The gospel is about God’s commitment and action to restore all things to what he intended for all creation. And the primary and irreplaceable person through whom this gospel is accomplished is none other than Jesus the Christ, through his sacrificial death on the cross and his continuing work as Lord of God’s people, the church (Colossians 1.18). “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name given under heaven by which we must be saved” (Acts 4.12 TNIV).
In his letters, the apostle Paul does not hold back in emphasizing the unique role and honor that belongs to Christ alone concerning this gospel. A simple search in Paul’s letters of the phrases “in/through/by/with/for Christ/Jesus/him” yields the following results: Romans—41x, 1 Corinthians—20x, 2 Corinthians—25x, Galatians—15x, Ephesians—32x, Philippians—15x, Colossians—26x, 1 Thessalonians—6x, 2 Thessalonians—2x, 1 Timothy—2x, 2 Timothy—10x, Titus—2x, Philemon—4x. That’s a total of 200 times in 13 letters. There was no doubt in Paul’s mind that there is no other gospel except the gospel of Jesus Christ. In the work that this gospel completes, “Christ is all, and is in all” (Colossians 3.11).
The church being the body of Christ, it naturally follows that it must uphold the centrality of Christ in its life and in its mission. And so, when Vallejo International considered the “foundational values” that would describe who we desire to be, the most important was that we would be a Christ-centered church.
This is a declaration of our submission to the leadership of Jesus in every matter that concerns the church, and a confession of our dependence on his provision and protection. We cannot be the church without Christ; we cannot be Christian disciples without Christ.
“Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom … And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Colossians 3.16-17 NIV). And “let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, who leads us in our faith and brings it to perfection” (Hebrews 12.2 NJB).
The church exists because of Christ; the church exists for Christ. There is no other. Christ is all, and is in all.
—Keith Y. Jainga