Tear Down this Wall

One of the most iconic lines of the 20^th Century was delivered on June 12^th, 1987, by President Ronald Reagan. Standing in font of the Berlin Wall, Reagan called on the Soviet Union to demolish the barrier between East and West Germany, saying, “Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate. Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”

Adding to the historical impact of this line is the fact that it was staunchly opposed by those close to the President, including Howard Baker and Colin Powell, who felt the imperative was, “unpresidential.” A determined Reagan kept the line, and the rest is history.

Long before Reagan called for the tearing down of walls the Apostle Paul delivered a similar line. In Ephesians 2:14 Paul says this of Jesus: “For He is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of partition between us.”

Paul’s theological point is that Jesus came to tear down the dividing wall between mankind and God; our sin problem separates us from our holy God, but the accepted sacrifice of Jesus tore down the wall, making it possible for our sins to be passed over, restoring us to God. If you are not a Christian there is a dividing wall keeping you from God. Don’t let it separate you any longer.

But I believe there is a fair secondary application here. Many of us are living with animosity towards someone else. Instead of forgiving them, we hold on to grudges and build up dividing walls between us. God didn’t create us to live behind walls, and the good news is He can make the two groups become one. Christian, if you are bitter or have hatred towards someone, then my advice is the same as Reagan’s to Gorbachev: tear down this wall.