The Headship of Christ
Earlene Davis
I Cor. 12:12, “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.”
Apostle Paul Uses our natural body to illustrate the body of Christ, the Church. Just as our natural body has many members, hands, feet, etc., yet it is one body. “So also is Christ,” referring to the mystical body of Christ. All believers on Jesus belong to His body, the Church. There are many members, but they are one body. I might add, that the local assemblies are a miniature picture of the whole body.
Vs. 13-14, “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many.” When were we all baptised into one body? It was provisional accomplished on the day of Pentecost - Acts 2. We do not have anything to do with making that unity of it members. For it was made one body by the one baptism of the Holy Spirit. All believers on the Lord Jesus Christ, whether they know it or not. It did not originate with man or a set of men, but we do read of many fillings of the Holy Spirit.
For all believers have been given the privilege to drink of the One Spirit. Have you taken your privilege? Eph. 5:18, “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.” Eph. 4:4-5, “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism.” Gal. 3:26-28, “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.” A new creation in Him – Praise God!
Col. 1:12-13, “Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:” We have redemption through His blood. Vs. 18, “And he (Christ) is the head of the body, the Church…that in all things he might have the preeminence.” There is only one body or Church with One Head, Christ.
Our natural body is an amazing marvel when contemplating its workings. But its many members cannot work independent of the head. Never does one member of the body seek its own thing. Neither does one member become angry with the others. Instead, I think we all have experienced one member in sympathy with an injured other member. “So also is Christ.” May we honor Christ as our head and no other. God has made this union.
Man has made divisions. What is the cause? Mainly it is because of not holding Christ as Head of the Church, His body. In Eph. 4:3-4, We are urged “to keep” the unity of the one body in the bond of peace. We are not admonished to make the unity, but to keep the unity God has made. Today there are many division. Whenever the Lord works or revives His Church, another sect results which is against the teachings of the Scriptures. There is but one body regardless of what man does or says.
In Revelation chapters 2 & 3, Jesus’ last words to His Church. He addresses seven local assemblies which typically and prophetically describes the Church Age. Each one beginning with Ephesus who lost her first love for Christ soon after the apostles passed off the scene. Continuing on down to Laodicea where Jesus is on the outside knocking for individuals to invite Him into their hearts. These churches tell the story of the decline of the Church during this Church Age. The rebuke Christ gives in these letters to them, applies to all sects who turn to human authority rather than to the Spirit of God, the teacher of the Church. “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches” is repeated, ending each letter.
The Church of Jesus Christ is an organism, not an organization. God does not need a manager. Is He not sufficient to manage His own sheep? God always has a faithful remnant and in each of the churches, there are promises of rewards to the overcomers. Smyrna saints are faithful unto death and are given a crown of life. Philadelphia saints have kept Christ’s word and because they have kept the word of His patience, they will be kept from the hour of temptation coming upon all the world. They are admonish to hold fast that which thou hast, that no man take thy crown – Rev. 3:12-13 & 22:7, 12-13, 16, 20.
