necessitating this reconciliation being represented by the middle wall of partition, which

has been destroyed (see Col. 2: 14-17, where the word "ordinances" re-appears).

This reconciled church, however, has a destiny "far above all" and is composed of

sinners who, before salvation, were alienated and enemies from all that is holy. The

alienation that was cancelled in Eph. 2: was the alienation of the Gentile from all

covenant relationship with God (see Eph. 2: 12). Here, the alienation to be cancelled is

the alienation of enemies by reason of wickedness, so that they shall be "made sufficient"

for their glorious and holy position at the right hand of God.

Distant Gentiles were "made nigh" by the blood of Christ (Eph. 2: 13): alienated

sinners are reconciled by the blood of His cross, and in the body of His flesh, through

death (Col. 1: 20-22). The reconciliation of Eph. 2: brings about peace among the

members of the body: the reconciliation of Col. 1: brings about peace with regard to that

body and the holy inhabitants of heavenly places. If we look at Eph. 1: 23 we shall see

that "the fullness", to pleroma, is balanced by "the all things", ta panta, and this is also

true of Col. 1: 19, 20:--

The "all things" here cannot be considered universal, because by the self-same cross

and at the self-same time those principalities and powers that were antagonistic were

"spoiled" and "triumphed over" (Co. 2: 15).

There is much more than first meets the eye in the question of principalities and

powers in relation to the church and the heavenly places. First, it will be seen that Christ

is said to be the Head of both the church and principalities.  There is, therefore,

something in common between them. The church was chosen in Christ before the

overthrow of the world, and our studies in the usage of the word "overthrow", katabole,

and the Hebrew words tohu and bohu, "without form and void", left us without doubt that

there was a defection and fall among these high spiritual powers whereby they lost

their high position "in heavenly places". Further, a principle is evidently laid down in

Deut. 2: which applies to the church and its heavenly inheritance, for there, over and

over again, we read that giants, Anakim, etc., were dispossessed of their inheritance in

the land of Canaan, and that Esau, Moab and others "inherited them":--

As we have already shown, the word "fullness" supposes a "rent" to be filled, a

"schism" to be healed, and, in the heavenly section of the great restoration, the church of

the one body is the "fullness" of Him Who, in His turn, will one day fill the "all things",

so that from the highest glory to the ends of the earth there shall be one complete and

glorious fullness that will bring about the saying that is written:--