Page 77 - Sarah's Children

The relationship here described is not that of the Father and the Son,
but that of God and Christ. To use a modern expression, Christ is God’s
representative. The relationship between the Father and Son pertains
to the Godhead, but Christ sent of God touches upon God’s
arrangement, God’s government. “And this is life eternal, that they
should know thee the only true God, and Him whom Thou didst send,
even Jesus Christ” (John 17:3). God is God, and Christ is one sent by
God. This is their relationship in God’s government. The Son, originally
equal with God, was willing to be sent by God as the Christ. God
remained on high as God, but Christ was sent down to do His work.
This is the first order of events in the government of God.

In God’s purpose, Christ is set up to be the head of every man;
therefore, all people must obey Him. He is the firstborn of all creation
and its firstfruit. He is the head of every man; every man should be in
subjection to Him. This is a basic principle under God’s government.
Christ being the head of every man is related, not to the system of grace,
but to the system of God’s government. Likewise man being the head of
woman also belongs to God’s governmental system. God in His
government establishes man as head just as He sets up Christ as head
and also Himself as head. Thus the system is completed.

God is Himself the head; He sets up Christ as head; and he further
establishes man to be head. These are the three great principles in God’s
government.

For God to be Christ’s head does not touch upon the matter of who is
greater; rather it is simply an arrangement in the government of God.
Likewise, under God’s government Christ is the head of every man and
man is the head of woman. Such are God’s arrangements; such are His
appointments.

Philippians 2 is clear enough: the Lord Jesus in His eternal essence is
equal with God; but in God’s government He becomes Christ, and as
Christ, God became His head. Christ Himself acknowledges in the
Gospel of John that: “The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he
sees the Father doing: for what things soever he does, these the Son
does also in like manner” (John 6:38)... Today Christ takes His place in
the government of God. According to God’s counsel, He is Christ and as
Christ He needs to listen to God the Father, for God the Father and God
the Son are equal in glory and honor in the Godhead, but in God’s
government Christ does not stand in the place of God the Son; rather,