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having abolished in His flesh the enmity,<\/span> that is<\/span>,<\/em> the law of commandments contained<\/em><\/span> in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from<\/em><\/span> the two, thus<\/em><\/span> making peace,<\/span><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n In the church there is no distinction between races or sexes.<\/p>\n \u201cHaving abolished<\/span>\u201d is translated from the Greek verb katarge\u014d<\/em><\/span>. This is made up of kata<\/em><\/span>, used as an intensifier and the verb arge\u014d<\/em><\/span>, meaning \u201cto be inactive\u201d or \u201cto be idle.\u201d Thus, katarge\u014d<\/em><\/span> means \u201cto make something completely inactive.\u201d<\/p>\n The word \u201cenmity<\/span>\u201d is from echthra<\/em><\/span>, which refers to \u201chatred\u201d or \u201chostility.\u201d It is also used metaphorically, as it is here, to refer to the cause for such hatred or hostility.<\/p>\n \u201cCommandments<\/span>\u201d comes from the Greek noun entol\u0113<\/em><\/span>. This is derived from the verb entellomai<\/em><\/span>, meaning \u201cto charge\u201d or \u201cto command.\u201d It refers to \u201ca charge\u201d or \u201can edict\u201d as from a public or religious authority.<\/p>\n Dogma<\/em><\/span> is the Greek word translated \u201cordinances<\/span>.\u201d It is derived from the verb doke\u014d<\/em><\/span>, meaning \u201cto think.\u201d Dogma<\/em><\/span> actually refers to \u201can opinion, proposition, or conclusion,\u201d not to \u201ca firmly fixed religious truth\u201d as it is frequently used today.<\/p>\n In yesterday\u2019s verse Paul introduced us to the idea that Christ is the one who made peace between the Jews and the Gentiles. He did so by destroying the partitioning wall between us. In the Greek text the word translated enmity (echthra<\/em>) immediately follows the words translated \u201cthe middle wall of separation.\u201d Being placed in apposition (side by side) like this indicates that enmity further defines \u201cthe middle wall of separation\u201d not \u201cthe law of commandments.\u201d So, a better translation of verses fourteen and fifteen might be:<\/p>\n For He is our peace, who made both one and destroyed the middle wall of separation, even the enmity, by having deactivated in His flesh the law of commandments contained in ordinances, that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, making peace,<\/p>\n Now, what we learn here is that Christ completely fulfilled the Law, and then He offered up His sinless life as the sacrificial lamb (completing the fulfillment of the law). In so doing, His righteousness can now be credited to all who believe. Therefore, the enmity between Jews and Gentiles, like the wall that separated us in the Temple court, has been destroyed. And, by fully satisfying the law and offering Himself as the sacrificial lamb, He has deactivated the Law of Moses.<\/p>\n In the book of Romans, Paul goes to great lengths to show that we are no longer bound by the law as slaves to it like the Jews were. Instead, we have a new master, God, who has purchased our redemption and has adopted us as His children. Now that the enmity has been destroyed, we are at peace with our Jewish brothers in Christ. Together we all make up the body of Christ and we work together in serving God.<\/p>\n Application<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n In the church, the body of Christ, there is no distinction between the races or the sexes as there was in the Jewish faith. We are all one in Christ, co-equal servants of Almighty God.<\/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
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