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hesitations, lapses, failures would be sanctified, minimized and eliminated did we ever
seek these good paths.
When we come to the practical section we shall find the repeated exhortation is to
walk. Only to walk worthy of our calling will fill out our whole life and witness.
Summarizing we learn:--
That in this dispensation God has introduced a new creation, of which He is the
Creator and Maker.
That the immediate goal of this new creation is good works.
That He has afore prepared each member of the one body to walk therein.
And so while works can find no place before our salvation, to us is addressed the
words:--
"Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God Who worketh in
you both to will and to work on account of His good pleasure."
#39. The Dispensational Disability of being a Gentile.
(Eph. 2: 11, 12).
pp. 113 - 118
We now enter the second section of this chapter (for structure and relation of the two
parts see Volume IX, page 49).
Verses 1-10 have dealt with what we might call, for the sake of a term, the doctrinal
position. "Sin", "death", "life", "salvation", "grace", "faith", "walk", these are the
key words. The words "with Christ" sum up the relation of the believer to the Lord. In
the second section (verses 11-22) we have what we might call the dispensational position
set forth. Here we do not read the words, "sin", "death", "raised", "seated", "life",
"salvation", "grace", "faith", nor "walk". We read instead such words as "aliens",
"strangers", "far off", "hope", "peace', "reconciled", "made nigh", "access".
"Through Christ" and "in Christ", sum up the relation to the Lord.
What was the dispensational position of those who had been so wondrously saved by
grace? They were told to remember that in time past they were:--
A | Gentiles in the flesh.
B | Without Christ.
C | Aliens from commonwealth of Israel.
C | Strangers from covenants of promise.
B | Having no hope.
A | Godless in the world.