HEAD OVER ALL THINGS TO THE CHURCH

In God’s original creation, man was created in His own image and after His likeness. While this man was complete in himself, God saw fit to create a complement, an help meet for him. God took a rib from Adam’s side, formed a woman and brought her to him. In this marriage designed by God, the husband was the head. His responsibility was to love, lead, protect, and care for his bride.

Sin came in, and this harmonious relationship with God, each other and the earth was destroyed. We may never understand fully the scope of the tragedy of our first parents’ decision. But as we look around at our world today and see the violence, the break down of relationships, the economic and ecological chaos, we are made aware of the tragic results of what transpired in the garden.

Into this sinful world God sent His Son. The second Man, the last Adam was sent to create a new man in a heavenly order. In His death He annulled Satan’s power, Heb. 2. 14, paid sins penalty, and, in His resurrection, demonstrated that God was satisfied, Rom. 4. 25. But, more than that, He has been seated at God’s own right hand ‘far above all’, Eph. 1. 21.

He is now ‘head over all things’ so there is nothing in any realm that is not put under Him. In this exalted position He has been given to the church which is His body, the complement of Him who ‘fills all in all’, Eph. 1. 23.

In the arena in which the first Adam failed, the last One was victorious. As the first Adam was given a bride to complement him, so the last Adam is given a bride as well. As Adam’s wife was taken from his side, so the bride of Christ is taken from His spear-pierced side. But, unlike the first Adam, Christ’s bride is connected to Him in a way that makes it impossible for that relationship to be severed. Severing the head from the body destroys the whole, and the resurrected Christ can never die. Not only are we beside Him as His bride but part of Him as His body. Thus, the power which was wrought in Christ in resurrection and ascension is ours as well for we are united to Him as Head.