THE MIDDLE WALL OF DIVISION

By Nana Yaw Aidoo

That the old covenant, with all of its ordinances like the Sabbath, Tithes, Instrumental Praise etc., is a dead covenant is a truth so established in inspired writ, that to deny it is to be an enemy of the cross.

One of the proofs of this teaching is found in Paul's letter to the Lord's church in Ephesus. He wrote; "Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh--who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands-- that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been made near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of division between us, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity" (Eph.2:11-16).

One classification of men as is seen in scripture is the group called "Gentiles or Uncircumcision" and the group called "Jews or Circumcision". That which created this classification or division, Paul called "the middle wall of divison between us" (Eph.2:14).

However, with God having as His eternal purpose, the plan to save not the Jews only but the Gentiles too (Eph.3:1-12), "and that He might reconcile them (both Jews and Gentiles - Aidoo) in one body..." (Eph.2:16), it became necessary that this "middle wall of division" that stood between Jews and Gentiles, be removed.

This "middle wall of division" as Paul styled it was "the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances" (Eph.2:15). Of this "middle wall" or "enmity", Paul wrote that Christ has "broken down" (Eph.2:14) and "abolished" (Eph.2:15). Thus, in Christ, "there is neither Jew nor Greek" (Gal.3:28).

As a result of this "middle wall of division" having been "broken down" and "abolished", the Gentiles "who once were far off have been made near by the blood of Christ" (Eph.2:13), they are at peace with Jews (Eph.2:15, 17), and they "are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God" (Eph.2:19).

This is as clear as it gets. The old covenant, has been broken down and abolished.Therefore to submit to its ordinances like the Sabbath, Tithes, Instrumental Praise etc., is to raise up "the middle wall of divison", that Christ through His death on the cross, put to death.

"Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified. "But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is Christ therefore a minister of sin? Certainly not! "For if I build again those things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. "For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God. "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. "I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain." (Gal.2:16-21).