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)
The Church is the Body of Christ, He is the head of the Body. All the gifts of the Spirit operate as members of the same Body but the hand is not the head, neither is the foot the head of the Body. When Men try to place themselves as the head of the body, as the intermediary between God and man they are acting as Usurpers. They are putting themselves in the place of Christ as an authority over other members of the body.
This comes in many forms from preachers to theologians to Popes and priests. It is the very real danger and temptation we all face when the Holy Spirit Gives us unction to speak. That is to assume that we are more than we are, more than members of the same Body to whom the Spirit has imparted gifts. Greater than other parts of the body. Someone the church cannot live without. In other words, a man puffed up to think he is God because of the divine revelation given him. A Usurper of the authority and glory due to God.
In Scripture, the term Nicolaitan means literally to rule over the laity/people. Jesus "hates" this and any who think they can usurp the Glory due Him, the head, are on Jesus' hate list. He will eventually remove these people from Authority, remove their unction and Gifts and knock them off of their pedestal of Pride and remove their power over the people. We see this in falling of preachers all the time, and the replacing of the priesthood when corruption takes over the church led by men, which has not made Christ the head of the church and instead elevates men and the doctrines of men to that Authority.
The Church is the Body of Christ, He is the head of the Body. All the gifts of the Spirit operate as members of the same Body but the hand is not the head, neither is the foot the head of the Body. When Men try to place themselves as the head of the body, as the intermediary between God and man they are acting as Usurpers. They are putting themselves in the place of Christ as an authority over other members of the body.
This comes in many forms from preachers to theologians to Popes and priests. It is the very real danger and temptation we all face when the Holy Spirit Gives us unction to speak. That is to assume that we are more than we are, more than members of the same Body to whom the Spirit has imparted gifts. Greater than other parts of the body. Someone the church cannot live without. In other words, a man puffed up to think he is God because of the divine revelation given him. A Usurper of the authority and glory due to God.
In Scripture, the term Nicolaitan means literally to rule over the laity/people. Jesus "hates" this and any who think they can usurp the Glory due Him, the head, are on Jesus' hate list. He will eventually remove these people from Authority, remove their unction and Gifts and knock them off of their pedestal of Pride and remove their power over the people. We see this in falling of preachers all the time, and the replacing of the priesthood when corruption takes over the church led by men, which has not made Christ the head of the church and instead elevates men and the doctrines of men to that Authority.
