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TEMPLE MADE WITHOUT HANDS- that is what we could call the body of Messiah, the church, the One New Man comprised of Jews and Gentiles. It is a spiritual temple. The One Body is God's assembly of believers on earth. We could describe them in many different ways as they are described in the Scriptures.
* the saved by grace through faith
* the converted and no longer defiled
* the sinner who has repented and comes to God through Christ
* he who has ceased to expect his own righteousness to save him
* he who is made right through Christ Jesus
* the redeemed of the Lord
* the sinner who flees to Christ for refuge
* every believer who stands in Christ and is accepted by God
* one who gives himself wholly to the LORD
* a child of God
* the believer who walks in the ways of the LORD
* the one who is born again of water and the word
* born again to new life
* possessor of Christ
* indwelt by the Holy Spirit
* spiritual children of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
* eternally cleansed
* servants of the living God
* a new creation
* born from above
* set free
* priests of the LORD
* professing church who are of the kingdom of God
* heirs of the kingdom of God
* cleansed from all unrighteousness
* justified
* alive in Christ
* the habitation of God
* under the Shepherd rule of the LORD Jesus
* sheep of His flock
* citizens of heaven
* fashioned by the will of God
* accepted in the Beloved
* saints of God
* brothers and sisters in Christ
* His Church
* His people
* the people of God
* set upon the rock
* living stones
* a spiritual house
* written in the Lamb's book of life
* the Bride of Christ
Whether you are a Jewish believer in Jesus, the Messiah, or a Gentile believer you are identified as one of the above.
The temple that was in the wilderness was set up with a series of courts. The large, paved area surrounding the temple and its inner courts was embedded by a double colonnade of pillars standing 37 feet high. The perimeter of this area measured three quarters of a mile. This outer court was for the Gentiles, and was called the court of the Gentiles. Gentiles were physically prevented from entering into any of the inner courts by a 4.5 foot barrier. There were stone slabs with warnings to the Gentiles and whoever was caught would be faced with death.
This dividing wall had great significance for Paul, who was arrested in Jerusalem for reportedly bringing a Gentile into the inner court of the temple (Acts 21:16-30.
Paul and other Jewish followers of Christ recognized that the God who had previously resided in the temple had entered humanity in the person of Jesus, Yeshua, the Messiah.
Jesus’ death on the cross and his resurrection had in effect broken down the dividing wall, effecting spiritual unity between Jews and Gentiles. As a result, Paul knew all people
have been granted access to God through saving faith in Yeshua
HaMeshiach.
Jew and Gentile are one in Messiah because of the finished work of Jesus Christ. We are both now one in the body of Christ.
Christ is the head, the cornerstone of the temple that is not built with hands.
All true believers are being fit into the spiritual temple.
Read more about the spiritual temple of the body of Christ on the "Tabernacle" tab and "Our body, the temple"
* the saved by grace through faith
* the converted and no longer defiled
* the sinner who has repented and comes to God through Christ
* he who has ceased to expect his own righteousness to save him
* he who is made right through Christ Jesus
* the redeemed of the Lord
* the sinner who flees to Christ for refuge
* every believer who stands in Christ and is accepted by God
* one who gives himself wholly to the LORD
* a child of God
* the believer who walks in the ways of the LORD
* the one who is born again of water and the word
* born again to new life
* possessor of Christ
* indwelt by the Holy Spirit
* spiritual children of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
* eternally cleansed
* servants of the living God
* a new creation
* born from above
* set free
* priests of the LORD
* professing church who are of the kingdom of God
* heirs of the kingdom of God
* cleansed from all unrighteousness
* justified
* alive in Christ
* the habitation of God
* under the Shepherd rule of the LORD Jesus
* sheep of His flock
* citizens of heaven
* fashioned by the will of God
* accepted in the Beloved
* saints of God
* brothers and sisters in Christ
* His Church
* His people
* the people of God
* set upon the rock
* living stones
* a spiritual house
* written in the Lamb's book of life
* the Bride of Christ
Whether you are a Jewish believer in Jesus, the Messiah, or a Gentile believer you are identified as one of the above.
The temple that was in the wilderness was set up with a series of courts. The large, paved area surrounding the temple and its inner courts was embedded by a double colonnade of pillars standing 37 feet high. The perimeter of this area measured three quarters of a mile. This outer court was for the Gentiles, and was called the court of the Gentiles. Gentiles were physically prevented from entering into any of the inner courts by a 4.5 foot barrier. There were stone slabs with warnings to the Gentiles and whoever was caught would be faced with death.
This dividing wall had great significance for Paul, who was arrested in Jerusalem for reportedly bringing a Gentile into the inner court of the temple (Acts 21:16-30.
Paul and other Jewish followers of Christ recognized that the God who had previously resided in the temple had entered humanity in the person of Jesus, Yeshua, the Messiah.
Jesus’ death on the cross and his resurrection had in effect broken down the dividing wall, effecting spiritual unity between Jews and Gentiles. As a result, Paul knew all people
have been granted access to God through saving faith in Yeshua
HaMeshiach.
Jew and Gentile are one in Messiah because of the finished work of Jesus Christ. We are both now one in the body of Christ.
Christ is the head, the cornerstone of the temple that is not built with hands.
All true believers are being fit into the spiritual temple.
Read more about the spiritual temple of the body of Christ on the "Tabernacle" tab and "Our body, the temple"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Now He Himself is our peace, who made both groups (Jew and Gentile) into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity. …for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father. Ephesians 2: 14-16, 18
So then you (Gentiles) are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and of God’s household, having been built on 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 (Gentiles) are also being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit. Ephesians 2:18-22
Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit just as also you were called in one hope of your calling: one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all in all. Ephesians 4:1-6
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
At the foot of the cross everyone is equal in God's sight. The wealthy and the poor, the young and the old, every nationality is the same in God's eyes. In Isaiah 42 God says of Messiah-
The Lord’s Chosen Servant
1 “Look at my servant, whom I strengthen. He is my chosen one, who pleases me. I have put my Spirit upon him. He will bring justice to the nations.
2 He will not shout or raise his voice in public.
3 He will not crush the weakest reed or put out a flickering candle. He will bring justice to all who have been wronged.4 He will not falter or lose heart until justice prevails throughout the earth. Even distant lands beyond the sea will wait for his instruction. ”
5 God, the Lord, created the heavens and stretched
them out. He created the earth and everything in it. He gives breath to everyone, life to everyone who walks the earth. And
it is he who says,
6 “I, the Lord, have called you to demonstrate my
righteousness. I will take you by the hand and guard you, and
I will give you to my people, Israel, as a symbol of my covenant with them. And you will be a light to guide the nations.
7 You will open the eyes of the blind. You will free the captives from prison, releasing those who sit in dark dungeons.
8 “I am the Lord; that is my name! I will not give my glory to anyone else, nor share my praise with carved idols.9 Everything I prophesied has come true, and now I will prophesy again. I
will tell you the future before it happens.”
Isaiah 42:1-9 (NLT)
He also says In Him the non-Jewish people find hope. The nature of God is to seek and to save sinners.
But it is only good news to those who perceive themselves as sinners. Only those who acknowledge and repent of their sin are able to receive God's grace and mercy. Yeshua (Jesus) entered the world on a search and rescue mission, but some are beyond the reach of His saving grace by their own unwillingness to accept the truth of God's Word. God says, 'I will feed my flock and lead them to rest, I will search for the lost, bring back those that strayed away, put bandages on those that were hurt, and make the weak strong.' ( Ezekiel 34:15) God must do it, and He did.
Messiah is the answer and the only way to be reconciled to God and to please God, because our own actions and intent can never be good enough. We are all ruined by sin and do not have God's favor. But He made a way to bestow favor upon us. Man could not find His own way to God. Our compassionate God became like one of us so He could show us the way home, and lead us on the right path to get there. His desire always has been to bring us back to that garden of Eden, a place of peace, rest, beauty, and where we have everything we need. God so loved us that He sent His only Son to pay the penalty of sin for us. It is only through the Son that we can be reconciled to the Father.
Jesus gave a teaching on a mountain to His disciples, but many others had also gathered to hear what He had to say. (Matthew 5) His teaching shows us the demand of God, revealing it to be something that deals with the inward man and which can only be worked out through the power of love. God's own power enables us to keep His commandments. It can be attempted only by the man who has responded to the challenge of the kingdom presented by Jesus, and who seeks to obey on the basis of grace. Any outward attempt, being good or keeping a certain ritual, will not allow you to be reconciled back to the Father. God demands perfection and no man has been able to do that. The criticism against leagalism, by trying to keep the Old Testament law, is really about the rabinic interpretation of that law. Christ is the only basis on which the principles set out are attainable in any way. Only that can give the right outlook and attitudes, and this is expressed in personal relationships rather than outward actions. There is not to be a divorce of the two. Jesus came to be perfect and meet the demands of God in our place, He gained us reconcilliation and eternal life. He also gained for us the enablement to keep the law by the power of the Holy Spirit who now indwells us.
Now God wants faithful love more than any sacrifice or ritual. Those who come to Him and trust in Him for salvation are instantly changed on the inside so that their deep impulse is to love Him and not to be disobedient, not to serve self and live only for self, but to serve God and their fellowman. He came to invite the sinners not the 'good' people' who feel no need for His help. So great is His love for those who respect Him and who accept the sacrifice He made. He took our sins away and gave us eternal salvation. He is a faithful and merciful God who shows mercy on those who come to Him.
What are you putting your trust in for entry into your eternal resting place?
Now He Himself is our peace, who made both groups (Jew and Gentile) into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity. …for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father. Ephesians 2: 14-16, 18
So then you (Gentiles) are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and of God’s household, having been built on 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 (Gentiles) are also being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit. Ephesians 2:18-22
Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit just as also you were called in one hope of your calling: one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all in all. Ephesians 4:1-6
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
At the foot of the cross everyone is equal in God's sight. The wealthy and the poor, the young and the old, every nationality is the same in God's eyes. In Isaiah 42 God says of Messiah-
The Lord’s Chosen Servant
1 “Look at my servant, whom I strengthen. He is my chosen one, who pleases me. I have put my Spirit upon him. He will bring justice to the nations.
2 He will not shout or raise his voice in public.
3 He will not crush the weakest reed or put out a flickering candle. He will bring justice to all who have been wronged.4 He will not falter or lose heart until justice prevails throughout the earth. Even distant lands beyond the sea will wait for his instruction. ”
5 God, the Lord, created the heavens and stretched
them out. He created the earth and everything in it. He gives breath to everyone, life to everyone who walks the earth. And
it is he who says,
6 “I, the Lord, have called you to demonstrate my
righteousness. I will take you by the hand and guard you, and
I will give you to my people, Israel, as a symbol of my covenant with them. And you will be a light to guide the nations.
7 You will open the eyes of the blind. You will free the captives from prison, releasing those who sit in dark dungeons.
8 “I am the Lord; that is my name! I will not give my glory to anyone else, nor share my praise with carved idols.9 Everything I prophesied has come true, and now I will prophesy again. I
will tell you the future before it happens.”
Isaiah 42:1-9 (NLT)
He also says In Him the non-Jewish people find hope. The nature of God is to seek and to save sinners.
But it is only good news to those who perceive themselves as sinners. Only those who acknowledge and repent of their sin are able to receive God's grace and mercy. Yeshua (Jesus) entered the world on a search and rescue mission, but some are beyond the reach of His saving grace by their own unwillingness to accept the truth of God's Word. God says, 'I will feed my flock and lead them to rest, I will search for the lost, bring back those that strayed away, put bandages on those that were hurt, and make the weak strong.' ( Ezekiel 34:15) God must do it, and He did.
Messiah is the answer and the only way to be reconciled to God and to please God, because our own actions and intent can never be good enough. We are all ruined by sin and do not have God's favor. But He made a way to bestow favor upon us. Man could not find His own way to God. Our compassionate God became like one of us so He could show us the way home, and lead us on the right path to get there. His desire always has been to bring us back to that garden of Eden, a place of peace, rest, beauty, and where we have everything we need. God so loved us that He sent His only Son to pay the penalty of sin for us. It is only through the Son that we can be reconciled to the Father.
Jesus gave a teaching on a mountain to His disciples, but many others had also gathered to hear what He had to say. (Matthew 5) His teaching shows us the demand of God, revealing it to be something that deals with the inward man and which can only be worked out through the power of love. God's own power enables us to keep His commandments. It can be attempted only by the man who has responded to the challenge of the kingdom presented by Jesus, and who seeks to obey on the basis of grace. Any outward attempt, being good or keeping a certain ritual, will not allow you to be reconciled back to the Father. God demands perfection and no man has been able to do that. The criticism against leagalism, by trying to keep the Old Testament law, is really about the rabinic interpretation of that law. Christ is the only basis on which the principles set out are attainable in any way. Only that can give the right outlook and attitudes, and this is expressed in personal relationships rather than outward actions. There is not to be a divorce of the two. Jesus came to be perfect and meet the demands of God in our place, He gained us reconcilliation and eternal life. He also gained for us the enablement to keep the law by the power of the Holy Spirit who now indwells us.
Now God wants faithful love more than any sacrifice or ritual. Those who come to Him and trust in Him for salvation are instantly changed on the inside so that their deep impulse is to love Him and not to be disobedient, not to serve self and live only for self, but to serve God and their fellowman. He came to invite the sinners not the 'good' people' who feel no need for His help. So great is His love for those who respect Him and who accept the sacrifice He made. He took our sins away and gave us eternal salvation. He is a faithful and merciful God who shows mercy on those who come to Him.
What are you putting your trust in for entry into your eternal resting place?
If the first piece of dough is holy, the lump is also; and if the root is holy, the branches are too. But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree, do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you. Rom 11:16-18
Though blindness in part, as had been expressly foretold, had happened to Israel, yet, seeing that the gifts and calling of God are without repentance, the period must arrive when, according to the repeated promises of Scripture, all Israel shall be saved. They shall be brought in with the fullness of the Gentiles, when the wisdom and the goodness of God, in His dealings towards both, will be finally unfolded, and the assembled universe shall with one voice acknowledge that God is all in all, and that of Him, and through Him, and to Him are all things, to whom the glory shall be ascribed through the endless ages of eternity.
God designed even now to reserve for Himself a people out of the Jews as well as out of the Gentiles. When the Jews can no longer hide from themselves that the God of their fathers is with the nations whom they abhor, they will be led to consider their ways, and brought again into the fold of Israel. It was in this manner, then, that God purposed to bring the Jewish nation finally to submit to Him, in order that they might receive His blessing; and thus in His sovereignty He overrules the fall and ruin of some for the salvation of others. His awful judgments against the audacious transgressors of His laws, warn the beholders to flee from the wrath to come; and, on the other hand, the conversion of men who have been notorious sinners, excites others to seek the salvation of Christ. — their restoration as a body, when they shall acknowledge Christ as the Messiah — will yet prove a far greater blessing to the Gentiles. It will be connected with a calling of the nations to an extent beyond anything yet witnessed, and also with a great enlargement of their knowledge of the Gospel.
—Exposition of the Epistle to the Romans
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews." John 4:22
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Though blindness in part, as had been expressly foretold, had happened to Israel, yet, seeing that the gifts and calling of God are without repentance, the period must arrive when, according to the repeated promises of Scripture, all Israel shall be saved. They shall be brought in with the fullness of the Gentiles, when the wisdom and the goodness of God, in His dealings towards both, will be finally unfolded, and the assembled universe shall with one voice acknowledge that God is all in all, and that of Him, and through Him, and to Him are all things, to whom the glory shall be ascribed through the endless ages of eternity.
God designed even now to reserve for Himself a people out of the Jews as well as out of the Gentiles. When the Jews can no longer hide from themselves that the God of their fathers is with the nations whom they abhor, they will be led to consider their ways, and brought again into the fold of Israel. It was in this manner, then, that God purposed to bring the Jewish nation finally to submit to Him, in order that they might receive His blessing; and thus in His sovereignty He overrules the fall and ruin of some for the salvation of others. His awful judgments against the audacious transgressors of His laws, warn the beholders to flee from the wrath to come; and, on the other hand, the conversion of men who have been notorious sinners, excites others to seek the salvation of Christ. — their restoration as a body, when they shall acknowledge Christ as the Messiah — will yet prove a far greater blessing to the Gentiles. It will be connected with a calling of the nations to an extent beyond anything yet witnessed, and also with a great enlargement of their knowledge of the Gospel.
—Exposition of the Epistle to the Romans
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews." John 4:22
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem and stand up for Israel, God's chosen people. Read and understand the Word of God. God told Abraham that He would bless those who bless Israel, and He would curse those who curse Israel. As a child of the living God we have a responsibility to stand
by Israel, whether you are a Jew or a Gentile.
by Israel, whether you are a Jew or a Gentile.
Stand by and support Israel.
To support Israel is more than just to pray for the peace of Jerusalem, but to pray from the bottom of your heart and also in active support for Israel by purchasing the products they produce and of course visiting the land. There are organizations that allow you to help aide the hurting people of the Promised Land, and praying for them. Hands of Mercy is one way to visit the land and to bless Israel, to minister to those in need.
If you plant an olive tree in Jerusalem you are also blessing the people by providing a source of income through the caring for the tree and then harvesting the fruit. The olives are good for food and for oil. One way to do that is through "My Olive Tree". http://www.plantmyolivetree.com/#
If you plant an olive tree in Jerusalem you are also blessing the people by providing a source of income through the caring for the tree and then harvesting the fruit. The olives are good for food and for oil. One way to do that is through "My Olive Tree". http://www.plantmyolivetree.com/#