God's home is built on the rubble of division and hostility

One in Christ: How God Tears Down Walls and Builds His House on the Rubble

Division is everywhere. Between people, cultures, backgrounds, and beliefs. But the message of Ephesians 2 is clear: God is not building walls. He is tearing them down, and He is building something far greater in their place.

What Does It Mean That Cities Are Built on Top of Other Cities?

Cities around the world have been built on the ruins of what came before. Floods, wars, and disasters would level everything, and rather than clearing it all away, people would simply build on top of the rubble. Layer after layer, city after city.

This image carries a powerful spiritual truth. God does not always wipe the slate clean and start over. Sometimes He allows things to be torn down so that something new and better can be built on top of the ashes. That is exactly what He is doing with His church.

The house of God is built on the rubble of division and hostility. Whatever walls, structures, or institutions create separation among God's people, He is tearing those down and building His house on top of them.

What Does Ephesians 2:11-22 Teach Us About Unity?

Ephesians 2 speaks directly to the divide between Jewish believers and Gentiles, those from "the nations" who were considered outsiders to God's covenant people. Paul writes:

"But now in Christ Jesus, you who were once far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ, for He is our peace; in His flesh He has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us." - Ephesians 2:13-14

This was not a small thing. In the physical temple, there were literal walls separating people. Gentiles could only enter the outer courts. Women could go no further than a certain point. Only priests could pass beyond the next barrier. And only the high priest, just a few times a year, could enter the Holy of Holies where God's presence dwelled.

Wall after wall. Barrier after barrier. Separation built into the very structure of worship.

Why Did Jesus Come to Break Down Dividing Walls?

The original purpose of God's covenant with Israel was never meant to be exclusive. The vision was always that all nations would be drawn in, that Gentiles would come to know God and become His people by faith. But the walls that were meant to point people toward God ended up keeping people out.

Jesus changed everything. Paul writes that Christ "abolished the law with its commandments and ordinances" not to do away with God's moral standard, but to destroy the system of separation. The dividing walls that kept people at a distance from God and from one another were torn down through the cross.

"So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God." - Ephesians 2:19

What Is the "House of God" If It Is Not a Building?

Paul makes a striking shift in this passage. The house of God is no longer a temple made of stone. It is the people of God themselves.

"In Him the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you were also built together spiritually into a dwelling place for God." - Ephesians 2:21-22

God does not reside in a building. He resides in His people. Wherever believers go, they carry the presence of God with them. This means the church is not a place you visit once a week. It is who you are, every day, in every space you occupy.

And just like any home, God is always working on it. He is always renovating, always improving, always making space for more.

Is God's House Big Enough for Everyone?

Yes. Completely and without question.

God's house is big enough for people who look different, think differently, come from different cultures, speak different languages, and carry different histories. It is big enough for those who have questions and doubts. It is big enough for those who have been told, in one way or another, that they do not belong.

In John 14, Jesus told His disciples not to worry about His departure because He was going to prepare a place for them. He said, "In my Father's house there are many rooms." The image is of a home always under construction, always expanding, always making room for more.

That is the nature of God's house. It is never finished because God is always welcoming more people in.

What Happens When the Church Puts Up Its Own Walls?

One of the most convicting questions this passage raises is whether the church has sometimes done the very thing Christ came to undo. Have we erected our own walls? Have we sent messages, spoken or unspoken, that certain people are not welcome?

People have been told they cannot come to church because of how they dress, who they are, what they have done, or what they struggle with. And while no one may have said those words out loud, the message was received clearly.

But the Gospel of Jesus Christ does not say, "Get yourself ready and then come in." It says, "Come in, and let the Holy Spirit do the work of transformation in you." None of us were worthy to walk through the doors of God's house. We did not earn it. We did not deserve it. And yet the doors are open.

What Does the Fall of the Berlin Wall Teach Us About the Gospel?

After World War II, Berlin was divided. Families were separated. People who had lived through the same war, the same suffering, the same loss, were now cut off from one another by a wall that stood for decades.

When the wall finally came down in 1989, people flooded the streets in celebration. After fifty years of division, they were reunited.

There were still differences. There were still wounds. There were still years of hurt and mistrust to work through. But the wall was gone.

The Gospel does the same thing. Christ has already torn down the wall. The announcement has already been made. And the people of God are called to live in the reality of that announcement, to celebrate it, to embody it, and to make sure no one is left standing on the outside wondering if there is room for them.

How Should the Church Respond to This Call?

The church is called to be a community that actively removes barriers rather than builds them. That means asking honest questions:

The people of God are also called to go, not just to gather. Because God's presence goes with His people wherever they are. You do not have to wait for someone to walk through the church doors. You carry the house of God with you into every relationship, every neighborhood, every conversation.

And within the community of believers, God is still at work. Sanctification is not a one-time event. It is an ongoing relationship with the Holy Spirit, who continues to reveal blind spots, tear down internal walls, and shape us more into the likeness of Jesus Christ. We are all still under construction.

Life Application

This week, identify one wall you may have built, whether toward a person, a group, or even toward God Himself. It might be a judgment you have held, a person you have written off, or a part of your own heart you have kept closed. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where that wall is and take one concrete step toward tearing it down. That might mean reaching out to someone, extending an invitation, or simply praying for someone you have kept at a distance.

Ask yourself:

God is building something beautiful out of people from every background, culture, and story. You are part of that house. And the question is whether you will be a wall or a door for someone who is still searching for a way in.