Ephesians 2:19–22 (NASB 95)
19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and are of God’s household, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.
Examine / Explain
As a believer, I undergo a profound transformation. I am no longer a stranger or a slave to my sin, but I am welcomed into the household of God. This is not a mere change of status but a complete shift in my identity. I now hold dual citizenship: one in this world and one with all the saints. Our house, with Jesus as its cornerstone, was built by the prophets and apostles. We, the body of believers, are the church. We are not just buildings but the very temples where the Holy Spirit resides. We have become the dwelling places of the Living God.
What’s the application?
I am no longer a stranger and alien to God but a stranger living in a strange land. My home is not this world, but it is where I live. The idea came to my mind about living in a house as a son. There comes a point when we grow from being a child in the house to becoming a man. We want our independence yet still want to be like a child free of responsibilities. In our culture, we push our young men to be responsible to the point of “If you stay living in this house, you must act like a son, or you can become a tenant. Be it a tenant at this building or another.” Are we a part of the household, or are we strangers and aliens? How do I live? Do I see my sonship from the perspective of a son living in the household of God? To the point that I must live abandoned to the household. Do I make decisions that help the house or tear it apart? Or am I a tenant in the household of God? Oikeios is the Greek word for household. It means everyone who lives and operates in the house, from the head of the household down to any slaves living there. They all lived for the house. They worked for the betterment of the house. They protect the house. They lived in a community within the house. How am I doing at living like this? Is my life a reflection of someone simply living the building God created, or can others see my vested interest in my home? When people have nice homes, they want to show it off. We can go down Lake Shore Drive and take pictures of these mansions. But if we start driving around a different part of town and taking pictures of homes, we will be met with opposition. Suspicious of why we would be taking pictures. Am I proud of my home? Do I show it to other people? I wonder about those of us who are just tenants on this earth and claim to be believers. They pay their rent by giving to their local church. Their maintenance on the home is going on Sundays. They do the bare minimum to keep up their “home.” They dare not invite others into their home because they live ” on the wrong side of town.” We would be met with suspicion when looking closer at their “house.” How’s my house? What does my neighborhood look like? How is my house in the Kingdom? Is it inviting? Do others want to see my house? Does it inspire them to work on their own house?
What is my response?
Father, by no means am I advocating that we be higher than You or more important than someone else. I am advocating that we glorify You through our lives. As believers, we are citizens of a heavenly kingdom and should live as such. We are Your children, and we should obey our Father. Our house is to be on a hill shining for others to see. We are to be different, and it should be seen. I am imperfect, and I know I won’t be perfect on this earth. But it saddens me to see believers living the bare minimum of a life with You. They won’t work on surrendering their lives to You. They look decent on the outside but the bones of their home are decaying and beginning to crumble. They refuse to let go of their pride. Granted, I still have pride problems, but that is why there is Grace. You still love me even when I mess it up because I am one of Your children. I can come to You as a child. I can be completely dependent on You. But do I? Or do I say it but don’t live it? I still struggle with self-reliance. I am the only one who can take care of me. FALSE! Help me to live out complete and utter dependence on my Father. Help me live abandoned. Amen.
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