<p>2:15- see on Lk. 11:22; Heb. 2:14.</p><p><i>Having abolished in the flesh the enmity, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, that he might create in himself of the two one new man, making peace</i>- The source of alienation between Jew and Gentile was the Law, but the thought here goes far beyond that. It was human sin, transgression of God's commandments, which created alienation between God and man. This too has been removed, with the result that connection with the Father and Son is likewise connection between all others who are in Christ, i.e. the community of God's people, &quot;Israel&quot;. But that unity has to be felt and expressed by us in practice. Hence Paul uses the fact that we are all &quot;in Christ&quot; as the basis of His appeal for true unity amongst the believers- with all the patience, forbearing etc. which this involves. By baptism into Christ, we are baptized into the same body of Christ as many others (Rom. 12:5). Therefore we &quot;sit together... in Christ&quot; (Eph. 2:6; 1:10). He has made in Himself one new man, so making peace between all those in Him (Eph. 2:15). This is why division between those in Christ is ultimately an impossibility. Christ is not divided (1 Cor. 1:10).</p><p>The body of Christ <i>is</i> Christ; the members of that body between them reflect every aspect of the Lord Jesus (Eph. 2:15,16). We may each be given a different aspect to reflect, and groups of believers in different historical periods may have been focused on different aspects, but the end result is that at the second coming, the body of believers will have reflected Christ fully. We were redeemed in one body by the cross; and <i>therefore</i>, Paul reasons, we are &quot;<i>fellow</i>citizens with <i>all</i> the saints, and of <i>all</i> the household of God... in whom <i>all</i> the building fitly framed together, groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: in whom ye also are builded <i>together</i> for an habitation of God&quot; (Eph. 2:16-22). Christ died for all of us in the one body, and therefore we who benefit from this are built up <i>together</i> into a temple in which God will eternally dwell. To refuse fellowship to other stones of the temple is surely a denial that they are part of that one body which was redeemed by the cross. He died to make us all one, to abolish all that humanly might keep us apart, &quot;for to make in himself one new man, so making peace&quot; (Eph. 2:13-15). To uphold division and disharmony within the &quot;one new man&quot; is well nigh a blasphemy against the body and blood of the Lord. From the Lord's pierced side came His bride, after the pattern of Eve from Adam, through the blood (memorial meeting?) and water (baptism?). The creation of the one body was a direct result of His death. The Greek word for &quot;fellowship&quot;, <i>koinonia</i>, is used outside the New Testament to refer to peoples' joint sharing of a common property. We are &quot;in fellowship&quot; with each other by reason of our relation to a greater whole in which we have a part. And that 'property', the greater whole, is the person and work of the Lord Jesus- for our fellowship is &quot;in Him&quot;. This background of the word shows that it's inappropriate to claim to have 'withdrawn fellowship' from anyone who is in Christ. They are joint sharers in Christ just as much as we are- so we cannot tell them that they don't share <i>koinonia</i> with us. To say that is to judge either them or ourselves to be not sharing in Christ- and according to the Lord's plain teaching, any such judgment will lead to our condemnation. It is the Lord's body, His work, and He invites who He wishes to have <i>koinonia</i> in Him. It's not for us to claim that <i>we</i> have withdrawn fellowship from anyone who has <i>koinonia</i> in Him.</p>