For he himself is our peace, Gentiles and Jews, he has made the two one, and in his own body of flesh and blood has broken down the barrier of enmity which separated them. (Ephesians 2:14 NEB)
Reflections by Keith Funk
In many ways and at many points, ours is becoming a more fractured, divisive society. I wish I could say otherwise. However, socially, politically, and geographically, there is a deepening divide that can be easily observed. I was a youth in 1968, but I well remember that time as marked by great unrest and deep uncertainty. The year was defined by assassinations (Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy). The political arena was volatile. The Vietnam War was escalating. Social unrest and racial tension were pervasive. As I look back on that time, some comparisons can be drawn, at the very least, on an emotional level with where we are today. From social media to national and local news outlets, and at many levels in our culture, we can readily see, conflictual overtones are pervasive.
At this point, I could join many voices that assess why this is, and more pointedly, who bears the responsibility for the current state of things. Instead of doing this, I want to consider a couple of questions which we perhaps would do well to ask considering the time we are living in. The questions are these, how do we define ourselves? Do we define ourselves by what we oppose or by what, or better, whom we are for? You may disagree, but I think such consideration, indeed reflection, is worthwhile and even necessary.
Allow me to make a momentary shift and turn our attention to another time and setting. I am calling to mind a letter that is known as Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. In the six brief chapters of this letter, Paul expounds his vision of what God was doing, namely, that at the right time, “…the universe, everything in heaven and earth might be brought into unity in Christ” (Ephesians 1:10 REB). Reading on, Paul then makes an astounding announcement: “For he is himself our peace. Gentiles and Jews, he (Christ) has made the two one, and in his own body of flesh and blood has broken down the barrier of enmity which separated them…" (Ephesians 2:14 REB) Why astounding? Note the verb tense, Paul writes of this as having already taken place. As a result, through Christ’s death, Gentiles and Jews are now a “single new humanity”. (Ephesians 2:15 REB).
Now I realize there is a lot to unpack here. Time and space do not allow me to do so. Certainly, it is more than speculation that Paul believes there is a new reality because of the cross of Christ. This is now the way things are. God’s new humanity, beyond broken walls which would otherwise separate us is now in effect. If I am Christ’s follower, I must see the world in this way. For me, I confess, this presents enormous challenges and difficult choices. But if my life from here onward is to be defined by Christ, I have no other way to see the world, and to then, and here’s the hard part, respond accordingly.
So, allow me to ask you a dirty question. Is this your reality? If we are in Christ, we are necessarily bid to see the world in this way, because this is our reality. So, let us come back to that question of how we define ourselves? Oh yes, there is much because of this new reality that we rightly must oppose. But we cannot allow ourselves to be defined merely by what we are opposed to. Rather, may we be defined by what we are for, or better, whom we are for, and what he has done. As those who belong to Christ, not only are we to see the world anew, but we must also see ourselves, anew—as those for whom the walls which separate us from others, whoever they are, have come down. This will not be easy. Indeed, for any of us this holds enormous challenges. But if we are defined by him, his new reality of the “broken barrier of enmity” we must now see and seek to live.
To sign up to receive this in your inbox every Tuesday click here