The Head of The Body

Speaking of Jesus Christ: 

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.” (Colossians 1:15-20 ESV)

We read about Jesus Christ (The Word) in John 1:1-13. There we read that he was in the beginning with God, that he is God (the second person of our triune God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), and that all things were made through him, i.e. he is our creator God. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him, and even his own people did not receive him as their own, but some of them did. And those who believed on him became children of God, born of God by his Spirit.

Now I really like what this says next here. All things were not only created THROUGH HIM, but they were created FOR HIM. We were not created by him so that we could go through life just living for ourselves, doing whatever it is that we want to do. He created us to worship and to serve him with our lives, and for his glory and purposes, and so that we will live lives which are pleasing to him. For Jesus died on that cross so that we will die to sin and live for him and for his righteousness.

And all who believe in Jesus Christ, with genuine God-persuaded faith in him, are his body, his church, and he is our head (our Master). And as his body we are to live for him and to follow him wherever he leads us in doing whatever it is that he commands us to be and to do and to say. So we are to die with him to sin, not just once, but daily, and now follow him daily in walks of obedience to his commands in holy living, and for him, and for his pleasure, and no longer for self and for self-pleasure.

Now Jesus Christ (God) is to have first place in our lives. He is to be preeminent in our lives above all else. And our lives are to be held together by him and not by the flesh. He is not just someone who saves us from our sins so that when we die we get to go to heaven and escape hell. He is to be our life, and all that we are and do and become should come from him and for his purposes and for his glory. For we were put here on the earth to serve and to obey him, and not to live for ourselves.

“And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.” (Colossians 1:21-23 ESV)

And if our faith in Jesus Christ is genuine faith, we should have died with him to sin, and we should now be living for him in his righteousness. So that would mean that we once were (past tense) alienated from God and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds. This shouldn’t be what we are like now, not if our faith is of God. For Jesus shed his blood for us on that cross to buy us back for God (to redeem us) out of our lives of slavery to sin so that we will now be slaves of God and of his righteousness.

For, to be reconciled to God means that we change. We exchange our old lives of living in sin for our new lives in Christ Jesus to now walk with him in obedience to his commands. Now we aren’t like what we were before, but we are different. We are new creatures in Christ Jesus created to be like God in character, heart, mind, and action. Our old lives of living in sin should now be in our past, and now we should be living for our Lord in living honest, upright, godly, morally pure, and faithful lives to our Lord.

But all this requires that we continue in these walks of faith and in obedience to our Lord in holy living from now to eternity. We must continue steadfast in faith, not shifting from the hope of the gospel. And that hope is not just that we will go to heaven one day when we die, but it is that we are able now to die with Christ to sin and to walk in newness of life in him, no longer to live as slaves to sin, but now as slaves of righteousness. For if sin is what we obey, it leads to death. But obedience to God ends in eternal life with him.

[Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; John 1:12-13; John 6:44; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; Rom 12:1-2; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Co 10:1-22; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Gal 5:16-24; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:1-17; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; 1 Peter 1:15; 1 Pet 2:24; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15]

Oh, to Be Like Thee, Blessed Redeemer 

Lyrics by Thomas O. Chisholm, 1897

Music by W. J. Kirkpatrick, 1897

Oh, to be like Thee! blessèd Redeemer,

This is my constant longing and prayer;

Gladly I’ll forfeit all of earth’s treasures,

Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear.

Oh, to be like Thee! full of compassion,

Loving, forgiving, tender and kind,

Helping the helpless, cheering the fainting,

Seeking the wandering sinner to find.

O to be like Thee! lowly in spirit,

Holy and harmless, patient and brave;

Meekly enduring cruel reproaches,

Willing to suffer others to save.

O to be like Thee! while I am pleading,

Pour out Thy Spirit, fill with Thy love;

Make me a temple meet for Thy dwelling,

Fit me for life and Heaven above.

Oh, to be like Thee! Oh, to be like Thee,

Blessèd Redeemer, pure as Thou art;

Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;

Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrYhiK2nQBg 

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