CHURCH ORGANIZATION (Part 1) Christ The Head
Christ is the head of the church
There should be no question as to who is really in the greatest position of authority. Christ proclaimed in His return from the dead, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth” (Matthew 28:18). Likewise, God testified in the Scriptures to the authority of Christ, “The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand” (John 3:35). God has given “all things” into the hands of Jesus. This doesn’t leave much room for anyone else. There is no authority on earth greater than our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
God gave Christ to be the head of the universal church, which is Christ’s kingdom. Paul taught Christ’s headship in writing:
Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
Ephesians 1:20-23
Does this mean that Christ has ALL AUTHORITY over the church? Yes it does! God has made Jesus to be the head over all things to the church. Christ established and founded the church which is His kingdom (Matt. 16:18-19). Notice how Christ uses the terms “church” and “kingdom” interchangeably in Matthew 16:18-19. This church unto which Christ established and owns as the head of the organization lasts through eternity and extends to the far reaches of the world (Dan. 7:14; Mark 16:15; Matt. 28:19).
Therefore, the words of Christ determine the truth and salvation of those in the church (John 8:32; 17:17). At Judgment Day, all humanity will be judged by the words of Christ (John 12:48). Only those in Christ’s kingdom who have faithfully served in His church will inherit eternal life (John 20:30-31; 1 Cor. 15:24). In Christ’s return, the Savior will only receive the faithful from HIS church, not those in the church’s established by men (Matt. 13:24-30; 15:9; 2 Tim. 4:3-4).
Christ’s Word in the Bible is our only authority in religion
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
2 Timothy 3:16-17
After Jesus left this world in the resurrection, the Father sent the Holy Spirit to guide the apostles into all religious truth (John 14:26). When the apostles taught and wrote by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, they were teaching the words of Jesus! The Holy Spirit guided the apostles into “all truth” (John 16:13). The apostles did NOT leave anything out in terms of what Christians need to know in how to be saved and follow Christ in His church. The inspired writer, Jude, explains that the faith and knowledge of salvation was completely given in the lifetime of the apostles (Jude 3). The words of Christ, written by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, is all that humanity needs for “life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3). One is born again through the Word of Truth (1 Peter 1:23). Faith comes by hearing these words and basing one’s faith on the words of Christ (Rom. 10:17). Since the apostles were guided into ALL religious truth in their lifetime, we should not expect to receive any new revelations today! We do not need the Quran, the Book of Mormon, the Talmud, or any manuals, church traditions, creed books, confessions of faith to make us complete spiritually (Col. 2:8-10). Those in the first century church were complete in Christ and so are obedient believers today complete in Christ.
No person on earth today has the authority to add or take away from the words of Jesus in the Bible. From the Old Testament to the New Testament God has forbidden anyone to add to the Word (Deut. 4:2; Rev. 22:18,19). Those who try to provide “another gospel” than that which was preached in the first century by Christ and His apostles will be “accursed” (Gal. 1:6-9). Those who have tried to go beyond or around the commands and words of God have suffered terribly (Lev. 10:1-2). We cannot go beyond or above that which is written (1 Cor. 4:6).
It should, likewise, be noted that Christ’s Word as our authority in religion doesn’t go beyond the New Testament Law. The Old Law was indeed given by Moses, and he was a prophet who wrote by inspiration, but grace and truth come by Jesus Christ in the New Covenant (John 1:17; Heb. 10:4). The Old Testament exists as our school master to bring us unto Christ (Gal. 3:23-24). Now that the Law of Faith has been revealed we are no longer under the school master that is the Old Covenant (Gal. 3:25). God preserved the Old Testament for our learning that Christian readers might have a greater understanding and appreciation of the New Covenant (Rom. 15:4). Christians cannot use the Old Testament commandments and passages as their authority in religion (Heb. 8:6-7, 13; Eph. 2:15; Rom. 7:6; Gal. 5:4). Christians are dead to the Law of Moses by the body of Christ (Rom. 7:4; Col. 2:14; Heb. 9:15-17).
Since we cannot go beyond what is written and Christ has given all things that we need for life and godliness in His inspired Word, we should not go to anyone else for our authority in religion, nor should we expect to receive anything but the Scriptures in our guidance as Christians. God will not speak through dreams or visions, through preachers and parents, God speaks only through the words of Christ in Scripture (Heb. 1:1-2; 2:1-3; John 12:48).
The head of the church is not a committee or council of men, a general conference or convention, a bishop or pope, a prophet or president; it is only Christ the Lord. Only His words in the Bible should guide and dictate the organization and direction of the church.