Ephesians 2:14-17
For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near.
Truth: Jesus not only reconciles us to God but also to each other.
The fact that we are hostile to God in our basic nature would not surprise many. Many people would recognize that there is something that prevents them from a "natural" relationship with God ... hence the numerous systems of work-based-salvation-religious-systems. Whereas many would agree with this hostility, most would agree man has hostility with each other. You can listen to the local news on any night and here the open hostility men have with each other. Wether domestic, inter-racial, political, national or multi-national, hostility with our fellow men is a fact. In Noah's day this was a mark of the evilness of man. Most would agree, also that Jesus came to restore the hostility between man and God. Few, however, realize the truth of the above verse: That Christ also came to restore the open hostility between one man and another. In the verse story of the Bible we have the narrative of a husband and wife in dispute over who caused the disobedience of the rules in the Garden of Eden. The second story in the Bible is a story of their sons fighting and one killing the other. The results of sin are the open hostile relationships we have with each other. Yes, we are hostile to God. Yes, we are hostile to each other. This is why Christ came. Christ came to restore our relationship with His Father. But, He also came to restore the relationship we have with each other. He came to "reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility." This is why it is so dangerous for Christians to fight, war, and have strife between them. The foundation of faith is that we are stored to Him, through Him, for Him and IN Him with each other. Having hostile relationships with other brothers in Christ is like having one hand constantly slapping the other hand in your own body. Or, like having one leg wanting to go left and the other leg wanting to go right. Christ came to reconcile us to God and to each other.
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