The “One Church” doctrine is so important, Paul gives detailed teaching to drill the point home. By this we are not referring to modern ecumenism where all the denominations of so-called Christendom unite and set aside their differences. Right biblical doctrine is never to be compromised for the sake of an outward show of unity. There are serious differences between biblical Christianity and many forms of religious “Christendom.” Certainly, the claim of Roman Catholicism to be the mother church, to which all derivatives should ultimately return, is scripturally unfounded. Many down through the centuries charge that it has long departed from biblical Christianity. Any unity today must center around apostolic doctrine as presented in Scripture which holds the ultimate authority for spiritual life and practice for all Christians everywhere.

Paul’s concern with unity addressed the issue of how Gentile converts were to relate to Jewish believers. He wrote of this unity as being a great mystery revealed to him through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Christ’s goal was to bring peace with God to humanity, both Gentiles and Jews. Did not the angels at Christ’s birth proclaim to the shepherds, “Peace on earth, good will toward men.” That peace certainly has to do with peace among people, but more importantly it has to do with our relationship with God. Christ came preaching a peace with the Creator God against whom people have rebelled. God sends the dove with an olive branch.

Notice, specifically in our passage today, that Christ’s message was intended for two groups of people. The first group of which he writes are his readers, the Ephesians. He says, “to you who were far away.” The Ephesian congregation was largely Gentile in character and as Gentiles they previously had been far away because of the “dividing wall of enmity,” the Law. Then Paul writes of “those who are near.” He uses the third person pronoun, referring not to his readers, but to others. In this case, those who are near refers not to a geographical nearness, but a spiritual nearness to God. The Jews were near to God because they had the oracles, or the written revelation of God in the Law, the prophets and the other Old Testament writings, “But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may observe it” (Deut 30:14).

Now, in Christ and through Christ, the living Word, we have access to the Father in one Spirit. Both Jews and Gentiles have the same access.