Look & Live: Ephesians 1:22-23

And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.  Ephesians 1:22-23

As the Father has given headship over all things to Jesus, the Father has given Christ to the church. This is an unfathomably gracious gift! The King of the cosmos belongs to the church. Can the church have a more gracious head? It is the grace of God in Christ that stirs up the praise of the universe. Can she have a more sovereign head? It is Christ whose feet stands atop all things. Can she have a more faithful head? It is Christ who patiently endured the unfaithfulness of his bride and pursued her still. Can she have a more loving head? It is in Christ that we come to see and know true love. Can she have a more powerful head? It is Christ who has conquered sin and death and set us free from their rule. And it is this Christ, the head over all things, whom God has given to the church.

This is an unfathomably gracious gift! The King of the cosmos belongs to the church.

Christ has been given to the church not simply as the head of the church but as the head of all things. So then, the church is not guided by one who holds limited authority but by the One to whom belongs all authority in heaven and on earth. The church does not represent one whose domain is restricted but the One whose domain is supreme over all things. The church does not proclaim one whose kingdom is confined but the One whose kingdom encompasses the entire cosmos.

Behold the mystery—the church herself is the fullness of Christ in the world.

As such, the aim of the church is not to simply live obediently under Christ’s headship in the “sacred” realm of church life but in the whole of life. There is not a single second or square inch in the whole of creation over which Christ does not rule. Therefore, his body, the church, those to whom Christ belongs, should engage every second and square inch in the whole of creation for the sake ruling it on Christ’s behalf. Behold the mystery—the church herself is the fullness of Christ in the world. As the church is filled with Christ, the church is to fill the world bearing the image of Christ, exacting and expanding his rightful kingship over all things that all of creation might know its King.