He is the Head . . .

Our church is large making it impossible to have intimate fellowship with everyone, never mind knowing all their names. For that reason, small groups are encouraged. Ours meets weekly and we have become close as we study and discuss God’s Word and pray for common concerns. Teasing is allowed, as are tears. Our worship and sharing last night was joyful and edifying and so it should be!

(God) put all things under (Christ’s) 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. (Ephesians 1:22–23)

The analogy is a body with Christ as the head and His people are His Body. The NT says it elsewhere, telling us to “hold fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God” (Colossians 2:19) and:

“. . . speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.” (Ephesians 4:15–16)

The longer description is in 1 Corinthians 12, listing some of the difficulties in Christian relationships using the same analogy. For instance, a foot should never say they are not a hand so are not part of the body because each person, like each body part, is necessary for proper and healthy functioning. This applies to our spiritual gifts, personalities, experiences, and the sharing of what God is doing in our lives.

Today’s devotional puts an emphasis on the church being “the fullness of him who fills all in all” meaning that the full glory of Jesus Christ is completed in the degree that His glory is reflected in us His Body. We are to complement Him in whom “the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily” (Colossians 2:9) so that His grace and truth are made visible in this fallen world.

It’s true that we fall short far too often. Before Christ came into our lives, nothing could be more obvious. However, as Christians we now battle sin rather than giving in to it. That old life is dead to the things of God yet taunted and pulled by the ideas of the world, the lies of the devil, and mostly by a mess of old ‘I wants’ that draw us away from our Head into running our own lives. To this, God says:

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. (Galatians 5:16–17)

This personal battle is overcome only by yielding to God, for we cannot resist sin any other way. Many Christians testify that the worst of it is failing to realize we have fallen into running our own lives, at least in the least conspicuous ways.

However, our Head, Lord and Savior has ways of informing His Body that there is sickness and pain among us. He uses His Word, the Holy Spirit, and being with one another to do it. Just as “iron sharpens iron” we sharpen one another. (Proverbs 27:17) That is the value of small groups and deep fellowship.

Not only that, the desire to glorify the Lord is contagious. If one person is set on complimenting Christ and adorning His teaching, others are motivated to turn from personal ambitions to do the same. We encourage one another to “let our light shine before others in such a way that they may see our good works, and glorify our Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). We also encourage one another by reminding each other that God gives us all that we need to glorify the Lord. (2 Peter 1:3-12)

Jesus, Psalm 139:23–24 tells me to ask You to reveal sin that hinders me from glorifying You. I’m learning not to dread what You might show me, but also learning how each part of the Body helps me to be a stronger and more obedient Christian. Thank You for Your leadership as Head of Your church and the wonderful way that You enable us to work together in doing Your will.

MORE: What are the spiritual gifts mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12:1–30? What answers those who think their gifts are less valuable that others? How am I gifted to minister to other? In what ways does that show up in my fellowship with them and my life in this world?

 

To Live is Christ — choosing His hand over my foolishness

Now and then a professing Christian makes headlines for falling into sin. The world expects us to behave ourselves. If we do not and our sin becomes public, we can expect a public outcry. Those who are not Christian assume that we who follow Christ should never sin.

However when I sin, I am often as dismayed as anyone else. I know that God gives me the ability to obey Him. I want to do His will. Why do something contrary and sinful? I’m so blessed when I obey, but when I don’t, I am angry with myself. I’m also puzzled. Why did I do that? Sin makes no sense to me. The apostle Paul may have felt the same way when he wrote this:

The Law has shown me that something in me keeps me from doing what I know is right. With my whole heart I agree with the Law of God. But in every part of me I discover something fighting against my mind, and it makes me a prisoner of sin that controls everything I do. What a miserable person I am. Who will rescue me from this body that is doomed to die? Thank God! Jesus Christ will rescue me. So with my mind I serve the Law of God, although my selfish desires make me serve the law of sin. (Romans 7:21–25, CEV)

In other parts of the New Testament, Paul calls those sinful desires “the flesh.” This is my tendency to do my own thing. It comes from that part of human nature that everyone has, the part that permeates our entire being and separates us from a Holy God. The perplexity is this: when God saved me and made me a “new creation” He did not replace that sinful self. When Christ came to live in my heart, why didn’t He destroy all of that?

Salvation saves me from sin’s penalty and gives me power to choose. Nevertheless, it is still present and still affects me. It is that “something” that keeps me from doing what is right, and that forces constant choices. I have the new nature given in Christ, and I have the flesh. Which will I follow?

Galatians 5:16-17 describes this choice. It says, “Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.”

I cannot do good apart from the power of God. I can only yield to that power, trusting Him to lead me in a good path. Faith understands that God is a rewarder of those who seek Him, but faith cannot always see the reason for or the results of obedience. The sinful human flesh sometimes thinks, “I know better.”

This is the root of sin in all people, and this is the reason for sin when a Christian fails. It seems so blatant and foolish when expressed in black and white words on paper, but when I sin it is because I think I know better than God, that my choices are wiser and more profitable than His. This selfish thinking can be stronger than common sense and can even overwhelm the mind of faith. It is little wonder that such foolishness on my part required such an extreme remedy on His part. 

Christ died once for (my) sins. An innocent person died for (me) who is guilty. Christ did this to bring (me) to God. . .  (1 Peter 3:18)

It is for this reason that Paul said, Thank God! Jesus Christ will rescue me. My part is reaching out for His hand.