, into one body dedicated to God, those were formally Jews and Gentiles.”(1) Jesus Christ, our Cornerstone.

Paul knew what we stated earlier.

If we do not believe wholeheartedly that we are who God says we are, we will never live the way God intends for us to live.

No longer a stranger.

No longer an alien.

But a dwelling place for God, for Christ is our Cornerstone.

 Footnotes: (1) Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, “Ephesians 2:20 Lexicon”, BibleHub.com. Accessed February 2022, https://biblehub.com/greek/204.htm