"The Head Of The Body, The Church"

by F. McCormick | Category: Headship And Lordship | May 1951

(Colossians 1.18).

The Body referred to here is stated to be "The Church. Ephesians 1.22, 28 describes it as "the church which is His body, the fulness of Him that filleth all in all." It is important that we should have a right conception of what is meant by "the Church His Body," otherwise we shall fail to grasp clearly the significance of the terms, "church of God," and "churches of God."

It seems strange that many beloved children of God have not as yet grasped the distinction between these things which differ, and consequently children of God are scattered abroad in well nigh every sect in Christendom. Very briefly, therefore; we wish to point the reader to the Scriptures, which are our only safe guide. In Matthew 16. 18, the Lord Himself declared His intention to build His church, saying, "Upon this Rock I will build My Church: and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it." He was not building that Church when He was on earth. He looked forward to the time of His accomplished cross-work, His ascension to the Father, and the descent of the Holy Spirit.

The Spirit was not yet given; because Jesus was not yet glorified," and the building of the Church, His Body, could not commence until that notable event, "For in one Spirit were we all baptized into one Body" (1 Corinthians 12.13). The Baptizer and His position should be borne in mind. "Being therefore by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He hath poured forth this, which ye see and hear" (Acts 2.83).

John testified concerning Him-" He shall baptize you in the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 3. 11). Thus on the day of Pentecost commenced the building of the Church, His Body, and this will continue until His coming again into the air for all who are in Christ. The work of building the Church is the work of the exalted Christ, and the unifying element in which believers become one in Him, and together in one Body, is the Holy Spirit. "In one Spirit into one Body." This union is unconditional, eternal and unalterable, in an organism, "the Body" which is heavenly and unchangeable in character. It is beyond the power of any being, or officials of any religious creed, however eminent, be they so-called priests, bishops, archbishops, cardinals, or Pope, to build into that unique organism "the Church .... which is His (Christ's) Body" one single individual, or to exclude therefrom. That work is the Lord's alone. He alone knows when regeneration in a person takes place, hence He alone can build what He called "My Church." The preservation of the Church is in His hands. No power in the universe can mar or destroy the Church which He is building, for He is "Himself the Saviour (or Preserver) of the Body " (Ephesians 5.28), and "the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it."

The Church which is His Body is therefore composed of all who are regenerated by the Spirit and word of God during this dispensation of the grace of God. It will be completed and presented to Himself, "a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish" (Ephesians 5.27).

All this is in striking contrast to the facts relating to "church of God" and "churches of God" which arc conditional in character and may be marred, or even cease to exist. We will refer to these matters in more detail later. Colossians 1.18 states that He is the Head of the Body, and as such He is the Source of its life, the controlling, ruling, and directing Power of the whole organism. Everything depends upon Him, He regulates the whole of that which is designed to be the fulness or complement "of Him that filleth all in all." "Meet companion for the Master, From Him, for Him made, Glory of God's grace for e'er, There in her displayed!"

If such be the high destiny of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ, it is expected that such should manifest the characteristics of their divine origin, and manifest in life that they belong to, and are destined for a heavenly country; they should bear resemblance to their Head in heaven. This truth is seen in Ephesians 4., where, as a result of the operation of the gifts of the ascended Lord, the saints are expected to develop unto full growth "unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ" and to "grow up in all things unto Him, which is the Head even Christ".

This growth must not be confused with the building of the Body by the Lord before spoken of it has reference to the spiritual development and condition of the members of His body in their growth in all things, that is, in every sphere and direction, producing well-balanccd spiritual maturity, growing up in all things unto Him. which is the Head. This growth will produce Christ-likeness in al~ our relationships toward the members of the Body, and by the flow of the supplies coming down from the Head, through the members, the whole will be blessed "unto the building up of itself in love."

In the Epistle to the Colossians some of the dangers besetting the path of the saints are brought before us. "Take heed lest there shall be any one that maketh spoil of you through his philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ" (Colossians 2.8). They were in danger of being deluded by the propagation of these subtle, clever, high-sounding theories of the intellectuals who came to them "with persuasiveness of speech."

This type of person is still existent, and plausible advocates of religious theories which are after the tradition of men, and the rudiments of the world, still seek to make spoil of any who will lend their ears. Believers need to be warned against listening to other words than "the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets; and the commandment of the Lord and Saviour through your apostles" (2 Peter 3.2). Therefore "Take heed what ye hear."

These philosophies are in substance the products of human reasonings, they are coupled with " vain deceit," and can add nothing to what believers in Christ already possess. They are utterly empty in comparison with the fulness which is theirs in Christ.

"For in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily."

"And in Him ye are made full (or complete), who is the Head of all principality and power" (Colossians 2.9, 10).

The apostle strove for them "that they may know the mystery of God, even Christ, in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden." Again, there were those who sought to impose restrictions and observances of the law, with the worshipping of angels, and this with an outward show of humility and of wisdom in will worship, and severity to the body. These were the products of the fleshly mind, " the precepts and doctrines of men," which "are not of any value against the indulgence of the flesh." They were external, to be seen of men, and they who taught and imbibed them were puffed up by their fleshly minds,

"And not holding fast the Head" (Colossians 2.19).

Communion with Him was broken, supplies from the Head were not reaching the members, hence departure in life and doctrine. How easy it is for this to occur in the experience of believers! Neglect of prayer and reading of the Scriptures, slothfulness in attending assembly gatherings, and inattention to the private life, result in drift. How important then that we should be "Holding fast the Head," seeking "the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God"!

"Set your mind on the things that arc above, not on the things that are upon the earth" (Colossians 3.2).

Christ, who is our Life and Head is on the throne. Infinite resources are available for the believer in Him; it is for us to keep open the line of communication; supplies from any other source will surely fail us. Let us then be occupied with those eternal and heavenly realities, that we "may grow up in all things into Him, which is the Head, even Christ," "Holding fast the Head"; having "put on the new man, which is being renewed unto knowledge after the image of Him that created him; where there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bondman, freeman: but Christ is all, and in all" (Colossians 3.10-11).

F. McCormick | May 1951
Headship And Lordship