CHRIST THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH
Paul, through his epistle to Colossians presents Christ Jesus as the head of the body that is church. The first two chapters of Colossians are mainly doctrinal and the third and fourth chapters give the practical aspects and requisites of Christian life on earth. Paul reiterates that Christ should be preeminent in a believer’s life. The priority of Christ should be manifested through his actions, his words and aims in life.
Believers are to be rooted in Him and be alive in Him. Just as Jesus had allegorically pointed out that He is the vine and we are branches. If branches have to bear fruits the roots should supply nourishment to the branches. If we are rooted in Christ we can bear fruit. Otherwise the branches will wither away and will be put in fire. Through the different epistles Paul presents the Church as the body of Christ. The organs of the body function according to the instructions and guidance from the head Christ Jesus .
As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.
Colossians 2:6-7
We have to walk in Him, and should be established in Him.
Those who are baptised in Him are raised with Him from our old self. So as he says those who are in Christ are a new creation. The old is gone and we have to live in the newness of life.
Paul asserts that if we are buried and got resurrected through baptism our thoughts should always be of things above where Christ sits.
“If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory”.
Colossians 3:1-4 Jesus said ” Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Matthew 6:19-21
Can we continue living in sin?
Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live in it? we are baptized into Christ Jesus .We died to sin when we were baptized into His death. Therefore in the immersion baptism we were buried with Him and as we came up from water, that signifies our resurrection from our old ways of life , that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father. Then Jesus was seated on the right hand of God in heaven and we are also placed with Him spiritually, even so we also should walk in the newness of life, life in Christ Jesus.
What is the finality of living in Him?
Jesus will come again to take us to heaven. He comes for those who eagerly wait for Him. Our mortal bodies will be transformed into heavenly bodies which is the glorification of the believer.
Apostle John says:
“Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.
I John 3:2
So let us cleanse ourselves from all that is worldly and sinful and wait in the blessed hope of our salvation and sanctification to attain glorification.
Sol Salomi Kurian