“and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which
is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.” (Ephesians 1:22b–23, NASB95)
I said I worked through a lot of things pertaining to this
passage over the past several days, and today I am coming back to it again. As
I was driving with the radio off I thought of what seems to be some dysfunction
in the church today. This is not a general statement of negativity, but one
made in a general sense knowing that there are many, many solid, healthy
churches whose people are growing in Christ, building each other up, and
reaching out in love to the world around. I know that there are many, many
godly leaders who take the task of shepherding and overseeing the local
congregations under their charge quite soberly as they seek God and together
with others follow Him with their whole hearts. But having said this we also
see and hear stories of “churches” doing some pretty strange things. We hear of
or maybe even have experienced hurts which have not been easily healed, and we
read of understandings of Scripture that baffle our imagination.
We could walk into any of these churches and ask, “Who’s in
charge?” According to the word of God the answer is that the church of God is
headed by the Son of God who is Jesus Christ. He is the head, and there is no
other. And in establishing His church He has chosen to place oversight into the
hands of men. As stated above, some of these men have kept their eyes on Him,
hiding His word in their hearts, and trusting His Spirit to guide and direct
them. But along with that there have also been those who have turned away in
varying degrees. Even this week as churches gathered to mourn the loss of life
in Roseburg there is reported to be another “church” that in their hate might
protest the memorial services declaring that these deaths were God’s judgment
on them because of the sins of the state. Clearly both can’t be right. So the
question then becomes, “What is our measure?”
Paul tells us that Jesus Christ has been made head over the
church. The church is His body. It is His physical representation of Him here,
and the church is filled and empowered by Him. He dwells fully in His church.
Looking to this the answer becomes clearer. When we speak of the church as the
body of Christ we refer to a body which looks to Him as its head, who reflects
Him in their actions, and who walks according the power that He supplies. Jesus
set an example for us in how to walk even in the face of trials, hate, and
persecution. He set the example that even when He was being reviled that He
chose not to revile those who reviled Him. He lived as He is—perfect, holy, and
righteous, and He calls us to walk according to who He has made us. Sure we
stumble. We sin. We rub people the wrong way. But is this our general course of
action, or do we listen to His leading, repent of those things, and turn fully
toward Him to walk as He called us to walk.
We read that He is truth. He is the perfect embodiment of
truth. He came to do the will of the Father and the Father was perfectly
displayed in Him. As His church, what do we do with the truth? There are many
out there who would change it and say, “Well, God didn’t really mean that.” Or,
“The Bible isn’t the infallible, inerrant word of God, but really more of a
general direction from Him given through men.” For these people they pick and
choose what they will believe base upon their personal or shared preferences.
We also read that in Him we know grace. “For the Law was
given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.” (John
1:17, NASB95) Looking to this one “church” who is so set on ugly protests and
harsh judgments, I have to ask, “Where’s the grace of Christ.” The Bible tells
us that while we were yet sinners that Christ died for us. We read that we are
to be patient, enduring, and forgiving toward one another. This is how we show
grace to each other. We recognize that in Christ we are fully forgiven and set
free from slavery to sin, but we still sin and do things that simply bug
people. Grace works with that. Grace also looks outside and sees a world that
does not know God and needs to see Him in them.
We also see that the church corrects itself with both truth
and grace in view. In Philippians we read of two women who were not getting
along. This was proving itself disruptive to even a church filled with people
who were seeking after God such that Paul spoke well of what he had heard of
them. But in the church there was a problem that could grow and fester if left
unattended. He wrote, “I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to live in harmony in
the Lord. Indeed, true companion, I ask you also to help these women who have
shared my struggle in the cause of the gospel, together with Clement also and
the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life. Rejoice in
the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to
all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer
and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And
the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and
your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:2–7, NASB95)
The answer for the disruption was a change in direction. The
ladies were to be helped in taking their eyes off of their problem with each
other, and look to Christ who was near to them and Who Paul assured them would
even bring peace, guarding even their hearts and minds. I find this interesting
that Paul mentioned both, because it is our Lord who came to reveal grace and
truth who is there to guard our hearts from where we normally think our
emotions spring and our minds where justice and right reside. The answer for
this church and these women was to look to their Lord, praying to Him about all
things even lifting their specific struggles to Him rejoicing knowing that He
is near, will answer, and will work.
Being election season people are looking at the
prospective candidates for who might make the best leader of our country, our
states, and our communities. John’s gospel begins with the incredible
credentials of the One the Father chose to head His church—His Son. “In the
beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was
in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart
from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and
the life was the Light of men.” … “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among
us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full
of grace and truth. John testified about Him and cried out, saying, “This was
He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me [John the Baptist] has a higher rank
than I, for He existed before me.’ ” For of His fullness we have all
received, and grace upon grace. For the Law was given through Moses; grace and
truth were realized through Jesus Christ.” (John 1:1-4, 14–17, NASB95)
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