Bible Text: Galatians 5:1-26 | Preacher: Pastor Joe Ricchuiti | Series: Celebrate Freedom, Galatians

1.  “God looks upon all [people] as either Jews, Gentiles, or the church (1 Corinthians 10:32).  When one accepts the Lord Jesus Christ, whether he be Jew or Gentile, he is no longer such in the sight of God, but a member of the body of Christ.” (Alfred Martin)

2.  Paul teaches in Ephesians 2:14-22 that:

-The cross provides reconciliation between people, vv. 14, 15 (in the context Paul speaks of Jews and Gentiles who are reconciled to each other by the cross)

-The cross provides reconciliation between people and God, vs. 16

-The cross provides access directly to the Father, vv. 17, 18

-The cross provides for a new kind of temple, a spiritual building in which believers are living stones, vv. 19-22

3.  The word translated “temple” in this passage is the Greek word naos (meaning the Holy of Holies of the actual Temple).  The New Testament uses the word naos of: individual believers (1 Corinthians 6:19,20); of the local church (1 Corinthians 3:16,17); and of the church universal (Ephesians 2:19-22).