Jesus Christ as Head

Jesus Christ as Head

We see that Christ has been raised from the dead and that He is seated at the right hand of the Father in the heavenly places, “far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.”

When we consider the fact that we have been baptized with one Spirit to be one body, and that this body has such a Head with such power, then we realize that we have great possibilities. This same power is available to us who believe. There are great powers and principalities and dominions that are active in the children of unbelief, and which exert strong influence on most religious people (Ch. 2:2-3) because they do not love the word of the cross and the fellowship of the sufferings of Christ. Phil. 3:10. Jesus gained a formidable power in the days of His flesh—during the time in which He fought His battles. Heb. 5:7. By partaking of flesh and blood as the children and becoming like His brethren in all things, He destroyed him who had the power of death, that is, the devil. He can come to the aid of those who are tempted because He Himself suffered and was tempted. Heb. 4:14-18. In other words, it is now in the days of our flesh that we, too, can be tempted and can gain the same victory by being led by the Spirit and not by the flesh. Phil. 2:5-14.

The difficulty lies always in coming to fellowship in the light, a fellowship in oneness as it exists between the Father and the Son. The spiritual hosts of wickedness in heavenly places are the rulers of this world; they are the god of this world. Eph. 6:12; 2 Cor. 4:3-4. Those who live according to the flesh desire the things of the flesh; they have not crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Then the spiritual hosts of wickedness gain power so that they are not in communion with the Head. Although they don’t realize it themselves, they accuse people—even their own members of the same body. It is the devil who is the accuser. Rev. 12:9-11. He has been cast down, having lost the letter of accusation, because Jesus nailed it to the cross. Col. 2:13-14. Now Jesus sits at the Father’s right hand and continually intercedes for us. If our communion with the Head is in order, we, too, are always engaged in the ministry of intercession. Heb. 7:25. It should be easy to realize whether this is our relationship to everyone or whether these spirits of accusation influence us or exercise power over us. The accuser has been cast down to earth, yet when we are babes in Christ and earthly-minded, these spirit powers influence us. 1 Cor. 3, 6. Such people always need a washing of water by the Word. Eph. 5:26.

“He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God . . . .” Rev. 3:12. These people’s communion with the Head is in order, and so they are given their share of work in the body so they can bring the Word for the edification of the body. The body cannot be built up on or around people who are anxious, offended, bitter, etc. But they can come and be washed clean by the preaching of the Word.

It was on the cross that Jesus disarmed these principalities and powers and made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them through the cross and nailing the letter of accusation to it. Therefore there is no other solution than to be crucified with Him and no longer live for ourselves, but for Him who died for us and rose again. Gal. 2:20; 2 Cor. 5:15. Then the principalities of this world are revealed to us and we become strong in the Lord and in the power of His might, so that on the evil day we can remain standing, having overcome everything.

Sigurd Bratlie