Ephesians 2:11-22

One in Christ

I always enjoy reading verses that talk about the body of Christ and being one in him. United under one King, a Holy King, the firmest foundation possible. I never really understood the true importance of this until attending briercrest, which was hammered into my brain every class by every prof. Why did they hammer that into every students head? I believe its because faith is not one of simplicity. It is difficult not only to understand from a human perspective, but we have pressures from society and from Satan. To try and battle this all alone is nearly impossible, that is why the prof 's enforced the idea that we are a team, lets work as one, worship and love as one. The idea is honestly beautiful.
I underlined a couple of verses from this section in Ephesians 2. Verses12-13 "...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 through the blood of Christ."
It says here that before one knows God they are without hope. Do you guys think that this means there is no hope at all, all hope that one has before finding God is false hope. It must, but I am just wondering about the ones in the world who are searching for Christ, do not know him yet, have hope that there is more, is that an honest true hope. Or is that a human hope, until the day that he finds the Lord, and that hope is transformed into a hope that is fulfilled.
Hope from a believers heart a form of worship......?
Anyways, I was just thinking about that for a bit.
The next verse that stood out to me was vs.18, "For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit."
I really love this verse and how it describes the trinity. We all know the theological idea of the trinity and that it is composed of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. But I just really enjoy how this is so simple and well said. "For through him" Jesus Christ dieing on the cross, "we both" Jews and Gentiles at the time, and all of humanity today, "have access to the Father by one Spirit." I hope I am interpreting this the correct way, because if I am I really think it is brilliant. Jesus died, giving us the possibility to know our God and creator, and this is done through the Holy Ghost, the "spirit", which dwells in all believers.
I recently saw the new movie 300, and after the movie you just wanna join an army as one and take down any enemy in your path. A huge theme in the movie, is that they fight and die as one. Vs. 21 reminded me of the movie and got me pumped up. "In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord." I pictured some dude in like the end times or something sweet like that standing on a huge rock with a huge crowd below watching. He yells out this verse and the crowd goes wild!

One thing that I should realize in myself is that I have now understood in my past years how important the body of Christ is. I really need to pour that idea on the ones I care about, such as my small group guys. Speak it and show it - Kahoots!

Sorry for this being so long.

Graham Reimer