3:9 fellowship. Genuine spiritual fellowship thus should be enjoyed by all to whom has now been revealed the great truth of creation—that God has always had a wonderful creative purpose for all His people, whether Jew or Gentile.

3:9 created all things. Here, as in many other passages (e.g., John 1:1-3; Colossians 1:16-7; Hebrews 1:2), it is revealed that God the Creator is identical with Jesus Christ, who is God incarnate (John 1:14). Note that all things were both created by Jesus Christ and made by Jesus Christ (John 1:3)—that is, called into being out of nothing and then organized into complex, complete forms of being, each perfect for its particular purpose.

3:10 powers in heavenly places. This verse yields an amazing brief insight into God’s purposes with respect to His angelic creation, both the holy angels and the fallen angels who have followed Satan in his age-long rebellion against God. They are intently observing and learning about God, His nature and His purposes, through His work of creating and redeeming men and women, whom He had created in His image. Note also Job 1:3-2:10; I Peter 1:12; Hebrews 12:1. Thus “the church”—that is, the vast body of redeemed individuals, past and present—is serving as an instructor of angels, including the very angels who are currently assigned as our individual guardians and ministers. It is wonderful to contemplate being able to meet these angelic friends, person to person, in the age to come, when Christ returns with all His holy angels (II Thessalonians 1:7). We shall actually even judge the angels (I Corinthians 6:3).