Renewing Your Mind – “Brought Near by the Blood of Christ”

Air Date: January 4, 2026
Host: Ligonier Ministries
Speaker: Dr. R.C. Sproul
Scripture: Ephesians 2:11–22

Episode Overview

This episode marks the start of a new series on Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians, focusing on Ephesians 2:11-22. Dr. R.C. Sproul discusses the predicament of humanity separated from Christ and the astonishing transformation made possible “by the blood of Christ.” The central theme revolves around the reconciliation achieved through Christ—between God and sinful humanity, and between Jew and Gentile. The teaching highlights the Church’s nature and how believers, both near and far, are unified in Christ.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Depth of Separation from Christ

Timestamps: 00:00–04:45

Dr. Sproul highlights Paul’s grim diagnosis: being "separated from Christ" is the worst condition for any human.
Paul lists five aspects of the Gentiles’ former alienation:
- Separated from Christ
- Alienated from the commonwealth of Israel
- Strangers to the covenants of promise
- Having no hope
- Without God in the world
These illustrate the spiritual bankruptcy and hopelessness apart from God’s revelation and covenant.

“For the Apostle Paul to describe people's condition as being in a state of separation from Christ is one of the most grim diagnoses that he could make about any human's condition.”
— Dr. R.C. Sproul (00:00)
The Gentiles' plight extended beyond just being distant from Jewish customs; it represented utter spiritual lostness.

2. Understanding "In the Flesh" and Ethnic Divides

Timestamps: 04:45–10:30

Paul’s phrase, “Gentiles in the flesh,” refers here to ethnicity, not just sinful nature.
The cultural gap included pejorative attitudes—the Jews calling Gentiles "the foreskins," a derogatory term rooted in ritual differences.
This reflects deep-seated alienation and hostility between Jews and Gentiles.

“The Gentiles didn’t understand Jewish traditions, didn’t understand Jewish practices, didn’t understand Jewish religion... there was again much hostility that was generated between the two groups.”
— Dr. R.C. Sproul (08:40)
Paul urges Gentiles (and by extension, all Christians) to remember their former condition to appreciate their present status in Christ.

3. Deprivation Without Christ

Timestamps: 10:30–17:00

Gentiles were "strangers to the covenants of promise” because they lacked the Scriptures.
Refers to Paul's teaching in Romans: the chief Jewish advantage was possessing “the oracles of God.”
Gentiles' lack of Scriptural revelation left them “in so much more darkness.”

“Without the oracles of God, without the special revelation of sacred Scripture, the Gentiles were consigned to a serious disadvantage... and were left in so much more darkness than being without the light that God gave to Israel.”
— Dr. R.C. Sproul (11:40)

4. The Hopelessness of Life Without God

Timestamps: 17:00–21:00

Dr. Sproul paints a poignant picture of life devoid of substantive hope, comparing it to a modern cycle of postponing happiness.
The underlying spiritual reality is even more severe: life is essentially “godless,” a fact Paul expresses using the Greek word "atheoi."
This means not just disbelief, but existential godlessness.

“That's the description of everyone who is outside of Christ. They're godless. And Paul is saying that was your circumstance before. And he's not just talking to a group of people in Turkey, he's talking about us. This is our pedigree, this is our background. Nobody is ever born a Christian... When you take your first breath, you're not aware at least of the scriptures, yet you're dead in sin. You're without Christ and you're godless. That's our natural fallen condition.”
— Dr. R.C. Sproul (18:45)
He stresses the universality of this fallen condition—everyone starts spiritually dead.

5. The “But Now”—Christ’s Atonement Unites and Redeems

Timestamps: 21:00–24:20

Paul offers hope after the bleak assessment: “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.”
Dr. Sproul notes the transformation is not by human effort but by divine intervention—salvation is entirely God's work.

“It wasn't that I was dead in sin and trespasses, but Sproul resolved to change his ways, to turn over a new leaf, pull himself up from his bootstraps. No, salvation is of the Lord fully and completely.”
— Dr. R.C. Sproul (22:55)
The atonement (“the blood of Christ”) is the “great equalizer,” reconciling Jew and Gentile, erasing ethnic and spiritual barriers.
Being “brought near” means moving from utter estrangement to full inclusion in God’s people—made possible only through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus.

“You were so far away from the kingdom we couldn't see you with Galileo's telescope... What has allowed you to pass over that distance? The means... it's the blood of Christ. That's what's changed my situation, from death to life, from hopelessness to hope, from godlessness to God—it's the blood of Jesus Christ.”
— Dr. R.C. Sproul (23:15)
The uncleanliness of Gentiles, depicted in the Old Testament, is cleansed only through the “bloodbath of the cross.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On the Dreadfulness of Separation from Christ:
“For the Apostle Paul to describe people's condition as being in a state of separation from Christ is one of the most grim diagnoses that he could make about any human's condition.” (00:00, Dr. Sproul)
On Hopelessness in Modern Life:
“Never, I think, in the history of the west has hopelessness more permeated a culture than it does today. That's one reason why we're a drug ridden and suicidal culture, because without the covenants of promise, we have no hope.” (18:20, Dr. Sproul)
On God’s Intervention in Salvation:
“But God… the history of my redemption. Because it wasn't that I was dead in sin and trespasses, but Sproul resolved to change his ways, to turn over a new leaf, pull himself up from his bootstraps. No, salvation is of the Lord fully and completely.” (22:55, Dr. Sproul)
On the Transforming Power of Christ’s Blood:
“You were so far away from the kingdom we couldn't see you with Galileo's telescope… but you've now been brought near… it's the blood of Christ.” (23:15, Dr. Sproul)

Segment Timestamps

00:00–04:45 — Introduction and five-fold description of Gentile alienation.
04:45–10:30 — Explanation of “Gentiles in the flesh,” ethnic and ritual divisions.
10:30–17:00 — Deprivation without Christ and without God’s covenants.
17:00–21:00 — The depth of hopelessness and meaning of “without God”.
21:00–24:20 — The “But now”—reconciliation and unity in Christ by the blood.
24:20–26:07 — Closing remarks and reflections on unity and privilege in Christ (brief, not primary content).

Tone and Style

Reflective, theological, urgent, and pastoral—Dr. Sproul moves between deep biblical exposition and personal, relatable illustrations. He uses vivid language and memorable phrases to drive home the seriousness of being apart from Christ, and the unspeakable grace of being brought near by His blood.

Summary Statement

Dr. R.C. Sproul’s message from Ephesians 2 passionately underscores the peril of life outside Christ and the miracle of redemption and unity made possible through Jesus’ atonement. Whether Jew or Gentile, all are hopeless and godless apart from Christ, yet all are invited to be “brought near” and made part of God’s household by the saving work of Christ’s cross.

Transcript

A (0:00)

For the Apostle Paul to describe people's condition as being in a state of separation from Christ is one of the most grim diagnoses that he could make about any human's condition. There are millions and millions of people in our country today, both Jew and Gentile, who remain separated from Christ. And that's a dreadful thing.

B (0:37)

It is a dreadful thing. What's amazing about the good news of the Gospel is that by faith alone we can be united to Christ and to use the words of Ephesians 2:13, be brought near by the blood of Christ. This is the Sunday edition of Renewing youg Mind, as each week we feature the preaching and teaching ministry of RC Sproul. And today we start a new series in Ephesians. And we'll discover how, because of Christ, there can be peace between our holy God and sinful man, and how there can be unity horizontally between Jew and Gentile, how we can be one in Christ. We'll be spending a few weeks in Ephesians, but all of Dr. Sproul's teaching on Ephesians was brought together and formed his Expositional Commentary. We'll gladly send you a copy today as our way of saying thank you for your donation in support of this Daily program@renewingyourmind.org Make your donation today before this offer ends at midnight. Well, turn your Bible to Ephesians 2, because here's Dr. Sproul.

A (1:48)

We're going to continue our study of Paul, Paul's Letter to the Ephesians, chapter two. And I will be reading beginning at verse 11 through the end of the chapter. Therefore, remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh called the uncircumcision, by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands. Remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus, you who once were far off, have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who has made us both one, and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments, expressed in ordinances that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off, and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone in whom the whole structure being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you are also being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit. Keep in mind that one of the major themes of Paul's letter to the Ephesians is the theme of the nature of the Church of Jesus Christ. And so what he teaches in this lesson, I think, is critical for our understanding of. Of what is the Church. So he starts this portion by calling the Ephesian Gentiles to remember something. He says, remember that at one time, you Gentiles in the flesh. Let me just comment briefly on that phrase in the flesh. Because Paul uses the term flesh in two different, different ways. Sometimes he refers simply to a person's physical human nature without any particular reference to their fallen condition in original sin. Other times he uses that term flesh to describe our fallen nature, where we are in bondage to sin. But now I think here, when he talks about the Gentiles in the flesh, he's not talking about their fallen condition, but that those who are defined as Gentiles in terms of their ethnicity, the fact that they are not Jewish by nature, but that they are in fact non Jewish in their physical and personal background. Remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh called the uncircumcision by what is called circumcision. Now, actually, this is kind of a euphemistic and polite translation that we have here, because we know that the term that was used by the Jews to describe non Jews or Gentiles was not simply that they were uncircumcised, but they referred to them in a pejorative sense as the foreskins, because they still had foreskins which had been removed from the Jews by the rite of circumcision. So that was a little bit more crass than simply being called uncircumcised by what is called the circumcision, which of course refers to the Jews, which is made in the flesh by hand. Now, again, he calls the Gentiles to remember their former situation and their former estate. And I would ask us to pay close attention here because he lists specifically five things that separated the Gentiles from the Jews. Remember that you were at that time, first of all, separated from Christ. Being Gentiles, you had no relationship with the Messiah that was promised to Israel. Remember, the term Christos or Christ is the Greek translation of the Hebrew term for the anointed one which referred to the Jewish promise and hope of the coming anointed Messiah. And the Gentiles, being non Jews, did not have this historic background and preparation for the coming of the Messiah. And so in their circumstance and whatever religious involvement they were in, they, they were completely separated from Christ. Now for the Apostle Paul to describe people's condition as being in a state of separation from Christ is one of the most grim diagnoses that he could make about any human's condition. There are millions and millions of people in our country today, both Jew and Gentile, who remain separated from Christ. And that's a dreadful thing. And if it was the only thing that Paul introduced here to describe their previous condition, it would be ghastly enough. But he doesn't stop at that point. He continues to spell out the further ramifications of what it means to be separated from Christ. Remember that. Remember the time before Paul came to Ephesus and planted that church there? Remember before you heard the Gospel, Remember before you were converted, Remember before you were made alive by the Holy Spirit, what condition you were in. First off, you were separated from Christ, second of all, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel. Now, not only were they separated from Israel, but there existed tension and conflict between Jew and Gentile that can be described in terms of, of alienation. Alienation is often rooted in ethnic differences and we have a tendency to be frightened by those apparent differences. And so here Paul is speaking of that kind of deep rooted alienation between the gentile community of that period from the Jewish community. Indeed there was not just a discomfort and a fear, but there was again much hostility that was generated between the two groups. And so he said, separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel. And there the commonwealth of Israel is that what's called the polity or the cultic life of the Jewish people. The gentiles didn't understand Jewish traditions, didn't understand Jewish practices, didn't understand Jewish religion, and go on here for a second. And strangers to the covenants of promise. So that the ones who were aliens who were separated were also strangers, not just strangers to Jewish customs and not just separated from Christ, but strangers to the covenants of God. What does that really spell out? They didn't know the specific content of the covenant promises of God, because what is it that they didn't have that would have taught them of the covenants that God made with Israel, they didn't have the Scriptures, they didn't have the word of God. You remember elsewhere in Romans, when Paul talks about he who is a Jew is one who is a Jew inwardly, and it's not merely by being circumcised in the flesh, but you have to have the circumcision of the heart. And when he talks about both Jew and Gentile are together under sin, and then he gives such a grim evaluation of the behavioral patterns and the status of first century Judaism. He then asked the rhetorical question, what advantage then is there in being a Jew? And the way he goes through all of these things that show that this is an advantage and that is an advantage, and this doesn't really get you into heaven, that won't get you into heaven. You expect him to answer his question, what then is the advantage of the Jew to say, not much or there's none. But that's not what he does. He says much, in every way and chiefly what they had the oracles of God, that they had the word of God, they had the canon of the Old Testament, so working without the oracles of God, without the special revelation of sacred Scripture, that Gentiles were consigned to a serious disadvantage and were left in so much more darkness than being without the light that God gave to Israel. And so Paul's saying, remember where you were. You're separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world. Those last two really spell out the depths of their lostness and of their condition. Being without the knowledge of Scripture, being without Christ, being strangers to the commonwealth of Israel, they were in a condition of hopelessness. Imagine a life without hope. Thoreau said that the vast majority of human beings, men, live their lives in quiet desperation. I think about this a lot, particularly with respect to my friends and acquaintances and family even, who are without Christ. And I'm thinking, how can they live, how can you live in a situation of hopelessness? Well, they are without really, what is being said here is that they're without any meaningful hope, without any substantive hope, but they still conjure up worldly hopes. And they think, you know, when they go through life and they say, well, I don't like school, but you know, as soon as I'm 16, I'm going to get my driver's license. And so that sustains them through earlier hopelessness that they get their driver's license. And it doesn't satisfy them, say, well, as soon as I graduate from high school, then I'll be happy they graduate from high school. That doesn't happen as soon as I'm 21, as soon as I get out of college, as soon as I get married, as soon as I have a baby, as soon as I have a job, soon as I get my bank account to a certain level, as soon as we own our own house, mortgage free. And I keep postponing happiness, putting it to the future. But then there comes a time when you realize you're really caught in a vortex of hopelessness, you know, and you start putting bumper stickers on your car that say, he who dies with the most toys wins. That's a philosophy of hopelessness. It's a philosophy of despair. And never, I think in the history of the west has hopelessness more permeated a culture than it does today. That's one reason why we're a drug ridden and suicidal culture, because without the covenants of promise, we have no hope. And without Christ we have no hope. And then the final thing, without God in the world, the way it's translated in the Greek is not without God in the world, it is kai a theoi ento cosmo, the word there that is translated in English without God is the word otheoi, from which we get the English word atheist or atheism. Now when you think of the nature of atheism, what do you think of? You say an atheist is a person who says, I will not affirm the existence of God. Or put it the other way, I don't believe in the existence of God. I'm not persuaded of the existence of God. And it has to do with a philosophical conviction. But in any case, the point I want to make here is that when Paul is describing the situation of the Gentiles before this period and is asking them to remember what they were, he's not simply saying, remember that you were atheists, but that you were, as an atheist without God in the world, you were godless. And that's the description of everyone who is outside of Christ. They're godless. And Paul is saying that was your circumstance before. And he's not just talking to a group of people in Turkey, he's talking about us. This is our pedigree, this is our background. Nobody is ever born a Christian. You may be born into a Christian home, but your doa, you're dead on arrival. Spiritually, you're a pagan. When you take your first breath, you're not aware at least of the scriptures, yet you're dead in sin. You're without Christ and you're godless. That's our natural fallen condition. Now, I mentioned earlier when Paul, in the beginning of chapter two, in verse four, you know, after he said, you were dead in trespasses in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the earth, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience, among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath like the rest of mankind. And then after this terrible indictment, we breathe a sigh of relief when Paul says, but God, who is rich in mercy because of the great love with which he loved us even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ by grace are you saved through faith and so on. Well, after he just did that in the early part of chapter two, after describing the fallen human condition, he interrupts that grim evaluation with the words, but God. I remember I emphasized this so much in a Bible study I gave 42 years ago. Some ladies that were in the class did needlepoint and I. And they needle pointed me a little thing with the words, but God. And I had that hanging on the wall in my office. Because that's, in a nutshell, the history of my redemption. Because it wasn't that I was dead in sin and trespasses, but Roll resolved to change his ways, to turn over a new leaf, pull himself up from his bootstraps. No, salvation is of the Lord fully and completely. And so now, after Paul talks about these five things that were missing in the condition in the lives of the Gentiles, saying that they had no hope and were without God in the world. But now. But now he says, remember where you were. But now understand where you are. But now in Christ Jesus. You who once were far off have been brought near. You were so far away from the kingdom we couldn't see you with Galileo's telescope. You were so much strangers and foreigners to the things of God that the only way to describe it is the not that you were jammed up close to it, just on the threshold of coming to faith, just on the doorstep of the kingdom of God. No, you were far away in the distance, but you've now been brought near by dromedaries, by horses, camels. No. What has allowed you to pass over that distance? He said the means, the instrument that has carried you from afar to near. It's the blood of Christ. That's what's changed my situation, from death to life, from hopelessness to hope, from godlessness to God is the blood of Jesus Christ. He's talking about the atonement. The atonement is the great equalizer. If Christ dies for a Gentile, that Gentile is now no longer separated from the Jewish believer. He's no longer an alien to the commonwealth of Israel because the blood of Christ has made him clean. Remember again, the most common designation of the Gentile in the Old Testament is that he's unclean, was impure, with a filthiness that couldn't be cleansed by soap. It required blood, a bloodbath of the cross.