In the temple grounds in Jerusalem there was a stone wall, no foreigner was allowed to enter within this barricade which surrounded the temple enclosure. Along the wall there were notices attached warning non Jews to not enter into the temple enclosure ,written in Greek and Latin, it read, ''Anyone who is caught doing so will have himself to blame for his ensuing death ''.At that time there was distinction made between Jew and Gentile, but with the gospel this would all change. In Ephesians 2 v 11 ff ,the apostle Paul writes the following to his Gentile readers ,'Remember you were Gentiles...... remember that at time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who were once far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility........His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace...... For through him we both access to the Father by one Spirit. Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with Gods people and also members of his household.' I heard a preacher recently say that the church is not Israel, I find this a very strange thing to say, there is only one true Israel , only one true children of God, they are the New Covenant Israel ,( Jeremiah 31 v 31 ff) We will consider this further next time.
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