Servings Per Verse: Unknown
ESV
Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called the uncircumcision by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands - remember that your were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.
*ETS:
At one time there were two groups of people: 1. The first group of people were those who expected the Messiah, (a people proud of their heritage marking their bodies in a way that reminded them they were the people of promise), I am talking about the Jews; 2. The second group of people were those not in the first group, I am talking about you Gentiles. Remember when you did not know anything about the need of a Savior, and were without any knowledge of the Holy Scripture to inform you? At that time you did not know God, you were living without hope .
*DTFTD:
In our text the Apostle Paul takes the Ephesians down memory lane to remember the time when they didn't know anything about sin, the consequences of sin, the need of a Savior, or God's love. They were of a race without hope and without God. However, the Jews were a race of people with knowledge of a coming Savior. The Jews had the Holy Scriptures to inform them of sin, the consequences of sin, the need of a Savior and of God's love. Simply stated there was a time when the Jews were "in the know" and all others were left without knowledge because the Jews were strictly forbidden to have any dealings with the Gentiles. At the time of Paul's writing everything had changed. The promise of the coming Messiah had been fulfilled and all of mankind, Jew and Gentile, was being granted the privilege of hearing the good news of salvation through Messiah, Jesus Christ. The world still had its Jews and Gentiles, but a new group had emerged -the saints of God - a group who dropped their racial distinctions to become one in Christ. Three groups remain today: 1. The people who know about God, but do not know him; 2. The people who do not know about God, and therefore can not know him; and 3. The people who know God through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. If you are in the third group you have the privilege of being one in the Spirit with many people from many backgrounds, and your concern is for the people of the world (those in the other groups) who have one common problem, the do not know God. Throughout this day we will encounter people who do not know God. Our responsibility is to pray for them and share Christ with them when we have opportunity.
*EDS:
Before salvation we were part of a mixed up world. Since salvation we have become reconciling, peace making people, on mission to help others see their need of God's love and salvation in Jesus Christ.
INGREDIENTS: Our life before Christ. Word Study: The word "Uncircumcision" was a name of contempt, flung out at the Gentiles by the Jews. (Wuest, vol. 1). The Jews and Gentiles had contempt for one another. Paul reminded them of the days when they were part of a world filled with racial tension and religious ignorance, but Christ made a difference! He did and He does.
*ESV- English Standard Version; ETS- Essence of the Text in a Sentence; DTFTD- Devotional Thought For The Day; EDS- Essence of the Devotional in a Sentence.
