19th July 2024

Break dividing walls

For [Jesus] is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.
Ephesians 2:14-16 (NIVUK)

The Temple in Jerusalem was surrounded by courts that formed layers of separation from the inner holiest places: The Holy Place was divided by the veil or curtain from the innermost Holy of Holies. The inner Court of Priests formed the first layer of separation where the Priests constantly attended the daily sacrifices and led in the worship of the Lord. Next was the Court of Israel into which only Jewish men could enter and worship. After this was the Court of Women, indicating that Jewish women could go no further into the temple. The outer perimeter was the Court of the Gentiles separated from the rest of the Temple complex by a wall: the soreg, a five-foot barricade that went around the entire temple enclosure. Gentiles as well as ritually unclean Israelites were forbidden from passing further into the interior areas. At intervals on the wall were inscriptions warning that no non-Jewish persons were ever permitted to enter the Jewish enclosure upon the punishment of death. These acted as great ‘No entry: trespassers will be killed’ signs. The apostle Paul almost got himself killed in the Temple because of false rumours that he took Gentiles into the sacred areas (Acts 21:26-31). 

But the good news is that Jesus tore down the dividing walls on the cross. The sin barrier between God and man was removed by the death of Christ, and as a result, human beings are reconnected to God. Jesus provided the only way that humanity can approach God, effectively removing the dividing walls. Through Christ Jesus both Jew and Gentile have access in one Spirit to the Father with the result: ‘…you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household…’ (Ephesians 2:19). Our reconciliation with God was supernaturally revealed when the curtain that separated The Holy Place from The Holy of Holies was torn from top to bottom: ‘when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom…’ (Matthew 27:50-51).

Additionally, because Christ’s death restored our fellowship with God, the fellowship between Jew and Gentile has also been restored. Real peace between individuals will only come as they are reconciled to God through Jesus Christ. Sin brought about hostility, but Jesus has removed that hostility. 

Since the greater wall between us and God has been completely removed, there is now no need for the lesser walls of separation, typified by Jew and Gentile. If God, in Christ, has torn away the wall of separation between him and us there can never be a wall that separates others in Christ from us. As Paul says, ‘So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptised into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.’ (Galatians 3:26-28).

Is there a dividing wall between you and another member of God’s family? There shouldn’t be if you are both in Christ. Let’s commit to breaking any dividing walls that exist between us, as David Ruis’ song Break Dividing Walls¹ says:

There is a place of commanded blessing
Where brethren in unity dwell
A place where anointing oil is flowing
And we live as one

We will break dividing walls
We will break dividing walls
We will break dividing walls in the name of your Son
We will break dividing walls
We will break dividing walls and we will be one

Father we join with the prayer of Jesus
As you are so let us be one
Joined together in unity and purpose
All for the love of your son

Prayer
Loving Father, Thank you that through Jesus’s death not only has reconciliation with you taken place but also reconciliation among people. Help us, Lord, not to erect new walls that keep others from your grace, and in all of our relationships, may we demonstrate your grace and mercy. In Jesus’s name, Amen.

Study by Barry Robinson

¹ Break Dividing Walls by David Ruis – Invubu – selected verses 

About the writer:
Barry Robinson is a minister in Grace Communion International and Regional Pastor for Southern England, the Midlands, and Wales

Local congregation:
Grace Communion West Hampstead
Sidings Community Centre
150 Brassey Road
West Hampstead
London
NW6 2BA

Meeting time:
Sunday 12.30 pm

Local congregational contact:
Gordon Brown
gordon.brown@gracecom.church

Word of Life contact:
wordoflife@gracecom.church