Challenge: Remember

Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “Uncircumcision” by the so-called “Circumcision,” which is performed in the flesh by human hands – remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. Eph 2:11-12

I was saved as a very young child – I had just turned seven, actually.  So, sometimes it’s hard to relate when people talk about being fully aware of the life from which they were saved.  But, I’m learning more and more how to look beyond the earthly existence from which I was saved and have my eyes opened to the spiritual existence.

I can see that here in Paul’s words.  When he tells the Ephesians to remember, he’s not talking about their pre-salvation earthly existence (at least, not in this case – he does deal with that in other places).  He’s talking about an issue about which they weren’t even truly cognizant before salvation – the fact that they are not natural heirs to the covenant. 

Sometimes it is important to remember where we were before salvation in an earthly and fleshly sense.  But, I am being challenged to remember that I am just like these Ephesians.  I am a Gentile with no natural inheritance to the covenant outlined in Scripture.  God, in His ultimate sovereignty, could have chosen to limit salvation to His select group of people – the children of Israel.  And because of who He is, it would have been right and good.  But, that was never His plan.  From the beginning He made provision for me, a Gentile, born outside the promise, to be adopted into the covenant.  Wow.  When I remember that, my perspective gets quite an adjustment.

May I remember.