“For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.” (Ephesians 2:14-16)
Jesus is a Wrecking Ball. He decimated the spiritual “barriers” that stand between us. Glorious devastation! The racial “dividing wall of hostility” has been razed to the ground. How? By “abolishing in his flesh” — in his death! — “the law with its commands and ordinances.” But what does that mean?
Here’s one thing:
Jesus abolished the penalty for breaking God’s law of love.
I broke it; Jesus paid for it. I, with my racially arrogant, divisive, prejudicial, and all-too-often apathetic heart, defy God’s “commands” to love; Jesus, not I, gets wrecked by the wrath of God.
Justice is satisfied!
Forgiveness is ratified!
My soul is rapturously gratified!
Stainless and blameless, my sinful soul is counted clean. (Can it really be?) And now I have soul-resources to reach out and reconcile, to dare to draw near, so that two might become “one.” Gloriously. Finally.
Because here’s the bottom line:
If God doesn’t forgive me,
there’s no chance I’m forgiving you.
I’ve got a moral debt to pay, mine to God. But I’m broke. How am I going to pay down yours to me, too?
So we’re left throwing ping-pong balls
at that Great Wall
of resentment and unforgiving frowns,
trying to knock it down.
But if I’m forgiven, I can forgive you. Don’t miss it: My racial self-righteousness and scorn is but the tip of the stinking iceberg. Have I told you recently about my capacity for envy, criticism, lust, arrogance, blame-shifting, anger, self-pity, defensiveness, greed, truth-twisting, people-pleasing fear, and impatience? Yet Christ by his cross has poured never-runs-out Riches of mercy into me. Paid my debt — and then some. I’m wealthy! I’m free. Now with full pockets I offer mercy upon mercy upon mercy upon mercy upon mercy to fellow Wall Builders. And Wall Decorators. And Wall Ignorers. How can I refuse, when God has so forgiven me? Wrecking Ball!
Walls
fall.
And if I’m forgiven, I can repent to you. Grace frees. God doesn’t love my sin, but he won’t stop loving me because I sin. Security produces honesty, gospel courage to “go there.” To stop pretending, stop defending, stop falsifying my record and reputation. I’m a recovering racist. Yes, I am. I have an ugly, filthy heart. Yes, I do. Wrecking Ball!
Walls
fall.
Have you heard?
Christ absorbed the law’s stiff penalty,
So, I, my friend, am Rich to reconcile with thee.