“And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.” Ephesians 2:17-18
In the Gospel, Christ Jesus promises forgiveness, pardon, and peace to all who despair of their own righteousness under the Law and look in faith to Him — to His holy life and His atoning sacrifice on the cross for the sins of the world. This peace is preached to both Jews and Gentiles because it is through Spirit-wrought faith in Christ that both have access to God the Father.
Grant to me, O Holy Spirit, through the preaching of the Gospel, the peace of sins forgiven through faith in Christ Jesus and His blood, shed on the cross for the sins of the world. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
“For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.” Ephesians 2:14-16
Jesus Christ, by His holy life and innocent sufferings and death on the cross, has made full atonement for the sins of all, having fulfilled the demands of God’s Law and paid the just penalty for all our sins, that both Jew and Gentile might look to Christ in faith and be reconciled with God the Father. Through faith in Jesus Christ, both Jew and Gentile have peace with God and are one in Christ!
O Christ, You have, by Your atoning sacrifice, won for us forgiveness of sins and peace with God. Grant that we look to You in faith and so be reconciled to God through Your innocent sufferings and death in our stead. Amen.
“You answered them, O LORD our God; You were to them God-Who-Forgives, though You took vengeance on their deeds.” Psalm 99:8
Moses and Aaron sinned against the LORD at Meribah (Num. 20). God forgave their sins, but they still suffered the vengeance of God upon their evil deeds and were not permitted to enter into the promised land. So also, the LORD mercifully forgives the sins of those who trust in Him and the atonement He provided for us in the innocent sufferings and death of His Son. Yet this does not mean there will be no consequences for our sins — God still takes vengeance on our evil deeds, so that we may not take sin lightly and dishonor God’s holy name.
For the sake of Your mercy in Christ Jesus, forgive my foolishness and sin, O God, and grant me the wisdom and faith to accept the consequences of my evil deeds and the chastisement You inflict upon me for my good and Your glory. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
“Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh — who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands — that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” Ephesians 2:11-13
Not being a part of God’s people and partakers of the covenant promises, we were without Christ and without hope in this world. But Christ Jesus atoned for the sins of all when He shed His blood on the cross and, through faith in Christ, we have been made a part of God’s covenant people and partakers of the covenant promises of forgiveness for all our sins and life everlasting in communion and fellowship with God.
Thank You, dear Savior, for redeeming me from sin and death and making me a part of Your people through faith in Your name. Amen.
“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10
We are saved by grace alone and through faith alone in Jesus Christ and His cross, not by our works, will, or choosing. But we are saved for a purpose — not that we should continue in sin and rebellion against God, but that we should do those good works God created us to do. And what are those works? We learn God’s will for our lives in the commandments He has given us in His Word.
O gracious and merciful God, thank You for granting me salvation through Spirit-wrought faith in Christ Jesus. Move me to live for You now in accord with Your Word and do those works You created me to do. Amen.
