Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” (2 Cor.3:17) Where the Headship of Christ is manifested there are two opposite yet complimentary attributes that are found: restraint and liberty. The Lordship of Christ exercises great restraint on the natural man, while it concurrently exercises great liberty in and through the spiritual man. The authority of His Lordship seeks to bring an end to the independent actions of his people, so that the power of His Spirit may be released in and through the responsive interdependent actions of His Body. It is only by the restraint of His Lordship that there can be found the liberty of His Spirit, and thus of His Headship. In 1 Corinthians 14 we have the most detailed instructions on the functioning of a Christ-led gathering in Scripture. In it we see a meeting that is open, participatory, Spirit-gifted and Spirit-led. Freedom and spontaneity abound as all are exhorted to contribute to the gathering, and as spontaneous spiritual gifts are manifested and exercised. In balance to this, however, there is much careful instruction as to the proper restraint and orderliness that is in keeping with the nature of a godly assembly, “For God is not a God of disorder, but of peace.” (2 Cor. 14:33) The principle of “two or three” abounds so that the over-functioning of any one individual is restrained. Likewise, checks and balances are put in place for the proper exercising and testing of spiritual gifts so that false ministry is curtailed. Responsibility is given to every member to ensure that things are done “decently and in order” (2 Cor. 14:40), and those who exercise spiritual gifts are accountable to do so according to the apostolic guidelines given (2 Cor. 14:32). Underlying these constraints are the Christ-like attitudes of mutual love, respect, honor, submission and accountability. Those who desire to gather under the Headship of Christ, therefore, must be diligent to cultivate and guard a balanced environment of spontaneity and orderliness. Spontaneity must be cultivated so that Christ may have His way, by his Spirit, among His people. Orderliness must be preserved so that the flesh, and even the devil, may be restrained from derailing, disrupting, or dominating a meeting. In this environment, spontaneity is balanced by orderliness, and orderliness is balanced by spontaneity. If the balance becomes disrupted, there ensues spiritual chaos and disorder on the one hand, or spiritual death and deception on the other. These two complimentary aspects of spontaneity and orderliness, therefore, must be carefully sought after and preserved in the assembly of the church.