Bible Passages to Consider: Ephesians 1:22-23, 4:4, 4:15-16, 5:23; Colossians 1:18; Revelation 1:9-3:22
Note: I will use “Church” to refer to the Universal Church, which is made up of all believers in the Lord of all time. I will use “church” to refer to a local church. This is the common practice in doctrine and theology books. English translations of the Bible do not do this, so when I quote the Bible, I will quote it as it is published in the English Standard Version. There are times in preaching and teaching that I will say, “The Big ‘C’ church” to describe the Universal Church for this same reason.
This post will answer two questions:
- Who is the Head of the Church (Universal)?
- Who is the Head of our local church?
The post will answer these questions positively. Rather than point out and refute all the wrong answers to these questions, I want to point our attention to the Bible’s teaching. A clear understanding of the Bible’s teaching will enable us to see through Satan’s counterfeits. Right doctrine will protect us from false doctrine.
Who is the Head of the Church (Universal)? Christ is the Head of the Church.
The New Testament teaches that Christ is the Head of the Church.
Ephesians 1:22-23 says, “And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.”
The Father put all things under the feet of the Lord Jesus Christ and gave the Lord Jesus Christ as head over all things to the Church. The Church is his body.
This tells us that Christ has authority. He has more than just authority in the Church. ALL THINGS have been put under his feet. He has victory over all and authority over all. This is reminiscent of Christ’s words in Matthew 28:18, “And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.’” Christ has all authority over all things, not just authority over the Church. When studying the Headship of Christ over his Church, we never want to think that he has authority over his people and no authority over the rest of the universe. Christ has all authority. However, his Church recognizes and submits to this authority (Romans 10:9; 1 Corinthians 1:2, 8:5-6, 12:3; Ephesians 4:4).
Christ is the Head of the Church which is his body (Colossians 1:18). There is only one group of God’s people, and that group is the body of Christ, the Church (Ephesians 4:4). Just as a physical head is essential for life and is the command center of the body, so Christ is the Life of his Church and the Commander of his Church. He is the Life and Leadership of the Church. He is also the model of maturity for the Church; we are to grow up into him (Ephesians 4:14-15).
Who is the Head of our local church? Christ is the Head of our local Church.
Christ is the Head of the Church. What about local churches? What about our local church?
Since Christ is the Head of his Church, he is also the head of every part of that Church, which includes the visible, local churches. This is seen in an extraordinary way in the Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ. Christ commissions John to write this book (in its entirety) to the seven local churches (Revelation 1:10-11). Christ is the One who stands amongst these seven churches (Revelation 1:12-13, 20). He is the one who commands these seven local churches (Revelation 2-3). Take time to read Revelation 2-3 and observe that Christ is the One who commends their good works, rebukes them for their sin, calls them to repentance, and warns them that failure to repent will result in him taking away their lampstand.
The Lord Jesus is Head of the Church, which means he is also the Head of local churches, including our local church.
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