The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1953-07-18
one WeFld IN Christ. Ephes.
Ians 7:a.Io. I3-7z
ny RALPH ROGERS

/ . 4
| The average business and pro-
lfessional man receives . large
number Of circular letters each
day. Most Of them are put In File
x, or the waste paper basket. There
lis one letter circularized among the
early churches. mt only read and
treasured by them, but preserved
land handed down until today Il is
lone In Z book called the Bible, so
much In demand that the printing
presses are unable to supply all
requests and orders. That circular
letter Is called Ephesians, written
by the Apostle Paul, or perhaps
dictated BY him to Timothy, while
lin the Roman prison. II deals with
1.-THE brotherhood II man. AL men
lof the world regardless Of caste,
Istation or color, are one In Christ.
Paul begins the lesson as we
have chosen II for today, with Z
stunning statement. Most folk like
Ito parade their virtues % evidence
LOT acceptance into Christian fellow
'Iship. II Is known that the Pharisees
did this which vas ridiculed and
condemned by esus. and apparent
lly the Christians at Ephesus were
.iboasting Of their good works which
lgave Paul the occasion to correct
them insisting that by grace have
I've been saved by faith; and that
mot Of yourselves, il Is the gift Of
lG0d." The assumption Is that If q
imam believes sincerely in the saw
ling power Of God through esus
Christ, he win do works worthy Of
redemption. If one believes. and 50
through grace,is saved, good works
lwill gOlIow-mind you, not works un-
worthy Of Christians.
When Paul sent that circular
letter to the Ephesians the world
was pretty much divided. There
Twas no peace, no unity. no fellow
ship, or cooperation in the political
Tor religious field. There were diff
lferences Of opinion which seemed
impossible 70 resolve except
through the sacrifice Of Jesus on
1.-THE Cross. Jews hated Gentiles.
IGentiles lOathed the Jews and the
Romans felt both beneath them.
The pride and snohbishness Of the
day was frequently at the breaking
IpOint and the Romans who welded
political power found themselves
lin tight places repeatedly because
Iof these racial and religious ten
lsions. Jesus broke down the bar
Irier by his sacrifice on the Cross,
mot BY making Gentiles out Of
lJews or Jews out Of Gentiles, but
lby making them all over into .
new body they were fellow citi-
zens with the saints. and no longer
IsojOurners or strangers. here
Icould be unity in Christ when bar
harlan, Greek, Jew and Gentle
,IWould al be brothers.
j In the political arena there seems
TO be considerable discord at
.ltimes. One writer has stated that
1.-THE end Of two worlds Is near.
what he meant to say was that
.Imen throughout the world are
.lseeking peace and harmony within
;ltheir own boundaries and with
peoples throughout the world. They
.Iwant freedom and in that the
world Is one. The bitter invectives
IIagainst other nafionalities just
when the free nations are about
Ito effect an understanding Is con-
stray TO the principles Of Christian
conduct. While that Is bad in the
political world. Il is intolerahle in
: Christian relations. When one hangs
ion to the phone for two hours at q
stretch and visits .neighbors just 70
.lberate 4 fellow human being with
vicious gossip 0ne questions The
Christian intent Il seems that the
circular letter written 10 the Ephes.
j ianS might be spilled today IN so,
lealled Christian relations,
The churches are making pro.
|, laress il Christian unity. While the,
, srew s4nS IA nremrinmIfx, s,s.s4n1