Eph 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus, you who were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
The Ephesian Gentiles had been rescued from that place of distance and alienation, and had been elevated to a position of nearness to God. This was brought about at the time of their conversion. When they trusted the Savior, God placed them in Christ Jesus and accepted them in the beloved One. From then on they were as near to God as Christ is, because they were in Christ Jesus. The cost of effecting this marvelous change was the blood of Christ. Before these Gentile sinners could enjoy the privilege of nearness to God, they had to be cleansed from their sins. Only the blood of Christ shed at Calvary could do this. When they received the Lord Jesus by a definite act of faith, all the cleansing value of His precious blood was credited to their account.
Jesus not only brought them near; He also created a new society in which the ancient enmity between Jew and Gentile was forever abolished. Up to NT times, all the world was divided into two classes—Jew and Gentile. Our Savior has introduced a third—the church of God. In the verses that follow, we see how believing Jews and believing Gentiles are now made one in Christ, and are introduced into this new society, where there is neither Jew nor Gentile.
