上帝的子民可能因为种种原因而分为不同的群体，例如保罗在这里所提到的「外邦人」与「犹太人」、「没受割礼的」与「受割礼的人」。不同的群体彼此之间相互竞争，甚至想要取代对方，但上帝的心意不是「取代」，而是「合一」。

上帝的教会应该有和平的记号在其中，因为耶稣基督就是我们的「和平」，祂在十字架上亲自以自己的身体终止了冤仇，拆毁了中间隔绝的墙，使双方合而为一。 （2:14）这个合而为一的群体不再是外邦人与犹太人，而是「新人」，归为「一体」。

诚如保罗所说：「我们是上帝所造之物，在基督耶稣里创造的。」相对于起初的创造，上帝借着耶稣基督把我们造成新人是第二阶段的创造，我们都是上帝所创造的「新人类」。在这个再造的过程中，上帝的子民将会被改变 ，获得复活的身体，以配合上帝所要创造的「新天新地」。

地上的教会就是未来新天新地的「预尝」，即使我们都还在肉身中，还在新创造的过程中，还没得到复活的身体；但我们已经领受上帝的圣灵，已经是「上帝借着圣灵居住的所在」。

当我们越明白圣经的真理，我们就越清楚自己有责任活出那新创造的生命。我们必须明白，我们已经拥有和睦的能力。如果你愿意，你可以靠着圣灵在家里、在社区、在上帝的子民中，活出上帝的和平。

简体圣经 | https://www.bible.com/bible/140/EPH.2.RCUVSS

繁體聖經 | https://www.bible.com/bible/139/EPH.2.RCUV

God's people may be divided into different groups for various reasons, such as the "Gentiles" and "Jews," "uncircumcised" and "circumcised" that Paul mentions here. Different groups compete with each other and even want to replace each other, but God's intention is not to replace but to unite.

God's church should have a sign of peace within it, because Jesus Christ is our peace, and He personally put an end to hostility by his own body on the cross, destroying the dividing wall, making both sides one. (2:14) This united group is no longer Gentiles and Jews, but "new people," belonging to "one body."

As Paul says, "We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works.” (2:10) In contrast to the initial creation, God made us new people through Jesus Christ as the second stage of creation. We are all "new humans" created by God. In this process of regeneration, God's people will be changed and given resurrected bodies to fit the "new heaven and new earth" that God will create.

The church on earth is a "taste" of the future new heaven and new earth, even though we are all still in the flesh, in the process of new creation, and have not yet received resurrected bodies. But we have already received the Holy Spirit of God and are "dwelling place for God by the Spirit." (2:22)

The more we understand the truth of the Bible, the more we realize that we have a responsibility to live out that new life. We must understand that we already have the ability to live in peace. If you are willing, you can live out God's peace at home, in the community, and among God's people by relying on the Holy Spirit.

Reading the Bible | https://www.bible.com/bible/59/EPH.2.ESV