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that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.<\/strong><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Through faith in Christ we are no longer without hope.<\/p>\n The word \u201cwithout<\/span>\u201d is translated from the Greek word ch\u014dris<\/em><\/span>, which means \u201cwithout\u201d or \u201cseparated from.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBeing aliens<\/span>\u201d is from the verb apallotrio\u014d<\/em><\/span>, which is made up of apo<\/em><\/span>, meaning \u201cfrom\u201d or \u201capart from\u201d and allotrio\u014d<\/em><\/span>, meaning \u201cto alienate\u201d or \u201cto separate from.\u201d Thus, this word means \u201cto be completely separated from.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCommonwealth<\/span>\u201d is translated from politeia<\/em><\/span> (from which we get our English word politics). It is indirectly derived from polis<\/span><\/em>, meaning \u201ca city.\u201d Politeia<\/em><\/span> refers to a community or commonwealth of citizens.<\/p>\n Xenos<\/em><\/span> is the Greek word translated \u201cstrangers<\/span>.\u201d It refers to someone who is not a citizen of a commonwealth.<\/p>\n The words \u201cwithout God<\/span>\u201d are from atheos<\/em><\/span>, which is made up of a<\/em><\/span>, meaning \u201cnot\u201d or \u201cwithout\u201d and theos<\/em><\/span>, which is the Greek word for \u201cgod.\u201d Therefore, we see that atheos<\/em><\/span> refers to someone \u201cwithout God\u201d or \u201cGodless.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHope<\/span>\u201d is translated from the Greek word elpis<\/em><\/span>, which refers to more than just a wish. It is \u201ca hope for something with the full expectation that it will happen.\u201d<\/p>\n In the previous verse Paul noted that before we were saved we were called \u201cthe uncircumcision\u201d by the Jews, because we were not part of the covenant that God made with them through Abraham. Even though the Jewish faith had degenerated into a works oriented religion, they still were the recipients of God\u2019s covenant because they were descendants of Abraham.<\/p>\n Paul now expands on what he has just said. He tells us that before we were saved, we were without Christ. That\u2019s pretty obvious. But, he also tells us that we were not part of the political entity called Israel either. The significance of this is that only Israel was privy to the covenant. Now, we have to ask, what covenant is Paul talking about?<\/p>\n Shortly after the day of Pentecost, when the Spirit of God was poured out, Peter preached a message to the Jews in the temple area. As part of that message, he said:<\/p>\n You are sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, \u201cand in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.\u201d<\/span> (Acts 3:25<\/strong><\/span>)<\/p>\n This is the covenant referred to by Paul, the promise of a Messiah. Before the coming of Christ, we were outside the commonwealth to whom the promise was made. Therefore, before Christ, we were without hope and we were without God. We were alone in the world system.<\/p>\n Before we were saved, we were hopelessly lost and destined for eternal punishment in Hell. But now, through faith in the blood of Christ, we have hope and the assurance that we will spend eternity in God\u2019s holy presence. There is hope for us!<\/p>\n In God\u2019s service, for His glory,<\/strong><\/p>\nTruth to Learn<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Behind the Words<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Meaning Explained<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Application<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
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