Series: Identity – The Book of Ephesians
Sermon: One New Humanity
Bible Passage: Ephesians 2:15

Identity changes thus far:

1. Saint turned a sinner
2. Elected to be holy and blameless
3. Adopted as God’s children
4. Redeemed through Christ
5. God’s inheritance with a seal of ownership
6. God’s masterpiece from a messed-up background

The identity for this week: “One New Humanity”—of all the status changes, this is the decisive one towards God’s plan! cf. Eph 1:101)

Verse 15: He [Jesus] did this to create in himself [Jesus] one new humanity out of two … Some have translated “one new humanity” as “one new man,” “one man,” “one human race,” and “one new people”

1. There are two Greek words for “new”: neos and kainos

a. neos refers to something that is fresh, something in existence for a relatively short time, unused, or temporal newness
b. kainos refers to

i. Something did not present previously
ii. Something radically new
iii. Something hitherto is not known
iv. Qualitative newness over temporal newness
v. The newness kainos has the characteristics that are remarkable in nature

c. In verse 15, the word kainos is used for “new humanity”

2. The “new humanity” is remarkably different from the earlier ones

a. Let’s talk about the earlier one, prior to the “new humanity” (verses 11-12)

i. Racial marginalization—”formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh—who are called “uncircumcision” by the so-called “circumcision”” (verse 11)
ii. Social marginalization—”the Gentiles were alienated from the commonwealth of Israel” (verse 12)
iii. Religious marginalization—”the Gentiles were strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God” (verse 12)
iv. Enmity between Gentiles and Jews—He [Jesus] destroyed the middle wall of partition, the hostility, when he nullified in his flesh the law of commandments in decrees (verse 14-15)—the sinful man used the God-given law to build barriers and foment hostility
v. Both were in need of forgiveness—to reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by which the hostility has been killed (verse 16)

b. This “new humanity” is comprised of two races: Jews and Gentiles

i. The “new humanity” is free of social, religious, and racial marginalization
ii. The new humanity does not contain barriers of divisions
iii. The new humanity enjoys peace with one another and together peace with God (verse 15)

– By making peace between the two
– By reconciling them with God through His body which took care of their hostility with God

3. The “new humanity possess three important privileges

a. Proximity to God—Far vs continuous access (12b, 13, 17-18)

i. Verse 12b having no hope and without God in the world
ii. Verse 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who used to be far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ
iii. Verse 17 He [Jesus] came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near, 2:18 so that through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father
iv. The expression “we have the access” is in present tense—i.e., we have access to God 24/7

b. God’s household/kingdom

i. Previous marginal condition vs present privileged condition (11-12 vs 19-20)

c. A building—Temple (the believers become the dwelling of the Triune God)

i. Jesus Christ as the Cornerstone
ii. God as the resident
iii. The Spirit of God as the enabler

Take Away:

Work alongside of the Triune God with your compliance, participation, and obedience