“When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” (Acts 2:1-4) —This was the outward birth and ordination of Christ’s Church among and within man.
“And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” 41 Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. 42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. 43 Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. 44 Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, 45 and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.
46 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the LORD added to the Church daily those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:40-47) —This newly birthed Church had many immediate growth spurts in its infancy.
The Church is the body of Christ, and He Himself is the Chief or Head. Ephesians 1:22–23 says, “And God placed all things under His feet and appointed Him to be Head over everything for the Church, which is His Body, the fullness of Him Who fills everything in every way.” The body of Christ consists of all believers in Jesus Christ from the day of Pentecost with the coming of the Holy Spirit until the day of Christ’s coming back.
The Church is not a building, neither is it a denomination. In agreement with the Scriptures, the Church is the body of Christ—all individuals everywhere who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ for salvation. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
“For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. 14 For in fact the body is not one member but many.” (1 Corinthians 12:12-14).
The Church is unique in that it is a family, God’s family. A family, generally speaking, is made up of people with a common blood. A child naturally born within the family comes through the blood of that child’s parents. In the spiritual sense, which is the most authentic sense of life, it is the blood of Christ Jesus that makes the Church a family. There comes life that is eternal through the blood of Christ, the Head of the Church, and that life makes the believer a member of God’s family. The Holy Spirit is the Bond of Unity that holds the members together. The closer each member is purposely drawn to the Spirit (“walking in the Spirit”), the closer the bond grows between those within the family.
The early Church was submitted or yielded to God, and from that position they were submitted or yielded to one another. The bond or unity in the early Church was strong and tight! I want to suggest very strongly to you, brethren, today’s Church is found severely lacking in submitting to God, and therefore, to one another. The Church’s submission to God gives her wisdom to, and power for, resisting all things pertaining to the evil one. “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7)
Submitting to Christ, the Head of the Body, the Church, means that the member of that Body is by choice completely yielded to the Head in unquestioning obedience. His action is as immediate as the Head’s request is beckoned.
When a church has organized itself and developed its own system expressing its mission in community, without consulting the Head for specific direction, it has more likely followed a pattern observed from the world of business and or governmental assistance to various community needs, or worse perhaps, drawn style from the music and entertainment industry. Such worldly influence will weaken the church, and her long-range impact on community. The very nature of who and what we are expected, or rather divinely designed to be, insists the Church and the individual members of the Body must be submitted or yielded to the Head of the Church, Christ Jesus Himself. Anything less are symptoms of invasion of the world, the flesh, and the devil. I fear much of our church debates on politics, Covid and other hot topics of the day are keeping us from our godly, righteous responsibilities to resist the devil in this spiritual warfare many ignore.
When the church is submitted to the Head of the Church, Christ Jesus, there will be at least three results: the church is cleansed, the church is filled with the Spirit, and the church is used mightily by God. Our needy world awaits our submission, as does the divine Trinity.
Church: Pray On! Submit to the Head.