March 10, 2004

PLAINER WORDS … ONE NEW MAN

“Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;” (Ephesians 2:15).

The Jewish believers, who lived through the dispensational change of Acts 28, are told here, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, which had been the exclusive property of Israel, has now been “abolished.” The Apostle Paul is pointing out that a new order of things now exists. There is a new creation, after the “Acts of the Apostles” closed. In God’s new administration the law of commandments contained in ordinances finds absolutely no place. During the Acts period they had been a source of hostility between believing Jews and Gentiles. The law of commandments contained in ordinances was “a middle wall of partition” separating the two believing parties.

“For he is our peace, who hath made both [Jew and Gentile] one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us” (Ephesians 2:14).

“Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;” (Ephesians 2:15).

“And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:” (Ephesians 2:16).

The “middle wall of partition” was broken down; “having abolished in his flesh the enmity.” Not only that, the enmity has been slain “by the cross.” The enmity is gone.

It should be noted that in order to “make in Himself of twain one new man,” the enmity had to have been abolished, broken down, even slain. The “One New Man” was the body of believers composed of the “twain.” The “twain” were the Acts period believers—Jews and Gentiles. The two were the twain. The new entity was a new creation. The Church of God, during the Book of Acts, did not gradually become the One New Man. The Church of God did not gradually phase out and the One New Man gradually phase in. The Church of God ceased functioning as God’s Ecclesia when God suspended His dealing with it.

With the close of Acts, God created a new entity—the One New Man. The One Man didn’t evolve. He made of the “twain” this new creation.

“For to make in Himself of twain One New Man;” when God makes something, He creates it. The making of the One New Man was as much of a creation as was Adam. The new company and calling of believers, after Acts 28, was referred to as the One New Man.

Ephesians informs believing Jews and Gentiles coming out of the Pentecostal era that a new calling was now being chosen which was made up of the “twain.” Said another way, if the “twain” believed the latest report from God—the Mystery, they would be incorporated into One Body—the One New Man.

A careful reading of Ephesians 2:11-16 indicates it was written specifically to Gentile believers at the time Paul received the revelation of the Mystery—not to us, in the year of our Lord 2004.

“Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:”

During the Acts period:

Gentile believers were referred to as the uncircumcision by the believing Jews.

Gentiles were without a Christ of their own. They believed in Israel’s Christ.

Gentiles, even though attached to the Israel of God, were aliens from the commonwealth.

Gentile believers were strangers from the covenants of promise made to Israel.

Gentiles had no hope of their own. They were embracing the hope of Israel.

Gentiles believed in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Therefore they had no God of their own.

Gentiles were considered far off.

However, in the new calling the Apostle Paul contrasts the position of the Gentile believer’s new standing with that of the past:

Gentiles now are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

Christ is now our (Gentile and Jew) peace.

Paul further states, “Now therefore ye (Gentiles) are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints (Jews), and of the household of God” (v. 19).

I’ve said all of this to say, the One New Man is peculiar to the “twain,” that is those who crossed the dispensational boundary line of Acts 28. The twain does not actually exist today. Strictly speaking, the “twain” refers to the Acts period believers who became membered into the One Body.

The expression, the One New Man, was fitting at the time. For, at the time of the change there were thousands of Jews who were Christians. As the years passed by, believing Jews became less and less a factor as members of the Body over which Christ Jesus is the Head. Consequently—the One New Man—is not as meaningful today because of the fact that nearly two-thousand years have separated the necessity for emphasizing the fact that this present calling is a “new creation.” The “One New Man” was an appropriate name for those believers who, lived through the dispensational change of Acts 28 and embraced the Mystery.

Therefore, the One New Man was a creation in which all that had previously separated the Jew and Gentile was done away with. All old distinctions between the “twain” had vanished.

A more meaningful expression for today, perhaps, would be “the Church (ecclesia), which is His Body, the fullness of Him” (Ephesians 1:22-23).


Tom L. Ballinger