Isn’t that what we see today – endless divisions? Where is Jesus’ family, the one church, among so many competing groups that call themselves churches? What does His church look like? How can we recognize it? We may describe human groups in many different ways, for they differ endlessly. But Paul describes the New Testament church with striking simplicity: “Christ is the Head of the church…. the church submits to Christ” (Ephesians 5:23-24).
Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands (Ephesians 5:22-24). M
Which church is the true church? The church that submits to Christ! Which body is His body? The body that remains connected to the true and rightful Head, Jesus Christ!25
These verses in Ephesians 5 are mainly about marriage. When Paul wants to illustrate submission, he finds his best example in the church. To modern readers this example makes little sense. First, they are used to many divided “churches” (plural), but they are not used to “the church” (singular). Second, they are used to disobedience in those many “churches.” (Polls and surveys today show that many who claim to be Christian “believers” or “born again” are just as immoral, dishonest and divorced as their non-religious neighbors.)
25. Ephesians 1:22-23; 4:4-6,15; 5:23; Colossians 1:18; 2:19
Picture: Crosses are popular as ornaments and necklaces. But the cross, as a lifestyle of self-sacrifice and obedience (Mark 8:34), is far less popular.