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Eternal Headship |
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During this present age, the distinct church of the New Testament is the eternal dwelling of God on earth. It is subject to governance by His immediate headship.
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Headship refers to the position or office of a leader. One in headship provides representative leadership for the collective members of a body. For example, the president of a university is often referred to as its head. It is implied that the students enrolled at the university comprise one body under his headship or representative leadership. Hence, they are called the “student body.” Generally speaking, the head and body of the university are related through a mutually agreed-upon purpose and mission.
The United States of America provides another example of an entity that exists in the form of head and body. The federal government serves in the role of headship. It provides representative leadership for the 50 states that constitute its body. Collectively, the United States of America is a federation. The word “federation” refers to constituents united under centralized “federal” government oversight. Under the legal direction of federal headship, the constituents agree to abide by a mutually beneficial system of laws and principles known as a constitution. Constitutional law dictates the nature, function, and limits of the federal government. Its oversight is enforced by a legally appointed government that serves in the role of headship. God created the distinct church of the New Testament in the form of a “federation” comprised of both head and body. It is both a theological truth and a practical reality. |
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Theological Truth Jesus Christ is the head of the New Testament church (Ephesians 1:22-23, 4:15-16, 5:23; Colossians 1:18-19, 2:18-19). It is His body (Romans 12:5; 1 Corinthians 10:17; 12:13-27; Ephesians 1:23; 2:16, 3:6; 4:4; 4:12; 4:16; 5:23; 5:30; Colossians 1:24; 2:19; 3:15). The redemptive Eternal Covenant provided the basis for the eternal union of ecclesiastical head and body. It was initiated in eternity and fulfilled in time by the death and resurrection of its mediator, Jesus Christ. Congruent with the benefit of the Eternal Covenant, the covenantal headship of Christ over the New Testament church is both federal and natural. Federal headship refers to a relationship that is prescribed and protected by law. The fundamental benefits of federal headship are as follows: |
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In contrast to federal headship, natural headship is indicative of an organic or life relationship. The fundamental benefits of natural headship are as follows:
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By stipulation of the Eternal Covenant, the New Testament church is utterly privileged to be positioned forever under the federal and natural headship of Jesus Christ. As a consequence, it is representative of divine righteousness and representational of divine life (zoe) on earth.
The headship of Jesus Christ over His body, the distinct church of the New Testament, is more than a theological truth. It is also a practical reality. |
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Practical Reality
Whether recognized or not, the covenantal headship of Jesus Christ over the New Testament church is a theological truth. However, if intentionally acknowledged and pursued, His headship is also a practical reality that is immediate and active. Faith When gathered together, the collective New Testament church is privileged to experience the reality of the immediate, active headship of Christ by faith alone. There is no other prerequisite. Conditions Favorable While faith is the sole prerequisite for the practical experience of divine headship, conditions often serve a significant role. Relative to church gatherings, there are specific conditions supportive of the immediate, active headship of Christ. The primary conditions favorable for the practical experience of the headship of Christ are few and simple. Generally speaking, they include intentional purpose, a small group environment, sensitivity to the Spirit, and time. Intentional Purpose The intentional pursuit of the biblical purpose for New Testament church gatherings is fundamental to the experience of the immediate, active headship of Christ. Apart from God-given purpose, the headship of Christ is unwarranted, and church gatherings are without eternal significance. The divine purpose of New Testament church gatherings is simple and singular. God designed them to facilitate a team pursuit of God in Christ. Thus, the intent of every practice of a New Testament church during its gathering was to lead participants to recognize the immediate, active headship of Christ and His ministering presence. Therefore, activities such as prayer, worship in song, the ministry of the written Word, fellowship, gifted ministry to one another, and outreach are simply a means to an end. The fundamental purpose and end goal of the church gathering is submission to the headship of Christ. |
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Small Group Environment
In addition to intentional purpose, the intimate small group environment serves as a condition favorable for the experience of the immediate headship of Christ. It is for that reason that it was the primary setting for the gatherings of the early church. The small group gatherings of the New Testament church were favorable for the practical realization of the headship of Christ for the following reasons: |
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For many significant reasons, the intimate small group environment served as a condition favorable for the early church to experience Christ by grace through faith alone. They not only allowed for the personal enjoyment of Christ but presented an environment conducive for Christ directed church practice, the spiritually gifted ministry of eternal life (zoe) to and from every believer, the safety of a collective approach to spiritual discipline and spiritual warfare, the divine protection and preservation of doctrinal purity and much more.
Concordant with the intimacy of their small group gatherings, the early church was able to recognize Jesus not only as heavenly Lord, but as the immediate, active head of their community on earth. By allowing Him to fulfill His role of headship, the intimate gatherings of the New Testament church were truly Christ-centered. Sensitivity to the Spirit “If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25). Every member of the gathered ecclesia is necessary for the full functioning of the body under the immediate, active headship of Christ (Ephesians 4:1-16; Colossians 2:19). Concordant with the fullness of the indwelling Spirit, each has an integral, God-given role to fulfill. Therefore, it is incumbent on every member to gather under the headship of Christ in the fullness of His indwelling Spirit and, as confirmed by counsel of Scripture, faithfully choose to be responsive to His leading. Experiencing the practical reality of the headship of Christ in the gatherings of the New Testament church requires a growing sensitivity to His Spirit. By His immediate, active headship, the Spirit of Christ leads the direction of New Testament church gatherings according to the will of the Father. Human responsiveness to the specific leading of the Spirit requires the careful nurture of spiritual sensitivity. It is cultivated through faith alone by the continual filling of the Spirit and willingness to interact with others in response. Sensitivity to the indwelling Spirit not only allows the gathered to discern His specific movement but serves to unveil the spiritually gifted ministry of each member of the church body. Thus, sensitive to the gracious leading of the Spirit, the gathered members of the church body respond through faith and choose to pursue gifted ministry to one another. Sensitivity to the Spirit also serves to guide the ministry of the New Testament church. Spirit-filled ministry occurs by the gracious flow of divine life (zoe) within the body and the overflow of divine life (zoe) to the outside, unbelieving community. Jesus stated, “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water’…this He spoke of the Spirit” (John 7:38-39). “Rivers of living water” are reflective of eternal life (zoe) (cf. John 4:7-14). By design, God is willing to allow His ministering life (zoe) to flow “from” His Spirit residing in the “innermost being” of His children. While most certainly benefitting the believer indwelt, he or she is merely an “earthen vessel” or vehicle from which the treasured eternal life (zoe) of God purposefully overflows for the blessing and benefit of others, both within and without. In Ephesians 5:18, the Apostle Paul exhorts the ecclesia to “…be filled with the Spirit”. The verb pleeroústhe (be filled) is used in the Greek present imperative and, therefore, means to be constantly, moment by moment, filled with the fullness of the Spirit of Christ. According to John 7:37, the fullness of the Spirit is not merely for the benefit of the individual child of God but ultimately for the blessing of others. Cultivating sensitivity to the fullness of the Spirit allows the ecclesia to acknowledge the immediate headship of Christ and, thus, discern and pursue His will for church gatherings. In time, as the church body matures together, it is privileged to experience an ever-increasing sensitivity to the leading of the Spirit under the headship of Christ. Time Generally speaking, there is no predetermined amount of time for New Testament church gatherings. Eternal in nature, they defy the structure and timing of a predetermined order of worship. God alone knows exactly how much time is required to accomplish His will in the lives of His people. Consequently, the willingness of the ecclesia to submit to Him and accept His timing is a condition favorable for the experience of the immediate, active headship of Christ. If any individual member of the church body is unwilling to approach church gatherings sacrificially, it would be selfless and wise for them to decline to participate. Otherwise, he or she will become a disruptive factor in the ecclesia as it gathers to spend privileged time in the presence of Christ. When gathered, the church needs to be patient and wait on the Lord. It takes time to discern the movement of the Spirit. Waiting on the Lord and discerning His movement is not passive but active. It often includes activities of faith such as prayer, song, and the ministry of the Word. Silence is not to be feared. When New Testament church gatherings discern the immediate headship of Christ through the fullness of His Spirit, they must choose to move in agreement, carefully following His lead without deviation. The Spirit of Christ will clarify when His will for the gathering has been sufficiently fulfilled. |
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Protection and Preservation
Although often misunderstood, the New Testament provides specific apostolic exhortation regarding the surpassing value of the headship of Christ. It clarifies that the ecclesia should guard and protect the headship of Christ over its gatherings (cf. 1 Corinthians 11:2-16). In 1 Corinthians 14:34-36, the Apostle Paul states, “The women are to keep silent in the churches; for they are not permitted to speak, but are to subject themselves, just as the Law also says. If they desire to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is improper for a woman to speak in church. Was it from you that the word of God first went forth? Or has it come to you only?” Society in the ancient Middle East was male-dominated. In the beginning, the church was no different. As a result, women were not often provided with the same opportunity as men to learn about the fundamentals of their new faith. Therefore, it can be surmised that the women of the ecclesia in ancient Corinth were rightly curious. In all probability, they sought answers to their questions with excitement and fervency. Unfortunately, however, it is also likely that their well-intended questions served to distract from the gathering’s primary intent: the pursuit of the immediate, active headship of Christ and the specific movement of His Spirit. Distracted from its primary intent, the focus of the gathering naturally shifted from Christ to the members of His body. Practically speaking, it constituted a shift from divine headship to human headship. Consequently, it was not spiritually edifying. The apostolic correction for the church in ancient Corinth was primarily concerned with preserving and protecting the immediate, active headship of Christ. Thus, the Apostle Paul instructed the disruptive women to seek answers to their questions outside of church gatherings. As a result, their church gatherings would be ordered and peaceful (vss. 33; 40). Regardless of the cause, allowing the focus of a church gathering to move from Jesus, the infinite head of the body, to the finite members of His ecclesia is disruptive. The outcome is always the same; He is not allowed to serve His body through His rightful position of headship, confusion ensues, and eternal needs are left unfulfilled. Apart from the immediate, active headship of Christ, New Testament church gatherings are not only prone to disruption and disorder but subject to doctrinal error and unscriptural practice. The head of the ecclesia, Jesus Christ, is alone capable of preserving and protecting the doctrinal purity of His body. The primary role of divinely appointed, fallible human leadership in the New Testament church is not to preserve and protect doctrinal purity but to preserve and protect the headship of Christ over His body. He is the sole means by which the biblical doctrine of the ecclesia is indeed preserved and protected. Apart from intentional submission to the headship of Christ, the New Testament church community is by default subject to the headship of man. However, no matter how capable its human headship, it will eventually fall into doctrinal error and, subsequently, unscriptural practice. Religion Fundamentally, the practice of religion is an attempt by man to please and appease God. Therefore, no matter how elaborate, complex or diverse, it is characterized by a presumptive flaw. The practice of religion is founded on the errant presumption that man, in his natural condition, is capable of pleasing or appeasing God. The practice of religion is not compatible with the gatherings of the New Testament church. Religious church services are typically led by a predetermined order of worship or liturgy rather than by the Spirit under the immediate, active headship of Christ. Religious leadership frequently serves in an unintentional, intermediary capacity between God and congregation, providing powerless and ineffective headship for the eternal ecclesia of God. When mankind provides religious headship over the church, it suggests that divine headship is insufficient. While often well intended, the apparent belief is that God needs man to supplement His headship over the church body. In theory, He then appoints human leadership to serve in the role of headship by proxy. The implication is that Christ cannot minister directly to His body or is inadequate to do so and, therefore, requires help from human intervention. When religious leadership assumes the role of headship, it is often perceived by church members to be standing in proxy for Christ. Thus, religious leadership is held to a higher standard of conduct than church membership. The result is the creation of two classes of believers, often referred to as clergy and laity. Such a two-caste system puts ministry in the hands of a minority and relegates the majority of the church body to a position of inactivity. 
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Human headship serving in proxy serves to moderate the headship of Christ and, therefore, His ministry to His body. Furthermore, it serves to quench the Spirit and stifle every member ministry. Thus, if church members are to engage in personally meaningful ministry, they are often forced to volunteer outside of their local church body.
In contrast, the headship of Christ encourages and supports Spirit-filled, every-member ministry. Consequently, every member of the body of Christ is allowed to participate in meaningful ministry of eternal significance. |
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No matter how well-intentioned, the eternal ecclesia of God under the headship of man is functionally headless. When I was about eight years old, visiting my grandparent’s ranch in rural Oregon, my grandfather and father instructed me not to watch as they prepared chickens for my family to take home and eat. Needless to say, the law and my flesh worked together, and I fell to temptation. Therefore, I secretly peered around the corner of the shed. Whack!! The chicken and his head quickly parted ways. However, the chicken’s body did not just lie down and die peacefully. Much to my eight-year-old dismay, it ran around in circles for what seemed like an eternity before finally collapsing. Later that day, I rode home in my parent’s car next to several old bread bags filled with plucked, headless chickens. The ride lasted for three and a half miserable hours.
As you might imagine, I lost my appetite for chicken for the next several weeks. The point should be obvious. When man usurps headship over the church, it does not just lie down and die peacefully. It runs around “like a chicken with its head cut off.” Without eternal direction, it spins in religious circles, progressing through typical cycles of organizational growth before eventually collapsing and dying. © 2018 James Hiatt |
