Yes — recognizing Christ as the Head of the Church is essential, because the Church is His body and He alone directs it, saves it, and places believers into it.
Les teaches that only the Lord Himself places a person into the Body of Christ — no denomination, preacher, or priest can do that. The Body receives its direction from the Head, just as the human body is controlled by the mind. Scripture declares Christ “the head over all things to the church” (Ephesians 1:22) and “the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body” (Ephesians 5:23).
Ephesians 1:22-23 — Directly states that God gave Christ to be the head over all things to the church, which is His body.
Ephesians 5:23 — Names Christ as the head of the church and the saviour of the body.
In Ephesians, Paul reveals the exalted position of Christ in relation to the Church: “And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all” (Ephesians 1:22-23). These verses plainly identify the Church as the body of Christ and describe Christ as the head over all things to that body. Paul also writes, “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” (Ephesians 5:23). This verse connects Christ’s headship to His saving work — He is the Savior of the body, the Church. In 1 Corinthians, Paul uses the human body to illustrate unity in Christ: “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ” (1 Corinthians 12:12). He goes on to explain how believers enter that body: “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:13).
Les emphasizes that recognizing Christ as Head of the Church starts with understanding the Church as the Body of Christ — a doctrine he stresses is strictly Pauline. Jesus never referred to believers as His body, and Peter makes no mention of Christ as head of the called-out assembly back in Acts. Les insists it is just as important to see what Scripture does not say as what it does say, because believers have often been victims of assuming something is in Scripture when it isn’t there. Les uses the human body to illustrate the relationship: the mind is the source of all experiences, emotions, and thinking, and it controls every member of the body. Likewise, every believer is connected to the Head, who is in heaven — the nerve center of the Body on earth — and the two cannot be separated. He also stresses that entry into the Body is something only the Spirit of God can accomplish. There may be bona fide church members who are not members of the Body of Christ, and there are no unbelievers in the Body. Finally, Les teaches that being an intrinsic member of the body connected to the Head gives believers their position in Christ. It is a far greater relationship than sheep under a shepherd, and it takes believers to the higher plane of Christian experience revealed in Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians.
Les compares the Body of Christ to the human body. Just as the mind is the source of all experiences, emotions, and thinking, and controls every facet of the body, so the Head — Christ — controls the Body. He reminds us that the Head is in heaven and is the nerve center, and that every believer is connected to the Head.
According to Les, only the Lord Himself places a person into the Body of Christ. A denomination cannot do it, a preacher cannot do it, and a priest cannot do it — it is something only the Spirit of God does. There may be bona fide church members who are not members of the Body, but there are no unbelievers in the Body of Christ; a person must have experienced salvation, and the Holy Spirit places him into it.
Paul’s epistles give the direct statements. Ephesians 1:22 says God “gave him to be the head over all things to the church,” and verse 23 identifies the church as “his body.” Ephesians 5:23 says “Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.” In 1 Corinthians 12:12-13, Paul describes the one body and the one Spirit by which all believers are baptized into it. Les notes that this is a Pauline revelation — you will not find it in Peter’s Acts sermons.
Les stresses that the term “Body of Christ” is strictly Pauline. Jesus never referred to the group of believers as His body, and Peter does not teach in Acts that Christ is the head of a called-out assembly that is part of Him. Les warns that believers can be victims of assuming something is in Scripture when it is not there. This unique Pauline revelation shows that church age believers are part and parcel of the Head and the body — not just sheep under a shepherd.
Only the Spirit Places Believers into the Body
Les teaches that only the Lord Himself places a person into the Body of Christ — no denomination, preacher, or priest can do it; only the Spirit of God can.
The Head Directs the Body
Les compares the Body of Christ to the human body: the mind is the source of all experiences and controls every member, and every believer is connected to the Head.
A Pauline Revelation
Les points out that Peter makes no mention of Christ as head of a called-out assembly, showing the head-body relationship is Paul’s teaching rather than Peter’s.
The Head in Heaven, the Body on Earth
Les explains that the church has its Head in heaven while the body is on earth, and the two cannot be separated; Ephesians 1:22 says Christ is head over all things to the church.
Local Church Members vs. the Body
Les teaches that not every local church member is in the Body of Christ, and there are no unbelievers in the Body — the Holy Spirit places every believer into it.
Baptized into the Body by One Spirit
Les teaches that every true believer is a member of the Body because the Holy Spirit has baptized him into it; the Head is in heaven and is the nerve center.
More Than Sheep Under a Shepherd
Les shows that being connected to the Head makes believers part and parcel of Christ — a far greater relationship than sheep under a shepherd — and gives them their position in Christ.
Christ, Head and Savior of the Body
Les cites Ephesians 5:23 — Christ is the head of the church and the Savior of the body — and stresses that “Body of Christ” is a strictly Pauline term.
Ephesians 1:22: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
Paul’s direct declaration that Christ is head over all things for the Church.
Ephesians 1:23: Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
Identifies the Church as Christ’s body.
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.
Names Christ the head of the church and the saviour of the body.
1 Corinthians 12:12: For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
Uses the human body as an illustration of Christ and His body.
1 Corinthians 12:13: For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
Shows how every believer is placed into the one body by the Spirit.
No. Les teaches that only the Lord Himself places a person into the Body of Christ. Some denomination can’t do it, your preacher can’t do it, and a priest can’t do it — it is something only the Spirit of God can do.
No. Les says there are many bona fide church members who are not members of the Body of Christ. There are no unbelievers in the Body — only those who have experienced salvation and have been placed into it by the Holy Spirit.
No. Les points out that Jesus never referred to the group of believers as His body, and Peter makes no mention of Christ as the head of a called-out assembly in Acts. The Body of Christ is a strictly Pauline term and a Pauline doctrine.
Watch the Teaching: Why Only Paul Uses the Term 'Body of Christ' — Bible Study