CHAPTER 26: Of The Church
(Parts Four through Six of Eighteen)
There is but one Head of the Church: Jesus Christ (Colossians 1:18). It is not only incorrect for any other—whether he be man or angel, to claim to be the head of the Church—it is blasphemy committed by an antichrist. Anyone who exalted in this manner is exalted above, and therefore against, Jesus (who is the Head of the Church), and against the Father (who has appointed Christ as the Head of the Church Ephesians 1:21-22). By this supreme and sovereign appointment, Christ has all power for the calling, institution, order, and government of His Church.
Pompous men who sit on golden thrones, allow themselves to be called “vicars of [substitutes for] Christ,” and allow people to bow before them and kiss their rings are not the only offenders. Beware of any person—whether he be a pastor, elder, deacon, or a member of any congregation—who thinks that he or she is essential to the Church. There is one Head, and that Head is Christ Jesus.
Christ has ordained people to serve in various roles of servant-leadership in local churches, but these are never heads of the Church, for there is but one Head, Christ Jesus. Servant-leaders, though they are given by Christ as gifts to His Church, are but servants of the one and only Head.
(Part Five )
The true Church (made up of those who are truly born again by the Holy Spirit) has been given and entrusted to Christ by His Father (John 17:6). The Church (remember that it is the people, not the institution) is called out of the world (John 15:19) to follow Christ (Mark 8:34) through the ministry of God’s Word (2 Timothy 3:16-17), the Bible, by the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:5). The members of the Church (all true believers and followers of Christ, not just those who unite in membership with a local church) are called and expected to live in obedience to God, as prescribed by His Word, the Bible.
This obedience, as it relates to the Church, includes uniting with a local church—not as spectators, but as active participants, and yes, as members. Members of local churches are to serve one another for mutual edification and encouragement, as well as for the good of the corporate body (Romans 12:4-5).
Members (and all are called to be members) are to join in corporate worship and prayer. They are to obey those called by God to lead the church (elders), unless the elders are leading contrary to Scripture (Hebrews 13:17).
(Part Six)
All believers are members of the true Church, even though many in our day stubbornly refuse to unite with a local church either by attending and participating, or by rejecting the call to join as official members of their churches. There are only two reasons for a true believer to refuse to join a local church.
The first possible reason is ignorance. This ignorance may be due to a lack of instruction. Worse, it may be due to incorrect instruction in one of the many churches that do not have membership, and in fact criticize membership as being “unbiblical” (which it is not). In either case, those who refuse membership may do so because of ignorance.
The second reason is insolence, which is an individualistic resistance to accountability. If one is not ignorant about the importance of membership, what other reason is there?
Hebrews 13:17 says, “Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.”
While that verse clearly puts a responsibility on elders to watch out for the souls in their care, as those who must give an account to God, the church members also have responsibilities—which we will get to next time.