Brought near

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. – Ephesians 2.13

This makes it all so simple. In Christ, and in Christ alone, all those who were once far off have been brought near. This is an amazing fact. Paul speaks here specifically to the Jews and Gentiles as he dealt with their previous divisions. He points out the neither Jew nor Gentile was anywhere near God just by virtue of where they were born or what nation they were a part off. All of them, every single one, were far off from God because they were all sinners. 

Man has tried everything to span the gap between them and God that came about because of sin. It is a gap that works cannot span. It is a gap that religion cannot span. There is only one thing that can span that gap. 

We are brought near only by the blood of Christ. 

The gap between sinful man and a sinless perfect God was immense. All of man's efforts fell short, for, as the Bible says, all have sinned and all have fallen short of the glory of God. 

We could never earn our way or, as one of our children said at one stage 'I can't jump up to heaven,' All we can do is to recognise our need and ask God to bring us close to Him. Praise God for the blood of Christ which can and does bring us near.