In the next weeks I want to present to you the DOCTRINE of the HOUSEHOLD OF FAITH.

It is of utmost importance that we understand this doctrine as an apostolic Household.

Act 2:42

(42) And they steadfastly persevered, devoting themselves constantly to the instruction and fellowship of the apostles, to the breaking of bread [including the Lord's Supper] and prayers.

We see clearly from this scripture that the New Testament church was built upon four ingredients:

1. Apostolic Doctrine
2. Fellowship
3. Breaking of Bread ( Administration of Grace)
4. Prayers (Going beyond the realms of the Flesh)

Jesus is our foundation and corner stone upon which we build. We have to look at how Jesus presented Himself as the first Apostle to the Church after His resurrection and we find this picture in the interaction that took place between Jesus and the TWO DISCIPLES.

Luk 24:13-33

(13) And behold, that very day two of [the disciples] were going to a village called Emmaus, [which is] about seven miles from Jerusalem.

(14) And they were talking with each other about all these things that had occurred.

(15) And while they were conversing and discussing together, Jesus Himself caught up with them and was already accompanying them.

(16) But their eyes were held, so that they did not recognize Him.

(17) And He said to them, What is this discussion that you are exchanging (throwing back and forth) between yourselves as you walk along? And they stood still, looking sad and downcast.

(18) Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered Him, Do you alone dwell as a stranger in Jerusalem and not know the things that have occurred there in these days?

(19) And He said to them, What [kind of] things? And they said to Him, About Jesus of Nazareth, Who was a Prophet mighty in work and word before God and all the people--

(20) And how our chief priests and rulers gave Him up to be sentenced to death, and crucified Him.

(21) But we were hoping that it was He Who would redeem and set Israel free. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things occurred.

(22) And moreover, some women of our company astounded us and drove us out of our senses. They were at the tomb early [in the morning]

(23) But did not find His body; and they returned saying that they had [even] seen a vision of angels, who said that He was alive!

(24) So some of those [who were] with us went to the tomb and they found it just as the women had said, but Him they did not see.

(25) And [Jesus] said to them, O foolish ones [sluggish in mind, dull of perception] and slow of heart to believe (adhere to and trust in and rely on) everything that the prophets have spoken!

(26) Was it not necessary and essentially fitting that the Christ (the Messiah) should suffer all these things before entering into His glory (His majesty and splendor)?

(27) Then beginning with Moses and [throughout] all the Prophets, He went on explaining and interpreting to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning and referring to Himself.

(28) Then they drew near the village to which they were going, and He acted as if He would go further.

(29) But they urged and insisted, saying to Him, Remain with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is now far spent. So He went in to stay with them.

(30) And it occurred that as He reclined at table with them, He took [a loaf of] bread and praised [God] and gave thanks and asked a blessing, and then broke it and was giving it to them

(31) When their eyes were [instantly] opened and they [clearly] recognized Him, and He vanished (departed invisibly).

(32) And they said to one another, Were not our hearts greatly moved and burning within us while He was talking with us on the road and as He opened and explained to us [the sense of] the Scriptures?

(33) And rising up that very hour, they went back to Jerusalem, where they found the Eleven [apostles] gathered together and those who were with them,

On the road to Emmaus, Jesus revealed Himself to two of His disciples, by doing three things:

1. He Opened the Scriptures: APOSTOLIC DOCTRINE & FELLOWSHIP & BREAKING OF BREAD

LUKE 24:27

Then beginning with Moses and [throughout] all the Prophets, He went on explaining and interpreting to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning and referring to Himself.

Jesus opened the Scriptures to this two disciples when they were in an environment of intimacy and relating to one another. You can to a certain extent express this more accurately by referring to it as being in a relational culture. Take note that Jesus did this ‘while he walked with them’. Doctrine was presented to these two disciples in an environment of fellowship. It was also as part of the journey. We have to understand that Jesus placed a high emphasis on fellowship. We see him spending time with His disciple on a constant basis. Fellowship at the table is extremely important. It was during this fellowship that Jesus revealed Himself out of the Scriptures. Jesus then used the Old Testament and led Himself out of the Scriptures into the New Testament as He revealed Himself to these two disciples. This is why we apply in our doctrines the whole of the scriptures – both Old Testament and New Testament. When the disciples recognized Jesus he disappeared.

Have you ever asked yourself why? Why did Jesus disappear?

Jesus did not want them to know Him after the flesh but after the spirit. When he appeared to them again he asked them for fish to eat. Take note he was no longer feeding them bread. He now moves now directly to the meat of the Word. That is where God wants us to be. In order for us to feed on the meat of the Word we need to be established in the four pillars of that we see reflected in Acts 2:42.

· Apostolic Doctrine

· Fellowship

· Breaking of Bread ( Administration of Grace)

· Prayers (Going beyond the realms of the Flesh)

1. He Opened their Eyes: (Verse 31)

Blindness is a harsh reality in a religious environment. We have been brought up in a religious community and we need to have our eyes opened to see as Jesus see. We have to learn to sit under the teaching of an apostle and father of our Household of Faith and learn how to wash ourselves at the pool of Siloam under the instruction of the sent one.

Joh 9:7

(7) And He said to him, Go, wash in the Pool of Siloam--which means Sent. So he went and washed, and came back seeing.

Go and make a study of this event and see how religion blinded people from seeing and recognizing the Messiah in their midst. Time do not allow me to expand on this scripture now.

1. He Opened their Minds

Through this process these two disciples came to a place of understanding and when that happened they did not want him to leave. There was a desire in them that Jesus must remain with them. There was a hunger for more.

God however gave us a promise:

Joh 14:18

(18) I will not leave you as orphans [comfortless, desolate, bereaved, forlorn, helpless]; I will come [back] to you.

G3737 - Thayer Definition:

ὀρφανός - orphanos

1) bereft (of a father, of parents)

2) of those bereft of a teacher, guide, guardian

3) orphaned

This scripture and passage will only make truly sense to you if you begin to understand this scripture in the complete context of households of faith.

The primary wineskin of an apostolic community is building a household of God in the earth. The hierarchy is not the five fold ministry that we have been taught through the years. We have over emphasized these structures in the past which we borrowed from Ephesians 4. We created a structure in which we placed the Apostle and the Prophet at the top and then the rest. This was never God’s intention but a structure created by man through the inaccurate interpretation and implementation of the Scripture in Ephesians.

Eph 4:11-12

(11) And His gifts were [varied; He Himself appointed and gave men to us] some to be apostles (special messengers), some prophets (inspired preachers and expounders), some evangelists (preachers of the Gospel, traveling missionaries), some pastors (shepherds of His flock) and teachers.

(12) His intention was the perfecting and the full equipping of the saints (His consecrated people), [that they should do] the work of ministering toward building up Christ's body (the church),

From the context of this scripture it is clear that these are functions or offices whose purpose is to build up the body of Christ.

Laborers and workers can never be the wineskin. They are the builders – and the builders cannot be the house. The wineskin is the container which contains the new thing that God wants to do. In this season God is moving us away from the old culture of titles and positions. We must understand that when the perfect comes, the imperfect must go.

We must now find what God intended as the container or new wineskin for His Church. We have to go back to scripture and find what it is that God has identified as the New Wineskin. In the next week or two I will lay a foundation from scripture showing you that the new wineskin is called the Household of God. Within the Household of God there are many other Households of Faith. I will unpack this statement in a moment.

Before I start with you on this journey I want us to come to a place of common ground and understanding regarding our faith and our religion. I also need you to understand the principals I will be applying as I expound the scriptures to you.

WHAT IS TRUE AND ACCURATELY EXPRESSED RELIGION?

Jam 1:27

(27) External religious worship [religion as it is expressed in outward acts] that is pure and unblemished in the sight of God the Father is this: to visit and help and care for the orphans and widows in their affliction and need, and to keep oneself unspotted and uncontaminated from the world.

Please also take note of the the following hermeneutical principles and tools that I utilize in expounding these scriptures to you:

• First the natural, then the spiritual. So do not only interpret scriptures literally.

2Co 5:16

Consequently, from now on we estimate and regard no one from a [purely] human point of view [in terms of natural standards of value]. [No] even though we once did estimate Christ from a human viewpoint and as a man, yet now [we have such knowledge of Him that] we know Him no longer [in terms of the flesh].

• First shall be last and the last shall be first. The last things created are usually first in the mind of God (eg. man). Hence the literal application could be secondary and the ‘greater’ figurative application could be more relevant.

When we study the Old Testament we must see the line through to the New Testament and in the process the shadow becomes the thing of substance.

This scripture in James 1:27 are one of those who have been used and abused through the years by pastor to raise money for the works amongst the widows and orphans or works of compassion.

In the context of this scripture James was discussing the relevance of pure religion. The practical application to what makes Christianity.

In the context he not speaking about widows and orphans as we understand it but is speaking about those who are without father, orphans = fatherless and widows = who are husbandless.

Jas 1:27

Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.

James is here emphasizing the two dimensions of God.

• The Kingdom of God – The Creator
• The Kingdom of the Father – The God of Family

Could it be that James then is here referring to those in the body who are fatherless and without Husband. That would then indicate those who are without a spiritual father and are not locked into the family of God.

Mal 4:5-6

(5) Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes. [Matthew 11:14; 17:10-13]

(6) And he shall turn and reconcile the hearts of the [estranged] fathers to the [ungodly] children, and the hearts of the [rebellious] children to [the piety of] their fathers [a reconciliation produced by repentance of the ungodly], lest I come and smite the land with a curse and a ban of utter destruction. [Luke 1:17]

God is in this season clearly speaking to us that widows and orphans are illegitimate in this season. We have to break the orphan and widow culture that exists within the body of Christ. We must restore the spirit of the father to the house so that we do have orphaned or widow culture that is without covering or protection.

REDEFININF this scripture IN JAMES within this context would present us with the following STATEMENT:

Jam 1:27 – My Version

(27) Pure and true religion in the sight of God the Father is this: to produce the spirit of the Father that will restore covering to the widow and protection to the son, so that we not not have a orphaned culture, a fatherless culture or a widow culture that is without covering or spiritual immunity.

This would then place a demand upon us to establish covenant relationships and to aggressively nullify widows and orphans in the Kingdom. We have to come to a place where we function as a Household of Faith, having a father where we are locked into that covenant grace.

We have to study the Old Testament & New Testament and the genealogies in order for us to understand why God placed so much emphasis on this. Why would that be?

We must also take note of the repeated references to genealogy throughout the Scriptures. Why is there a study of the registries in Nehemiah and Ezra? God choose to build the human race in the New Testament according to households of faith and family units in the Old Testament. People in the Old Testament are always referred to as the son of someone. God places a lot of emphasis on genealogy and we must take note of it and find the reason for such emphasis. Al through the scripture we see people identified as the son of…..

Paul said the Corinthians had many instructors but a few fathers.

Instructors = leading people who have the condition of being a child. ‘Instructors’ are ‘boy leaders’.

We are no longer putting new wine in an old wineskin. The new wineskin is the Household of Faith. God is building himself a house. We have to get rid of the Boy leaders in the church and embrace our fathers.

Mark 12: 38-40

38 In His teaching He was saying: “Beware of the scribes who like to walk around in long robes, and like respectful greetings in the market places,

39 and chief seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets,

40 who devour widows’ houses, and for appearance’s sake offer long prayers; these will receive greater condemnation.”

Most churches today are ‘widows houses’ .[houses devoured by a religious spirit] who are being led by boy leaders. Scribes and Pharisees can not lead the purposes of God. The grace that leads a house is the grace of Father.

The Fathering grace is necessary. In this grace there will and could also be any expression of the five fold ministry – but this ‘ministry emphasis’ is secondary to the fathering dimension that God is emphasizing now in this season.

We have to build households by using the spirit of Elijah.

If this then is God’s building block and plan for His bride it leaves all of us with a challenge…..

DO YOU HAVE A SPIRITUAL FATHER? If you tell me yes I want to challenge your response and ask you if you can truly call the person you are referring to

your spiritual father?

You can only say yes to this question if you have locked yourself into the grace of such a father and are standing in an intimate relationship with him where there is accountability and impartation of grace taking place on a regular basis.

If you cannot respond to this question and can not truly identify that you have a father you are in a widow’s house, you are husbandless or fatherless. You are in a place where there is no protection or immunity. You are open meat for attack from the enemy.

I am not asking you if you have a pastor or a teacher or an evangelist – Do you have a father. If you have you will stand in a relationship with him where your heart will respond and call out ABBA ABBA-FATHER and not Pastor-Pastor or Apostle-Apostle or TEACHER - TEACHER

One of the greatest problems we have in the church today is that there is a migrant culture. This searching migrant move is nothing but a cry unto fathering. If you are not happy with your pastor or leader and you go somewhere else. This is nothing but the manifestation of an independent spirit and of a heart filled with pride that refuse to bow itself before the Lord.

The question I need to ask you this morning: Are you caught in this contemporary culture of instructors without a father? This is a dangerous place to be in.

Malachi 4: 1-6

1 For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and every evildoer will be chaff; and the day that is coming will set them ablaze,” says the Lord of hosts, “so that I will leave them neither root nor branch.”

2 “But for you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings; and you will go forth and skip about like calves from the stall.

3 “You will tread down the wicked, for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day which I am preparing,” says the Lord of hosts.

4 “Remember the law of Moses My servant, even the statutes and ordinances which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel.

5 “Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord.

6 “He will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, so that I will not come and smite the land with a curse.”

The word here for Children = ‘ben’ = sons

There are enough pastors and teachers in the church. We need fathers. God is not only after you being and becoming a son. He is after you becoming a son and growing into a father till He sees the reflection of Himself and His fatherhood manifesting through your life.

The present season is plagued by a curse of absent fathers. When fathering is restored, illegal churches and denominations will be shut down. Elijah is more than a prophet. We have to embrace the Spirit of Elijah. The sign of an Elijah anointing is not prophecy. The sign of this anointing is the cry of “MY FATHER, MY FATHER’ …..

When this takes place two things will happen in the HOUSE:

• Connect you to the heart of the Father

• Connect you to fathers that reflect the heart of the Father

The manifestation of the Spirit of Elijah will connect he hearts of the children to the father and the heart of the father to the children.

We have to embrace this spirit. We will see this manifested in two ways:

• Trans-generational building.
• There will be recognition by sons of the spirit of the progenitor

You will recognize your father. The biggest problem in Africa today is ancestral worship – this is nothing but a cry for fathering. When people are praying they are calling out father bless me.

When this Elijah anointing come and is released this curse will be broken.

If there then is a father it follows that there needs to be a household. You can not be a father is there is not a Household.

WHAT THEN IS THE COMPOSITION OF THE HOUSEHOLD?

It is the church, the Ekklesia (Qahal is the greek or Aramaic word) – and it means community.

• We are a nation (a holy nation).

1Pe 2:9

(9) But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a dedicated nation, [God's] own purchased, special people, that you may set forth the wonderful deeds and display the virtues and perfections of Him Who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. [Exodus 19:5-6]

We know that at some level the nation of Israel is also a shadow and a picture of the Church of God. We know that in this instance Israel is the shadow that pointed towards the substance of the true church – the ‘real’ which is us.

Jam 1:1

(1) James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes scattered abroad [among the Gentiles in the dispersion]: Greetings (rejoice)!

We see here James addressing the different New Testament churches as the scattered tribes of Israel. Lets look then at the composition of Israel. Israel had 12 tribes with each tribe having family groupings called a clan and households in each clan. Thus we can see that every congregation is a household.

Up to now, we have looked for the crowds, not households with a father over it. We have mistreated people and abused them as we did not truly care for them. We looked at the congregations as an institution with members. This is inaccurate. According to this model every congregation is to be perceived as a family unit with family members. You have to come to a place where you accept yourself as a member of a functional family and also accept the father of that house as your spiritual father and tap into the grace of that father.

IF you are not locked into the family of God and the Household in this way you are open season to the enemy for there is no covering.

I want us for a moment to study the life of Judas the disciple who sold out Jesus. I do not think that there is many of us who have taken the time to actually study his life and what the Word has to say about him:

Acts 1:15-26

(15) Now on one of those days Peter arose among the brethren, the whole number of whom gathered together was about a hundred and twenty.

(16) Brethren, he said, it was necessary that the Scripture be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit foretold by the lips of David, about Judas who acted as guide to those who arrested Jesus.

(17) For he was counted among us and received [by divine allotment] his portion in this ministry.

(18) Now this man obtained a piece of land with the [money paid him as a] reward for his treachery and wickedness, and falling headlong he burst open in the middle [of his body] and all his intestines poured forth.

(19) And all the residents of Jerusalem became acquainted with the facts, so that they called the piece of land in their own dialect--Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.

(20) For in the book of Psalms it is written, Let his place of residence become deserted and gloomy, and let there be no one to live in it; and [again], Let another take his position or overseership. [Psalms 69:25; 109:8]

(21) So one of the [other] men who have accompanied us [apostles] during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,

(22) From the baptism of John at the outset until the day when He was taken up from among us--one of these men must join with us and become a witness to testify to His resurrection.

(23) And they accordingly proposed (nominated) two men, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.

(24) And they prayed and said, You, Lord, Who know all hearts (their thoughts, passions, desires, appetites, purposes, and endeavors), indicate to us which one of these two You have chosen

(25) To take the place in this ministry and receive the position of an apostle, from which Judas fell away and went astray to go [where he belonged] to his own [proper] place.

(26) And they drew lots [between the two], and the lot fell on Matthias; and he was added to and counted with the eleven apostles (special messengers).

Act 1:17

(17) For he was counted among us and received [by divine allotment] his portion in this ministry.

Portion = inheritance given now to you legally owned to you and not in the future. It is interesting to note here that Judas was already given his portion. Take note of the following three things we learn here about Judas:

Act 1:20

(20) For in the book of Psalms it is written, Let his place of residence become deserted and gloomy, and let there be no one to live in it; and [again], Let another take his position or overseership. [Psalms 69:25; 109:8]

1. HIS HOMESTEAD WAS MADE DESOLATE

Meaning of Homestead is dwelling place – A House. Judas had a homestead over which he was the head. He already had a House which he was responsible to oversee. Jacob prophesied over his twelve sons. This prophesies are a shadow of things to come. Study Genesis 49 where Jacob prophesied over the 12 Households to come. Judas was the Greek format of the name Judah.

Gen 49:9-10

(9) Judah, a lion's cub! With the prey, my son, you have gone high up [the mountain]. He stooped down, he crouched like a lion, and like a lioness--who dares provoke and rouse him? [Revelation 5:5]

(10) The scepter or leadership shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until Shiloh [the Messiah, the Peaceful One] comes to Whom it belongs, and to Him shall be the obedience of the people. [Numbers 24:17; Psalms 60:7]

Judas’ house was to carry the treasures of the purposes of God – yet his house now becomes devoid of purpose – desolate and barren of divine assignments. Take Note : ‘LET NO MAN DWELL IN IT’

1. LET ANOTHER MAN TAKE HIS OFFICE

‘Office’ = episcope = someone that functions as superintendent – as an inspector to bring relief or help. One who visits inspects and provides covering. He is an overseer – an elder – providing covering. Elders were known for the dignity and ability to provide covering.

Judas lost his office. He lost his position of rulership and dominion.

Judas hung himself – He lost his headship. He had no more covering. Spiritual covering is important. Spiritual covering works by virtue of the assessment of what the needs of the house are.

To be an overseer is to function as an inspector to see how you can bring relieve – give help to those who are in need. To visit as one among the people analyzing the needs and then meet those needs through your oversight. As an overseer you must have the smell of the sheep upon your life. One who visit inspect and provide covering. As and overseer of episcope you provide relief through the covering you give by covering the weakness of those you oversee through providing spiritual covering.

However to receive this covering you have to lock into the grace of that overseer.

1. DIAKONIA - MINISTRY

Act 1:25

(25) To take the place in this ministry and receive the position of an apostle, from which Judas fell away and went astray to go [where he belonged] to his own [proper] place.

Ministry = diakonia = to produce serviceable labour; assistance; servanthood - one who provides compassionate love toward the needy.

The time and season of superstar ministry is over. A culture of servitude is needed – he who is the greatest is the servant of all. You will wash filthy feet before you sit and eat.

Are all your people serviced with compassionate love? Every single ministry of the church must fulfill this demand.

1. APOSTLESHIP

Apostleship = apostole = a dispatching or sending off ; also a gift sent forth; When you start to function on this level you will see the grace in you as the gift that is sent forth to the people. Note in this listing, apostleship comes last, not first.

Why you might ask do I use this scripture at this time. Judas although he walked with Jesus for three years and was part of the 12 disciples never embraced the grace that there was in Jesus as a spiritual father.

He lost his inheritance to someone else. Again the question and challenge come to us…. Are you locked into the grace of the Father that God has placed over your life. You can only do that as you also embrace the Household of Faith over which the Father, fathers and those members of the Household.

CD Session 2

Mat 16:16-18

(16) Simon Peter replied, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.

(17) Then Jesus answered him, Blessed (happy, fortunate, and to be envied) are you, Simon Bar-Jonah. For flesh and blood [men] have not revealed this to you, but My Father Who is in heaven.

(18) And I tell you, you are Peter [Greek, Petros--a large piece of rock], and on this rock [Greek, petra --a huge rock like Gibraltar] I will build My church, and the gates of Hades (the powers of the infernal region) shall not overpower it [or be strong to its detriment or hold out against it].

G3618 - Thayer Definition: BUILD

οἰκοδομέω - oikodomeō

1) to build a house, erect a building

1a) to build (up from the foundation)

1b) to restore by building, to rebuild, repair

2) metaphorically

2a) to found, establish

2b) to promote growth in Christian wisdom, affection, grace, virtue, holiness, blessedness

2c) to grow in wisdom and piety

Literally means to build a house or a city. Jesus is saying He will build His church. But the church he is building is like a city or a Household. He is saying to us that He will build upon the confession of the design of the image of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit for that will reflect the image of the father. This will be manifested through the mature sons of God.

Matt 16:18

And I tell you, you are Peter [Greek, Petros--a large piece of rock], and on this rock [Greek, petra --a huge rock like Gibraltar] I will build My church, and the gates of Hades (the powers of the infernal region) shall not overpower it [or be strong to its detriment or hold out against it].

Mat 16:18

And^G1161 I say also^{G2504 G3004} unto thee,^G4671 That^G3754 thou^G4771 art^G1488Peter,^G4074 and^G2532 upon^G1909 this^G5026rock^G4073 I will build^G3618 my^G3450 church;^G1577 and^G2532 the gates^G4439 of hell^G86 shall not^G3756 prevail against^G2729 it.^G846

G4074 – PETER - PETROS

Πέτρος – Pétros

pétros; gen. Pétrou, masc. proper noun. Peter, meaning stone.

Here Jesus is speaking of the rock [PETROS] of the confession and revelation that Peter has received. He is referring to it in the masculine form. Then He continues to state that HE will build His Church on this [PETRA}

G4073 – ROCK - PETRA

Πέτρα pétra; gen. pétras, fem. of pétros (G4074), a stable unmovable rock.

This is the female form of PETROS. It speaks of the womb. Jesus is saying here that He will build upon this confession: YOU ARE THE CHRIST - Father Son and Holy Spirit manifested in the earth as true sons of God. God is after the Spiritual building where we reflect the Household of God in the earth. Where we become Christ (Father Son and Holy Spirit) in the earth. HE is not into a nice physical building and all the rest of the paraphernalia we see in the church today. We must get to the place we establish Christ in the earth.

If you submit to a Father and you do see the manifestation of the fullness of the Godhead in and through your life and you do not see that image reflected in and through the life of that father you are in an inaccurate House.

God is after us to build us into the place where we see the fullness of Christ revealed. If building in our congregations we do not manifest the image of the Father son and Holy spirit we are inaccurate.

Eph 2:13-22

(13) But now in Christ Jesus, you who once were [so] far away, through (by, in) the blood of Christ have been brought near.

(14) For He is [Himself] our peace (our bond of unity and harmony). He has made us both [Jew and Gentile] one [body], and has broken down (destroyed, abolished) the hostile dividing wall between us,

(15) By abolishing in His [own crucified] flesh the enmity [caused by] the Law with its decrees and ordinances [which He annulled]; that He from the two might create in Himself one new man [one new quality of humanity out of the two], so making peace.

(16) And [He designed] to reconcile to God both [Jew and Gentile, united] in a single body by means of His cross, thereby killing the mutual enmity and bringing the feud to an end.

(17) And He came and preached the glad tidings of peace to you who were afar off and [peace] to those who were near. [Isaiah 57:19]

(18) For it is through Him that we both [whether far off or near] now have an introduction (access) by one [Holy] Spirit to the Father [so that we are able to approach Him].

(19) Therefore you are no longer outsiders (exiles, migrants, and aliens, excluded from the rights of citizens), but you now share citizenship with the saints (God's own people, consecrated and set apart for Himself); and you belong to God's [own] household.

(20) You are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Christ Jesus Himself the chief Cornerstone.

(21) In Him the whole structure is joined (bound, welded) together harmoniously, and it continues to rise (grow, increase) into a holy temple in the Lord [a sanctuary dedicated, consecrated, and sacred to the presence of the Lord].

(22) In Him [and in fellowship with one another] you yourselves also are being built up [into this structure] with the rest, to form a fixed abode (dwelling place) of God in (by, through) the Spirit.

The fixed abode that is being referred to hear is not a physical structure of the physical building. This is the Household of Faith. You are God’s dwelling place and as we come together in unity and start to reflect the corporate body of Christ we establish His temple.