Transcript
In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul describes the gospel as being of first importance. There are plenty of things of great importance and much importance like family, justice, or our traditions. But there’s only one thing, the gospel, that can be of first importance.
In Ephesians 2, Paul describes the church, God’s household as being built on the foundation of the Apostles and the prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. But there’s a tendency in our hearts and in our lives and sometimes even in our ministries for what we are building to become more important than whom we are built on, and we’re more captivated by what we are building than whom we are built on.
This matters because there’s so much cultural and theological diversity in the Church in India that only the gospel has the power to unite us and join us together as one. And when the gospel is of first importance and we’re more captivated by Jesus than by anything else, then unity becomes desirable and reasonable. We will want it more and we will feel like we can actually get it.
And that’s why Paul says in Ephesians, in him the whole body is joined together and rises to become a Holy temple in the Lord. And that’s what we all want, isn’t it? But we can only become a joined people if we are joined in the gospel and we are joined by the gospel. And for the gospel to be what only the gospel can be and should be of first importance.
Akshay Rajkumar studied literature at Delhi University (BA English) and theology at Singapore Bible College (MDiv). He is an author, publisher, and founding pastor of a church called Redeemer. He was born in Chennai and grew up in New Delhi, where he lives with his wife Shruti and their daughters Mia and Lily. You can follow his work on Instagram @thewearysoulrejoices
