CHRIST AS THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH

Written by Femi Omotoyinbo

An article titled “The DNA of the Body of Christ” was given out sometimes ago; and in it the Body of Christ was tacitly identified as the church. The article thus emphasized the biblical fact that Jesus Christ is the High Priest and the Head of the Church [Heb. 2:17; Eph. 5:23]. Being the head in any form (secular or spiritual) is not a passive role. It is unlike most political situations where the head is chubby; full of fat and the other parts of the body is getting withered. 

Being the head is an active role laden with large responsibilities. Though the head enjoys publicity in photographic portraits; it also stoops to attend to a bleeding toe. It continues to ruminate on what the belly will harbour as daily food. When any part of the body undergoes discomfort, it is the head that cries. In all weather, the head remains the ambassador of the body. The head is the coordinator of the whole body frame. 

Jesus Christ as the Head of the Church was shown in the Holy Bible to have adequately taken up the responsibilities attached to His position. At the commencement of His ministry, Jesus Christ coordinated differently chosen individuals into the unified body as disciples. As the coordinator of the body frame, Christ did not only embody the Church, He also bestowed on her responsibilities and the corresponding abilities [Matt. 10:1-42; Mark 3:13-19; Luke 9:1-6]. Many times the Lord Jesus do nourish the Body both spiritually and physically [Eph. 5:29]. There are also times that Jesus Christ defended the Body [Luke 5:30-32; 6:1-5] just as he eased their pains and disputes [Matt. 20:20-27]. 

Of most relevance to this discussion was the time when the Head (Jesus Christ) stoops to perform a denigrated duty for the Church (the disciples). In John 13:4-15, the Bible has it that after a night meal the Lord Jesus Christ poured water into a basin to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel with which he was girded. Although there are many lessons to learn from that act of humility; the most crucial issue here is that Christ is explicitly showing the Church that such is His major role as the Head of the Church. 

Christ’s major role (as the Head of the Church) was expatiated upon in the Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Ephesians [Eph. 5:26-27]. The primary purpose of Christ here is to sanctify the Church so to make her clean, unspotted; holy and without blemish. The Lord Jesus showed Himself in myriads of forms in the two phases of the Scriptures: And all through the Old and New Testaments, there are instances of purging and cleansing of the Church (the people of God). 

To cite but few examples we shall briefly start with the matter of Prophet Eli and his sons [1 Sam.2:12, 4:11]. Albeit that Prophet Eli was a mentor to the great Prophet Samuel, God still found him incompetent in his parental duties. The sons of Eli inherited priesthood from their father but God was not with them, for they did not know the Lord. It was at his old age that Eli grasp the real truth about his sons and he was unable to forbid them [1Sam. 2:22-25]. Notwithstanding the position occupied by anyone in the Church, God constantly wants holiness – He wants the Church to be without blemish. God thus allowed Death to victimize the two sons of Eli because they were impure workers in His vineyard [1Sam. 4:11]. 

Same thing happened during the time of King David [1 Chron. 13:7-10]: when the king and all Israelites accompanied the Ark of God with all joy and music in the presence of God. It was true that God was with them but He was not really happy with them. Maybe they were over-joyous or over-zealous to note that they have breached the law that they have breached the law that pertains to Ark of God [Exod. 25:12-14]. The Ark of God was carried on a cart contrary to that which pleases God. 

Uzza neither defecated on the Ark nor break it with an axe; but it was the universal disobedience to the law of God that made Uzza to be a particular victim of God’s fiery anger. 

The unfortunate couple was another instance of purging and cleansing of the Church [Acts 5:1-11]. It was the case that Ananias and his loyal wife embarked on an altruistic act voluntarily. They were not compelled by any of the Apostles to sell their possession and give the proceedings to the Church. Their brotherly kindness met no godliness in their hearts so they stumbled [1 Pet. 1:7, 10]. Their act of deceit was seen by the Holy Spirit as a blemish in the Church so they were purged out. 

It is not pleasant to continue with the unfortunate instances of purging and cleansing of the Church as they occur in the Scriptures as well as in our present days. The Lord Jesus Christ has given Himself to the Church. There is a bloody investment on the Church; God will not in any way allow it to be in vain. However, that Christ is not physically present on Earth like some two thousand years ago; yet the “Church is always the ‘lampstands’ before Him [Rev. 1:20]. It was not only for prosperity, protection and provision that Jesus said: “I am with you always, even unto the end of the world” – it was also for the sake of purification. Perpetual Purging! 

If Christ could advise that one should dismember a sin-prone part of one’s body for the sake of Heaven [Matt. 5:29] then He can do likewise on His Body (the Church) for same reason. 

This is the time to stop debating on what God desires or detests. It is time to stop manipulating the scriptures to our tastes. It is time to grasp the core of the Scriptures and to follow it up purely. Yes, it is time to be faithful to our calling “...as He who called [us] is holy, [we should] also be holy in all [our] conduct... (1 Pet. 1:15). It is time to make our thoughts, actions, words, appearances and relationships pleasing unto Christ (the Head of the Church). 

Let us make the Holy Bible our daily mirror: let us do away with anything that makes us seem like we are Devil’s. Remember that every serious Christian is a tasty meal for the Devil. The Devil is constantly salivating for you and me [1 Pet. 5&8] because the unbelievers are already his. It is for the sake of Christ’s blood that we are safe. We should not hold our shield with contempt. All privileges enjoyed in Christ Jesus have responsibilities attached to them; “...let us [therefore] lay aside every weight, and the sins which so easily ensnares us; and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us [Heb. 12:1]. 

Church leaders, Founders, Apostles, Deacons, Pastors, Evangelists, Bishops etc., are parts of the Body of Christ. They are in no way excluded from the requirements and responsibilities that guide the body. Every believer is accountable to the Head of the Church. There is no partiality before the Lord and that is the vital reason why everything should be done as to the Lord and not unto men [Col. 3:23-5]. God is indeed merciful and He will not desire to see His chosen ones live like pigs in the mire. Christ is constantly purging His Church; He demands that we serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. “For our God is an all-consuming fire [Heb. 12:29 (International Standard Version ©2012)].