Col 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church ( Ekklesia: The Out Called): who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead (corpse) ; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
The church is the “out called”. This is what Ekklesia means.
Ek is the Greek proposition, “out”.
“Klesia” comes from klesis, which is to call by name, or to call for a purpose, or called in order to perform a task.
The calling out of the church by God is to be the beginning of new type of humanity. A new type of human race, mind you.
The church of Jesus Christ is nothing less or nothing more than a new type of human race or humanity.
If we don’t see the church as this, we have missed God’s purpose for His church.
As Christian leaders our role is to build up this new type of humanity. Only this new type of humanity can bring evidence to the firstborn or the prototype of this race, Christ Jesus.
Col 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church ( Ekklesia: The Out Called): who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead (corpse) ; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
This new human race is unique because it has been birthed or born out of a corpse.
Christ is the firstborn from the corpse. The church follows the example of Christ.
Rom 6:7 For he that is dead is freed ( justified) from sin.
Ro 8:30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
A corpse has no sin because he is dead.
That is what the word to justify, which is also to pronounce as innocent, means.
A corpse is innocent or justified, because he has no sin. Have you ever seen a corpse swear, or take drugs, or even be sick?
Rom 6:7 For he that is dead is freed ( justified) from sin.
When a person becomes a Christian, he becomes a corpse with Christ, because Christ became at corpse at His death.
The Christian is now justified or innocent, by reason that Christ has made him into a corpse.
Ro 8:30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified
Because he is now justified, he has the right to be glorified with the very same glory that Christ has.
Christ is the first born or prototype of this type of human race. This kind of race is one who is justified as a corpse and glorified with the same glory of Christ, after being raised to life from a corpse.
Eph 4:13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
If we notice, the church is a man! It is the new human, Christ Jesus, who was been born from a corpse.
The function of the church is that collectively through every member’s spiritual gifts this new man, this new type of humanity, this new type of human race, Christ Jesus, the firstborn from the corpse, now justified and glorified, can become manifested to a dying world.
Jose and Mary Alvarez 