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.
Paul tells the Gentiles (us!) to remember what a terrible position they were in without Jesus.
- separated from Jesus
- alienated from God's people
- strangers to God's promises
- having no hope
- without God
As soon as we forget what we were like or what we would be like without Jesus, we start taking the good news for granted. Why are we sometimes just going through the motions, singing words without feeling them, listening to sermons but not hearing them, being informed by the bible but not transformed, praying from the head but not the heart? It probably starts by forgetting our state without Jesus.
Ephesians 2:13
But now in Christ Jesus you who were once far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
Remembering our pathetic state without Jesus is not the end of the story. Because Jesus shed his blood on our behalf, we are no longer far off and disconnected. He has brought us near. God has bridged the distance between us.