In one sense, the church was born from the split side of Jesus, the Last Adam, just as the bride of the First Adam was born from his split side. Jesus’ life, death, resurrection, and ascension are what created the living body of Christ known as the Church.

But would the body of Christ on earth look the same today if Saul of Tarsus had not heard and heeded the voice that called to him on the Damascus Road? Paul’s perception of that divine revelation translated the message of the Jewish Messiah into the vernacular for the whole world. Paul embraced the mission to the Gentiles and in so doing revealed the truly new, radical work God had accomplished through Jesus Christ. Because of Paul’s absolving conversion and absolute conviction, the body of Christ was based on love, not law.

The inclus…