Christ is the Head of the Church

Unity in the Church is our mutual recognition that the Church has only one Head, Jesus Christ.

What I said in a different context a few months ago bears repeating here: Christ is the Head of the Church.^1,2 By the Father’s choice, Christ alone has the preeminence in all things—as the One in whom all the fullness of deity dwells, as the One who created all things, as the One who holds everything in the universe together, and as the Head and Savior of His Body, the Church.³ Jesus Himself is the one who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, by whose stripes we are healed, the one true “Shepherd and Overseer of our souls.”⁴ Christ Jesus alone is the Apostle and High Priest of our profession.⁵ Jesus Christ is the chief corner stone of the holy temple of God, His body, who sets the lines upon which the entire building is built.⁶ It is in Christ that the whole Body is framed and from Christ that the whole Body grows.^7,8 It is Christ who loved the Church and gave His life for her, to set her apart, cleanse her, and present her to Himself spotless.⁹ It is Christ who, through His Spirit, places all of the members in the Body and gives them such functions as he chooses.^10,11,12 Indeed, it is Christ who gives to the Church some members who are set apart to lead and train the other members.¹³ But this does not make any of these members who hold leadership functions the Head of the Church. Jesus remains the only Head. One is our Master, even Christ.¹⁴ Many of the common problems involving authority within church organizations will be avoided if this simple key is remembered.

Next: Mutual Submission is the Key.