Lesson 11 - Paul's Writings

 Lesson 11

Paul's Writings

Objective: To be convinced that the tongue, hand, and mind of a child of God must be used for the glory of God.

Memory Verse: Colos 1:28-29

Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. 29 To this end, I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily.

Introduction:

The biography and the writings of Paul are highly valuable for believers. His epistles are fundamental to the doctrines of the Church. Let's study "The Epistles of Paul" and gain a general idea of the epistles in common.

There cannot be a Biography of Paul without touching the voluble writings (Epistles). Most Part of the New Testament is made up of Epistles that the apostles wrote to churches and pastors. Of the 27 New Testament books, 21 are epistles. The doctrines of the New Testament churches are set forth in the Epistles of Paul. We get the historical background needed for the establishment of doctrine from the gospels and the Book of Acts. But the pith of the doctrines is in the Epistles. These doctrines were not just given as a set of Philosophical facts, But rather they were given through the precedents and practical experiences of individuals or Groups. This factor distinguished the doctrines as practical precepts relevant to life at any time from some abstract theories. For instance, most of the epistles were sometimes written to individuals or groups to settle disputes, correct erroneous teaching, or go straight out mistakes, as the occasion demanded. But they have been arranged in such a way by the Holy Spirit that the Christian Church at any time can benefit from their admonitions and regulations with respect to nearly all needs. Therefore we get a clear idea of the practice and precept for the Christian Church of all times from the epistles (Rom6:17). Though the authors were different and the subject matters varied, all were connected to one another and supplementary to each other.

Five Authors Wrote These epistles:

Paul 14 Epistles: (Romans to Hebrews)

John 3 Epistles: (1,2,3 John)

Peter 2: (1,2 Peter)

James 1: James

Jude 1: Jude

Total 21

Of these 21, we are going to study only about Pauline Epistles. All 14 of Paul's epistles were written during the period of 17 years, from 51 to 68 AD. In Paul's epistles, the doctrines are given in order. The following chart shows the Chronological arrangement of Pauline Epistles.

1. 1&2 Thessalonians - During the second missionary Journey 
2. 1&2 Corinthians - During the third missionary Journey, Romans and Galatians
3. Ephesians, Philippians - During the first imprisonment in Rome
4. 1 Timothy Titus, Hebrews - After the release from the first Roman imprisonment 
5. 2 Timothy - During the second imprisonment in Rome (Just prior to his martyrdom)

These 14 epistles can still be classified according to their

characteristics.

      1. Church Epistles - 9 Epistles to 7 churches

          1, 2 Thessalonians - Church of Thessalonica

          1, 2 Corinthians - Church Of Corinth

          Galatians Church of Galatia

          Romans Church of Rome 

          Ephesians - Church of Ephesus

          Philippians - Church of Philippi

          Colossians - Church of Colossae 

      2. Pastoral Epistles - 4 Epistles to 3 Persons

          1, 2 Timothy to Timothy

          Titus To Titus

          Philemon - Philemon

      3. General Epistles

          Hebrews - To all Jewish Christian believers everywhere In the general Epistle of Hebrews, the Christian faith has been interpreted in the light of the Old Testament, and the Excellency of the N.T. faith is revealed. In the pastoral Epistles, the matters of Church administration are dealt with mainly.

However, 9 epistles to 7 churches have laid down the New Testament doctrines. Just as in the contents of the Bible, We can find out the wisdom and control of the Holy Spirit even in the book arrangement. These epistles, for instance, are not arranged in chronological order. If we stress chronological order, the Epistles to Thessalonians must come first. But How come the epistle has gone last of the Church epistles and Romans written during the middle period to the First Place? A Chart showing The Epistles and the theme of each of them will explain this better.

1. Romans Justification

2. Corinthians sanctification

3. Galatians - Liberty in Christ

4. Ephesians - spirit-filled life

5. Philippians - Joy in Christ

6. Colossians Spiritual perfection 7. Thessalonians - Hope (The Lords Coming)

As we analyze them, we can understand one thing. These are the spiritual experiences God wants us to have in our Christian life and are given in the order of sequences that we must possess. Certainly, God's spiritual blessing and divine experience in our lives are in Particular order of sequence. They are given to us or effected in us only in the proper sequences. The Holy Spirit has arranged the books in such a way as to teach us this truth. The primary need of a man who is sinful by nature and a vessel of God's Wrath is to get with God after being cleared of His punishment. This great achievement which is impossible by himself, is made possible by God's acceptance of the death of Christ. Which is a redemptive act for man? Any sinner can be justified before God today. A person who has obtained justification must also grow with its divine effects. These are the subjects dealt with in the epistles of Romans.

A man who is promoted from the position of a sinner to being righteous in Christ must progress in the path of sanctification. This also is possible on the basis of Christ's death. God has sanctified the sinner in Christ Jesus. But he who is thus called to be a saint must perfect holiness in fear of God, cleansing himself from all filthiness of flesh and spirit. The theme of Corinthians is Sanctification.

A Christian who progresses after justification in the path of sanctification enjoys true liberty. He is at complete liberty through Christ. No teaching or commandment can enslave him. Galatians teaches us about the fact that the liberated man serves God at joyful liberty.

The spirit-filled life is the most blessed experience of a child of God. The kind of Life Ephesians shows us is a life of worship advancing for the glory of God, being filled with the Holy Spirit with Psalms and praises, and singing in the hearts of the Lord.

Joy is the outcome of such a spirit-filled life. He rejoices in the

Lord. He is the great joy that can not be touched or quenched by any

of the adverse circumstances of this world. Philippians proclaim this

wonderful truth.

Although a child of God has his own limitations and shortcomings in Christ, he is not so by Justification; he is in Christ. Colossians teaches us that a believer is perfect in the son of God in whom all the fullness of God dwells.

The epistles to the Thessalonians stress the blessed hope for the child of god. That is nothing but the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, the blessed event of rapture, when the dead saints resurrect, and living saints get transformed and shall be taken up together in the twinkling of an eye.

It pleased God to illuminate to all men in order the spiritual blessings that God has in store for a sinner, for which God used Paul. 

Note: The authorship of the book of Hebrews by Paul is not in the record. But it is generally accepted that Paul wrote this.