Jesus View On Church (Pt.3)

As stated before, Christ is the head of the Church, as a husband is the head of his household. Ephesians 5:22-23 says: “Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior” (emphasis mine).

So then, what is the church’s relationship to Christ with Him as the head? The same as the wives is to the husband, for Ephesians 5:24 says: “Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.” This means that the church is constantly looking to Christ to guide them, lead them and transform them. Christ is the Chief Shepherd (1 Peter 5:4)!

Two great things mentioned already can assist in this: following the example of Christ while he was on earth and listening to the Spirit of God. The Church is the Bride of Christ! He has wooed us, called us and wed us as his own.

Revelation 9 speaks of the wedding of Christ to His bride and that bride is the church. We are to be in constant relationship with Him, hearing his voice, following His leading and going to the ends of the earth to proclaim Him among the nations. Christ has the authority of all Heaven and Earth, and in that authority gave the church a command: “Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” (Matthew 28:18-19 emphasis mine).


In Millard J. Erickson’s Christian Doctrine, he gives 5 implications of the church. They are in my opinion great descriptors of the Church; it’s mission and purpose. I will summarize Erickson’s 5 implications.

“1. The church is not to be conceived of primarily as a sociological phenomenon, but as a divinely established institution; 2. The church exists because of its relationship to the Triune God; 3. The church is the continuation of the Lord’s presence and ministry in the world; 4. The church is to be a fellowship of regenerate believers who display the spiritual qualities of their Lord; 5. While the church is a divine creation, it is made up of imperfect humans”.

Erickson’s third implication is the one I continue to come back to again and again. We, the church are God’s continuing presence to this dark world, set on a Holy mission to bring others into the fold of God’s garment!


TO BE CONTINUED...