Among the many glories of Christ, we may think of Him as “Head of all principality and power” or as Head of His body the church (or assembly). It is about the latter — the present marvelous relationship of Christ in heaven to His saints on earth — we would like to comment.
First of all, let us not fail to notice that Scripture connects His headship to the assembly with His ascension — an important point as to its effect on our hearts, because it leads us to look to Him in the place where He now is, when we consider his connection with His assembly on earth. Poets have indulged the thought that Christ as the Head died for the members, but we know from Scripture that when here in incarnation He was “alone.” “Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone” (John 12:2424Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. (John 12:24)). The disciples were our Lord’s “brethren” and God’s “children,” but not yet members of His body. The body was not yet formed, for until Jesus had ascended there was no one in heaven who could be Head of the body. When Christ as man went through death into the glory of God and was set at “His own right hand in the heavenly places” (Eph. 1:2020Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, (Ephesians 1:20)), then it was that God gave Him to be “Head over all things to the church, which is His body” (Eph. 1:22-2322And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 23Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. (Ephesians 1:22‑23)). The body could not be formed till the coming of the Holy Spirit, for we are told that it is “by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body” (1 Cor. 12:13). We could not therefore scripturally speak of Christ as Head of the assembly in the days of His flesh, or when He died, or when He rose again. However, we can look up to Him where He now is and know, among many other glories, that He is the Head of His body the church.
Our Link With Christ Ascended
When we think, then, of God’s assembly on earth, it always connects us with Christ in ascension. We are a heavenly people; our life, blessings, inheritance, supplies and home are there. We are partakers of a heavenly calling and look for the Saviour to take us there. The consciousness of this will produce heavenly-mindedness and ways.
The more we ponder the truth, the more shall we realize that the whole economy of the assembly on earth flows from association with Christ in ascension. If it is a question of gifts for edification, they are from Him who ascended up on high (Eph. 4:88Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. (Ephesians 4:8)). If it is the apostles of the church, we find an entirely new order of apostles from that of the kingdom as appointed in the gospels (though many of them were the same men). Of the ascended Christ it is said, “He has given some apostles ... with a view to the edifying of the body of Christ” (Eph. 4:11-1211And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: (Ephesians 4:11‑12) JND). Paul was one of these apostles and was especially distinguished as a minister of the church (Col. 1:23,2523If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister; (Colossians 1:23)
25Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; (Colossians 1:25)). Peter was an apostle of the kingdom when our Lord was on earth, but when we see him in Acts 1-2 as an apostle from the ascended Christ, we see an immense difference.
If Christ’s present ministry from heaven is before us, it is for “the building up of the body of Christ.” If our souls really apprehended these things, we should easily see how pleasing it is in His sight when our affections and interests are toward His saints as “members of His body” according to His mind, not only as the purchase of His own precious blood, but as one with Himself. May we ponder in our Lord’s presence this truth, so that we have more of His own regard and care for His dear ones on earth! Then we will be able to “endure all things for the elect’s sake” (2 Tim. 2:10) and be willing to “lay down our lives for the brethren” (1 John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)).
Head and Members
We should never forget that “Head” and “members of the body” are relative terms. We cannot think of the Head without the thought of the members, neither should we think of members of His body without thinking of the Head to which they are united; they must go together. The “one new man” (believing Jews and Gentiles) consists of Christ the Head in heaven and believers on earth united to Him and to each other by one Spirit. It is therefore entirely new — something which never was before and never will be repeated. It is a mystical body, perfectly one, as consisting of Head and members — God’s own workmanship. All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hid in this mystery. Perfect wisdom, intelligence, sufficiency of grace, never-failing supplies of truth, and blessings are treasured up in the ascended and glorified One who is Head of the assembly. His love, care and sympathy are toward us as to His own flesh, and He ever regards us as His complement or “the fullness of Him who filleth all in all” (Eph. 1:2323Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. (Ephesians 1:23)). What a marvelous union of Head and members is Christ and the assembly!
But He is not only Head of the body; He is also Head over all to the body. All the church’s springs are in Him. He is to us the Fountain of living water, and all our resources are in Him. So truly are we the members of the one body with the Head that all our endowments, all our ministrations, and all our sufficiency are in and through Him. When this is truly apprehended as a divine reality, it will certainly set us in the place of entire dependence on Him, as well as filling us with thanksgiving and worship.
Holding the Head
Much failure among the Colossian saints was traced to their “not holding the Head” (Col. 2:1919And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God. (Colossians 2:19)), and no doubt much that is wrong among believers today may be traced to the same source. Saints may hold the doctrine that Christ is Head of the body, but “holding the Head” is much more than that. Those who are “holding the Head” are in communion with Him as to the members of His body; their hearts and minds are interested in what interests Him. Their sympathies, affections and care have no less a circle than “all saints.” They look at them, think of them, pray for them, and feel for them (in their measure) according to the mind and heart of the Head. There is no other prevention of or cure for sectarianism. When our hearts are really in communion with the Head of the body, we cannot be satisfied with a narrower or larger circle than all the members of the body.
We may resolve to cultivate a catholic spirit and desire to have an interest in and service to the whole Church of God, yet never become disentangled from a sectarian spirit on the one hand or from being latitudinarian on the other, because we do not accept in simple faith that “holding the Head” is the only true way whereby such desires can be accomplished. It is impossible to be right with the “members of His body” unless we are right with “the Head,” nor can the true liberty which the Holy Spirit gives be known, in a day of ruin and in difficult times like the present, by such as are not “holding the Head.” If we are truly in communion with Him and in subjection to Him, the heart will be kept in freshness and care for “all saints,” even though circumstances necessitate that in loyalty to Him we walk in a narrow path.
Paul’s Presentation
of This Mystery
Perhaps none knew this better than Paul. Not only was he arrested by the wondrous revelation that Christ in heaven was one with His saints on earth, but also to him was revealed the mystery of the assembly, and he was also made a minister of the assembly. We can, in some measure, imagine what the effect of all this on his life and walk must have been. He writes to some believers whom he had not seen, “We are praying always for you” (Col. 1:33We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, (Colossians 1:3)); he desired they might know the conflict, or agony, he had for them, lest they should not intelligently and heartily acknowledge the mystery of God. He could say to others, “I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ” (Phil. 1:88For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:8)); to others, “Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith” (1 Thess. 3:10). He wept over others because they were dishonoring the Lord. The members of the body were so dear to him that he suffered trouble and endured all things for the elect’s sake, and he said, “I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for His body’s sake, which is the [assembly]” (Col. 1:2424Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church: (Colossians 1:24)). So much was the welfare of the whole church of God upon his heart that he not only prayed for all saints, but he also could truly say, “Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not?” (2 Cor. 11:29).
There is another important point as to the Head of the body, namely, that all the comfort, edification and growth of every member flows from the Head. It may be through gifts or the different healthful exercises of other members of the body according to their measure and the grace given unto them. We know that our blessings come to us in and through our Lord Jesus Christ, but here it is Christ the Head ministering in every way to His members, in the perfection of love. He loved the church and gave Himself for it. He is now sanctifying and cleansing it with the washing of water by the Word, and in a little while He will present it to Himself a glorious assembly, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing. How unspeakably dear to His heart must every member of His body be! What favor we all must have in His eyes! How precious to Him must the feeblest be!
The Supply From
the Head to the Body
There is, then, a constant ministration of grace and truth from the Head to all the members of His body, and as we are in communion with Him, “holding the Head,” we shall be conscious of this living blessing from Him. But if the workings of unbelief, self-importance and unjudged evil come in, surely this grieving of the Holy Spirit will result in a lack of comfort and edification to those who are so dear to the Head. When, however, we are “speaking the truth in love,” we shall surely grow up to Him in all things who is the Head, Christ, “from whom the whole body [observe, the whole body, not one member excluded] fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love” (Eph. 4:1616From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. (Ephesians 4:16)). In this way we may expect growth and the increase of God. It is not easy to act on this great principle of divine truth in a time of confusion and evil, but if only two or three are faithful to the Lord and honor His name and word, such will, in a very special way, have His presence and blessing. But we cannot expect, however well instructed we may be in Scripture knowledge, to have that communion with the Lord or to know His present mind unless we are “holding the Head.”
H. H. Snell, adapted