Thus far in our study of the church, we have observed from Scripture that the church is a mystery, it is a singular body, it is an invisible building built with living stones, it is the only Bride of Christ, and that the only foundation for the church is Jesus Christ. 

Many organized religions endeavor to place a sinful human being at the head of their church.  This is not Biblical!

THE CHURCH: ITS HEAD

He is the Head of the body – the singular body which is the church.  If a body is headless, it is dead, if a body has a sinful, sick head, it is diseased.  His position is all encompassing as The Foundation, The Cornerstone, and The Head of the local church. 

He is also Head in the broadest sense – including ALL truly born again, blood washed, Spirit baptized believers – in heaven and earth – from every tribe, nation, culture, and denomination. 

As a living body built from lively stones, the church is more than a  religious organization – it is an organism – Christ being the living head of that body.  The church is alive with with the life of Christ – which is passed into each member of the body. 

That the body is seen in its many members with different abilities and operations which are under the direction of One Head: 

1 CORINTHIANS 12:12

 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.

That all are baptized by One Spirit into one body:

1 CORINTHIANS 12:13

For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.  

The church in the broadest sense cannot be joined – the only way to become a member of His body is to be spiritually born and baptized into it by the Holy Spirit.

JOHN 3:1-7

3 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:

² The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto Him, Rabbi, we know that Thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that Thou doest, except God be with him.

³ Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

⁴ Nicodemus saith unto Him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?

⁵ Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

⁶ That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

⁷ Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

The members of the church all differ from each other, yet function as one in the will of God.

1 CORINTHIANS 12:14-18

¹⁴ For the body is not one member, but many.

¹⁵ If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?

¹⁶ And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?

¹⁷ If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?

¹⁸ But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased Him.

The smallest and weakest members of the body are just as important to the functioning of the body as the dominant members. 

1 CORINTHIANS 12:22-23

²² Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:

²³ And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.

If one member of the church suffers – the whole body suffers, in the same fashion, if one member of the body is honored, the entire church is honored.

1 CORINTHIANS 12:26

²⁶ And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.

WE ARE TO MINISTER TO EACH OTHER IN LOVE!

The Lord Jesus NEVER delegated His authority to any one – not pope, pastor, deacon, or even the majority of a congregation.  He is the absolute and final authority!

1. THERE IS ONE HOLY SPIRIT
2. THERE IS ONE HOLY SPIRIT BAPTISM
3. THERE IS ONE BODY – THE CHURCH

EPHESIANS 1:22

 And hath put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be the head over all things to the church. . .