The Past Don’t Matter: Ephesians 2:11-22

“But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ” (Eph. 2:13, NASB).

The 2020 Olympic Games were being broadcast on several television channels. I found one showing the United States women and the Brazil women volleyball teams playing for the gold medal. The United States had won the first set, and they were leading in the second set. The two announcers of the contest were making their personal observations about the game. One announcer expressed that it was surprising that the Brazilian women were not playing up to their normal standards of performance. The other announcer expressed his belief that it was more about the improvement of the women from the United States. The women of the United States had never in the history of the Olympics won a gold medal, but the women of Brazil had. The commentators continued their dialogue expressing their opinions about the reasons that the women of the United States were leading in the match. Then, one of the commentators made a profound statement. He said, “The past don’t matter.” Further, he said “it’s what you are doing now” that will determine the winner of this match. This article is written with this commentator’s assessment in mind as it relates to who we are in Christ. In Ephesians, the writer Paul tells us that when we are saved by the blood of Christ Jesus our old life doesn’t matter. It is what we do with our lives as members of Christ’s church.

One’s old life can keep a person from moving forward with a new life. For example, there are people that have arrests and convictions on their criminal records. Their record often prevents them from exercising their rights as full citizens. They have difficulty getting a job. They may not be able to vote. Even though they may never have committed a crime just an arrest on their record can prevent them from full participation in society. Even though a person serves their sentence and works hard to get their lives straightened out they are still denied full rights as citizens. People are completing their high school education and some are obtaining college degrees and other skills, but they cannot be full participants in American society. However, there are now states that allow for Expungement. Expungement removes arrest and/or convictions from a person’s criminal record entirely as if they never happened. The commentator said that the past don’t matter; it is what you do now. Those that believe in Jesus and make Jesus their Lord have their records expunged because the forgiveness of God means that the past don’t matter.

The bible records several examples that show us that the past don’t matter. Moses was guilty of murdering an Egyptian. This did not prevent the Lord from calling Moses on the mountain. God had His plans for Moses. His assignment to deliver his people the sons of Israel was already determined by God. When God called Moses, God did not even mention that Moses had a criminal record. God expunged Moses’ criminal record because Moses had an assignment from the Lord to carry out. Saul of Tarsus held the coats of those that stoned Stephen to death. He obtained letters from the authorities to arrest persons who were identified as “people of the way” and bring them back to Jerusalem to be convicted and executed. The Lord stopped Saul and his companions on the Damascus Road. The Lord told Saul that he could not stop the movement of God to save people from their sins through Jesus Christ. Paul had a criminal record that he never forgot. More importantly, Saul who later became known as Paul could not forget his encounter with Jesus. Paul knew that his criminal record had been expunged by Jesus because it was the will of God that he becomes an apostle to the Gentiles. The past don’t matter. It’s what you do now that matters.

The letter to the Ephesians confirms the belief that with God the past don’t matter. Paul begins this letter telling the church that there had been a meeting in heaven before the creation of the world. In heaven God decided that salvation could be obtained by a sin filled world only through the blood of Jesus. Jesus would die on the cross and shed His blood to redeem human beings from sin. In chapter 2 Paul writes that human beings cannot earn their salvation. A person’s salvation is based on the love of God who extends grace to those who have faith in Jesus (2:8-9). God has work for each believer to do. God does not allow what a person has done in the past to keep them from doing what they have been called and assigned to do now (2:10). We can never escape the fact that we have been guilty of sin. Sin is a criminal offense against God. However, God loves the world and He is willing to expunge the record of the criminal so that he/she might fully participate in the building of God’s kingdom to the glory of God.

In our scripture passage, Ephesians 2:11-22, Paul addresses the Gentiles in the church. He wants them to know that they have equal rights with the Jews in the church. Paul tells them that in the past they had been excluded from the covenants that God had given to the Israelites. In the past they were kept separated from the people of God. The Jews and Gentiles were strangers to one another. They had no relationship with each other. Now, things have been changed. God had sent Paul and other apostles to preach the gospel to the Gentiles. They too were now being included into the fellowship of the believers. They now have full rights as citizens (chapter 3).

In chapter 4 Paul writes that both Gentiles and Jews are one people. The entire church has the same responsibilities. They are to make the name of Jesus known in the world. They do this by preaching Jesus as the only savior. They are to live their lives by kingdom values and principles. They are disciples of Jesus holding to His teachings (Jn 8:31-32) and following Jesus daily (Lk. 9:23). From the time that they believed in Jesus their past doesn’t matter. It is what they do now. They are to put off the old self of sin and put on the new self of righteousness (4:20-24). The Lord has given the church apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastors and teachers to equip the saints to serve the church in order to build up the body of Christ (2:11-13).

There is opposition to the kingdom of God, and Paul tells the church how they are to fight the good fight of faith against the enemy of Jesus and His people. Paul stresses the importance of unity and structure in the church. He uses the family as an example. The husband and wife relationship must be maintained according to the design of God (5:22-33). Children and slaves must also live according to the design and purpose of the Lord (6:1-8). Husbands, fathers, and masters must also live according to the design and purpose; and upholding their responsibilities given to them by the Lord. The church’s enemy is not against people. Rather, the fight is against enemies in the spiritual realm. Therefore, their weapons are spiritual (6:10-19).

The church of Jesus Christ is made up of people that have faith. Those that have faith have hope for a better future. They are willing to let go of their past so that they can be rewarded with a better future. Hebrews 11 gives us a catalogue of persons that accomplished great things by faith. These were not people without sin. Rather, they were people that God expunged their record. God commissioned them to do a task. Paul, the apostle gave up all of his prestige and aspirations as a highly reputable Pharisee in order to receive the crown that Jesus had waiting for him (Phil. 3:3-14). The crown that Paul hoped to receive is available to everyone who believes in Jesus.

The Brazilian women’s volleyball team was expected to defeat the United States women’s team and win the gold medal. The expectations proved to be untrue. The past did not determine the outcome. It was how each team performed during the match. The United States won the gold medal. We that believe in Jesus do not decide what a person can do and will do. The church submits to the sovereign choice of God to determine who will receive gifts for service (Eph. 4:4-7). The past don’t matter. It’s what we do now that matters.