Sons of God
After receiving salvation in Jesus Christ, we might not feel or look anything different, but the truth applies: we have been changed, in that twinkling of an eye, we both were crucified and raised up again together with Jesus, and we are now seated in Christ at the Father’s right hand in Heaven (speaks of our spirit man). We are now the sons of God, and if sons, then heirs, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17).
The Bible calls the cross the ministry of reconciliation, because we who lost the dominion God first gave mankind through Adam, have gained it back through Christ. And now mankind has a new head, the second Adam, Jesus Christ, who is the Son of God in whom whosoever believe on His name are given power to be sons of God (John 1:12).
This is not just a term, but it is as literal as anything you can define: we are the sons of God, just like Jesus is the Son, because He is our forerunner, our representative, His victory is our victory. Thus, when we are saved, God put us in Christ as His body, Christ being the head, so that we are forever one with His Son.
The Head and the Body
Paul sheds this mystery in a picture of marriage in Ephesians chapter five. Marriage is created by God and it serves as a picture of our relationship with Christ, a covenant that cannot be broken. Therefore, husband and wife is a picture of Christ and the church, where Christ is the head and the church is the body. Hence the husband is the head of the wife.
As the head, it does not mean that the husband is worth more than the wife, the Bible is clear about that in 1 Corinthians 11:11, but rather there ought to be order in every house. God designs it that way. Every house has to have a head, and God ordains it that man is to be the head, that is why the man (Adam) was created first, and the woman was created for the man to help him. Therefore, the head of the woman is the man, and the head of every man is Christ and the head of Christ is God.
The smallest unit of a church is a husband and a wife, that speaks of the Lord and each of us. We received the Lord’s love having heard and believed in His perfect sacrifice for us at the cross where He laid down His life to save us. And when we believed, the Bible said we were crucified with Him and raised again to be married to Him (Romans chapter six and seven). That is why the church is called the bride of Christ.
To live this truth in our life, God constituted a marriage. A husband is to love his wife like Christ who laid down His life for the church, because only such love gives the husband the authority over the wife. That is the reason Christ died for us, so that He gained the right over us through His blood that purchased us from the slave market, making us His. His intention is not to lord over us like a dictator, but so that as our Owner and Master, He has the final say in our lives, and His words are only blessings. By the way, the word husband in Hebrew is baal, which means master.
When my wife and I first saw this truth, it transformed our marriage.
Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.
Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loves his wife loves himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourishes and cherishes it, even as the Lord the church: for we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
The King
Now that we have established the truth above, the man, especially if he is a husband but not limited to, is the head for he is the image and the glory of God. He is the picture of Christ on the earth as king and priest. King, because he has the authority to command, and priest, because he is to make intercession to God for the people knowing that God will hear and answer him.
Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Revelations 1:5-6
As the church of Jesus on earth, we have the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever we shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever we shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven (Matthew 16:19). Notice that binding only requires speaking, that is the power of a king, he speaks and it shall be done.
The truth is, Christ lives in us and all He needs from us as His spouse is our agreement that His will be done. When we see and believe this truth, walking in His authority becomes real, and per His words, greater things we shall do.
We are the open heaven on the earth, we are the gates of miracles and blessings for the world. We are also the salt of the earth, binding the power of darkness thus making a difference and preserving good. Let us use our authority as kings and priests.
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light; which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. 1 Peter 2:9
