“But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off
are made nigh by the blood of Christ.”
(Ephesians 2:13)
Adam and Eve’s original sin resulted in their banishment from the Garden, a place where they once walked in intimate communion with their Creator. That breach wasn’t just geographical; sin severed the mystical relational and spiritual bond between God and man. From that tragic moment forward, the natural man found himself infinitely separated from God, alienated from His presence and estranged from His favor. This is what Scripture means when it says they were “far off.”
To be separated from God is to be without hope. Ephesians 2:12 describes the sinner as “without Christ, having no hope, and without God in the world.” Such a state is misery beyond measure. No social privilege or natural talent can substitute for the presence of God. A man might be lauded by the world, possess immense intelligence or artistic genius, or enjoy the admiration of many. But if he is without Christ, he is without life.
It is a dangerous error to confuse the gifts of God with the favor of God. Men often mistake their skills or prosperity as evidence of spiritual standing. Yet such graces—common and temporal—are no sign of eternal blessedness. A soul without Christ is a soul under wrath, regardless of how adorned it may appear.
This condition of distance, of being “far off,” is fatal. How then can such a chasm be crossed? How can reconciliation be secured? The Apostle Paul answers with clarity and power: “But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.” The answer is not in effort or ceremony. It is not in merit or intention. It is by the blood of the Lamb of God.
The distance between sinful man and holy God can only be spanned by the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ. Only by faith in the crucified and risen Son of God can anyone draw near. That blood, applied to the soul by the Spirit of God, brings the sinner into fellowship with God and makes him beloved.
Simeon Ashe, a Westminster Divine, rightly declared: “There is a great necessity which is laid on all sinners to come to Christ as a duty imposed by God’s necessary command, and as the only means appointed by divine wisdom so that Christ may be enjoyed, and that the poor sinner may be saved.”[1] This is the Gospel’s miracle: those who were enemies become sons; those who were banished return; those who were far off are made near by the blood of Christ.
Let every man be persuaded to come. Come first for salvation, and then return daily for strength, light, and joy. Do not allow yourself to linger far from Christ; the Gospel calls you near. And if you are already His, do not grow weary of coming again and again. Nearness to God must be the lifetime pursuit of the believer.
Contemplations:
- Empty, yet filled in Christ. I look at my soul and see spiritual hunger, nakedness, thirst, and shame. Yet You call me to come and eat without price, to be clothed in righteousness not my own, and to drink the water of life freely. I come, Lord, You are the only One who can satisfy my hunger, cover my nakedness, and quench my thirst. I sit at Your table, not as a guest but as Your child.
- Living in the light. You dwell in light, Lord, and I want to walk with You. But I know I cannot do so unless I walk in that same light. Make my prayers effectual. Make my time in Your Word fruitful. Shape me by what I behold in Scripture so that I am more like You—full of grace and light.
- Brought near again and again. You drew me first to Yourself by Your Spirit, and You continue to draw me. You washed me in Your blood, so now I can come boldly. I offer up myself—my hands, my heart, my breath—because I am not my own. I am Yours. Find in me a vessel made acceptable through Christ.
- From wrath to adoption. I know what I was before You redeemed me, Lord. You opened my eyes to see the misery I could not escape. You brought me in, not as a servant only, but as a son. You love me with the same love with which you love Christ. In light of this unspeakable privilege, help me adore you in holiness all my days.
Prayer (Adoration):
O Lord most high, the eternal and blessed God, I lift my voice in awe at Your grace. You are glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders. From eternity, You have dwelt in light unapproachable, surrounded by seraphim, adored by saints, sovereign in power and infinite in majesty. And yet, in Christ, You have brought near those who were far off.
How can this be, that I, a guilty sinner, should be invited into the fellowship of the triune God? You did not wait for me to ascend, for I had no strength. You descended instead, and in your Son bled for the unworthy. I adore You, Father, for Your sovereign electing love. I adore You, Son, for Your redeeming sacrifice. I adore You, Spirit, for opening my blind eyes and drawing me to Christ.
You are light; I was darkness. You are holy; I was defiled. And yet You called me. You embraced me. You placed me at Your table, clothed me in Your righteousness, and called me by name. I am Yours all because of Your blood.
You could have left me far off, and You would have done no wrong. But Your grace, mercy, and love triumphed. You appointed the Son to bleed that I might come. And now, brought near, I see what I could not see before. You are all-satisfying. You are worthy of all praise.
Let every breath I have be used to magnify You. Let every gift You’ve given return to You in worship. Let my obedience be an anthem, and my repentance a song of contrition. Make my heart burn with devotion to You, because You first loved me. May my delight in You grow daily, as I see more clearly the wonder of Your kindness.
Keep me close, O God. Don’t allow my affections to wander, for I don’t want to settle for a nearness in name only. I want to walk in the light as You are in the light, to have fellowship with You without shame or distance. Refine my heart. Tune it to sing Your grace.
For You have made Yourself near through Your blood. That is glory. That is love. That is my song forever.
In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Further Scripture References for Eph. 2:13:
Col. 1:20, Acts 2:39, 1 Peter 3:18, Isa. 57:19, John 10:7, Rom. 3:25.
[1] Simeon Ashe, The Efficiency of God’s Grace in Bringing Gainsaying Sinners to Christ, (Crossville, TN: Puritan Publications, 2017) eBook, Part 5.
