No — Christ is not the King of the Church; according to Paul, He is the Head of the Body and the Savior of the Body.
Les Feldick shows that Paul never applies the title 'King' to Christ in relationship to the Church. Instead, believers are joint heirs with Christ, members of His Body, and part of Him — a relationship far closer than that of subjects to a king. Christ is the King of kings, but His kingship belongs to the future Kingdom on earth, not to the Church.
Ephesians 5:23 — This verse directly defines Christ's relationship to the church as Head and Savior, not King.
Romans 8:17 — This verse shows believers are joint heirs with Christ, not subjects under a King.
Colossians 1:13 — This verse shows believers have been translated into the Kingdom of God's dear Son, connecting the Church to the Kingdom without making Christ the Church's King.
Scripture presents Christ's relationship to the church as that of Head and Savior rather than King. Ephesians 5:23 says, "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." Romans 8:17 calls believers "heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ," indicating a relationship of shared inheritance rather than subjection. Philippians 3:20 adds that "our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ." Colossians 1:13 says God "hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son." None of these passages applies the title "King" to Christ in relation to the church.
Les Feldick teaches that it is not scripturally correct to refer to Christ as the King of the Church because Paul never does so. Instead, Paul calls Christ the Head of the Body, the Savior of the Body, and the Lord of believers. Les emphasizes that if Christ were the King of the Church, believers would be His subjects, but instead they are joint heirs with Him, members of His Body, and part of Him — a far closer relationship. Les acknowledges that Christ is the King of kings and Lord of lords and will one day rule as King on earth, but that kingship belongs to the Kingdom that is yet to be set up on earth. The Church, however, is not under His kingship; believers are citizens of that Kingdom (Colossians 1:13) and their citizenship is in heaven, from which they look for the Savior, the Head of the Body, to come for them. Les uses the analogy of a husband and wife: a wife is not a subject of her husband but submits to his headship; likewise, Christ is connected to believers as the Head to the Body.
No, according to Les Feldick, Paul never uses the term 'King of the Church.' In fact, Les challenges his listeners to show him anywhere in Paul's letters where Christ is called the King of the Church. Instead, Paul's consistent reference is to Christ as the Head of the Body. This is why Les says it is not 'scripturally correct' to refer to Christ as our King.
Believers are joint heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17) and members of His Body. Les explains that being a member of the Body is a far closer relationship than being a subject of a King. Just as a wife is part of her husband and submits to his headship, the Church is connected to Christ as the Body to its Head. Thus believers are not subjects who kowtow to a King's every command; they are part of Him.
Les explains that the Kingdom is where the King is, and since Christ is now in heaven, the Kingdom is in heaven. Believers become members of the Kingdom through the Body of Christ, as Paul points out in Colossians 1:13 — God has translated us from darkness into the kingdom of His dear Son. Our citizenship is in heaven, and from there we look for the Savior, the Head of the Body, to take us to Himself. When Christ returns to set up His Kingdom on earth, believers will be part of it and will rule and reign with Him, not under Him.
Christ's Resurrection Body: What Yours Will Look Like
the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them who believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who speaking of Christ, is the image of God. What's an image? It's the likeness, it's that which you can see and touch. Have you ever wondered why so much of the world is in idolatry, and always has been? Because they want a God that they can see.
The Head of the Body, Not the King
Les shows that Paul calls Christ the Head of the Body, Savior, and Lord, but never the King of the Church. If He were the King, believers would be subjects; instead they are joint heirs and members of His Body.
The Head of the Church is the Savior of the Body
Les insists it is not scripturally right to call Christ our King because a King rules over subjects, while believers are joint heirs with Him. He grants that Christ will be King of kings, but the Church will reign with Him, not under Him.
The King Is in Heaven, the Kingdom Is in Heaven
Les says Paul never alludes to Christ as the King of the Church. As members of the Body, believers are a joint heir and part and parcel of Him, which is a far different relationship from being a King's subject.
Scripturally Correct to Call Christ King?
Les corrects a pastor's sermon that called Christ 'our King.' He says Christ is the King of kings and Lord of lords, but to the church He is the Head of the Body, and believers are part of Him, not subjects.
Citizens of the Kingdom
Les explains that Christ is the King absolutely, but not the King of the Church. Believers are members of the Kingdom, having been translated into it (Colossians 1:13), and will be part of the Kingdom when Christ sets it up on earth.
The Husband-Wife Analogy
Les uses the husband-wife relationship to show that a wife submits to her husband's headship, not to a king. Likewise, Christ is the Head of the Body, not the King of the Church.
Looking for the Savior from Heaven
Les says believers are citizens of the Kingdom in heaven and look for the Savior, the Head of the Body, to take them to Himself. This reinforces that Christ's relationship to the Church is that of Savior and Head, not King.
Ephesians 5:23: 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.
This verse directly states that Christ is the head of the church and the saviour of the body, which is the biblical basis for not calling Him the King of the Church.
Romans 8:17: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
This verse shows believers are joint-heirs with Christ, explaining why they are not merely subjects under a King.
Philippians 3:20: For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:
This verse teaches that believers' citizenship is in heaven and they look for the Saviour, reflecting the Head/Body relationship rather than a King/subject one.
Colossians 1:13: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
This verse says believers have been translated into the Kingdom of God's dear Son, showing the Church's relationship to the Kingdom.
1 Timothy 6:15: Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;
This verse calls God the 'King of kings, and Lord of lords,' confirming Christ's universal kingship while showing it is not specifically applied to the Church.
No. Les Feldick says you can't find anywhere in Paul's letters where he refers to Christ as the King of the Church. Paul calls Him the Head of the Body, the Savior of the Body, and Lord. If you can find such a reference, Les invites you to show him.
Yes. Christ will be King of kings and Lord of lords when He sets up His Kingdom on earth. But that kingship is not applied to the Church. Believers will rule and reign with Him, not under Him.
Christ is the Head of the Body, the Church is His Body, and believers are joint heirs with Him. It is a relationship of headship and membership, not of king and subjects.
Watch the Teaching: Christ's Resurrection Body: What Yours Will Look Like