Wednesday, February 18, 2026
So, then, remember that at one time you were Gentiles in the flesh—called “the uncircumcised” by those called “the circumcised,” which is done in the flesh by human hands. At that time you were without Christ, excluded from the citizenship of Israel, and foreigners to the covenants of promise, without hope and without God in the world. Ephesians 2:11-12 CSB
Without Christ
We are in week three of the series called We Are The Church – A Study In Ephesians. In this series Pastor Jim is walking us through what church is, our part as Christians in the church and as the church in the world. Our key truth is, The church is not a destination, but a base of operation. Church is not where we are to quietly live out our days as a believer, but instead it is a launchpad where we are equipped, encouraged, supported, loved, taught, and sent out to do the work God has called us to do as his church – to go out and spread the Gospel far and wide.
Ephesians begins with Paul reminding the church in Ephesus of their adoption into the family of God. Chosen by the Father, adopted through Jesus, and sealed with the Holy Spirit forever. The church, or the family of God, is bound together in the Gospel regardless of any worldly boundaries such as Jews and Gentiles. Paul reminds them that in the shed blood of Jesus Christ those boundaries disappear. The last half of chapter 2 begins with another reminder to the Ephesians of who they were and their previous state when they were without Christ.
Outsiders -
Paul reminds the Gentiles that they were once outsiders, excluded from the promises of God, strangers to the covenants of promise, without hope, and without God in the world. He reminds them of a time when they were far from God, separated by a wall of hostility. The idea that Gentiles were not circumcised indicated to Jews that they did not have five privileges given to the nation Israel.
Without Christ, the Gentiles were:
Excluded from the citizenship of Israel… Being a citizen of Israel was deeply connected to Israel’s political and religious identity. They were looked at as foreigners with no connection to the people of God.
Foreigners to the covenants of promise… The Gentiles were not part of the promise of covenant made with Jewish people. They were left out of these arrangements.
Without hope… Without Christ and the mercy, forgiveness, and salvation he brings there is no hope. No relationship with him translates into an eternity separated from God and no life after death. They were not looking for a Messiah. In fact, they had no hope of a Messiah coming one day because they were strangers to that covenant of hope. A believer’s hope is based on the promises of God, of which they were excluded.
Without God in the world… The Gentiles did not know God like the Jewish people did. They thought of God in heaven – separate from the world.
Even though the Gentiles were once outsiders, excluded from the promises and covenant of God’s chosen people, living without hope and purpose, that was not their destiny. This story mirrors the Gospel, in that before Christ saved us, all of us were like the Gentiles – outsiders, separated from God. But because of the shed blood of Jesus it does not have to stay that way.
Without spiritual blessings. Without light. Without peace. Without rest. Without safety. Without hope. Without a spiritual heritage or a covenant promise. This is what it looked like for the Ephesians to live without hope and without God, and the same is true for us. Because of Jesus we can know true belonging and hope. We were dead in our sin, but God made us alive together with Christ.
