Comparative Overview of Paul's Epistles

Comparative Overview of Paul's Epistles

This comparative list of Paul's epistles highlights key aspects such as the date of writing, growth stage, type, format, progress, realm, key words, and the intended audience for each letter. Dates are approximate. By presenting these details in a structured manner, this list serves as a valuable resource for anyone seeking to analyse and compare Paul's teachings across different communities and contexts. It enables readers to discern patterns, similarities, and differences in Paul's doctrine, offering a comprehensive perspective on his apostolic mission and the mystery doctrine he penned by inspiration. By examining Paul's epistles in sequence, readers can gain a deeper understanding of the spiritual growth and knowledge of God gained by the early believers.

Romans (Rom)

• Date Written: AD 57
• Growth: Foundation
• Type: Doctrinal
• Format: Milk, Meat
• Progress: Work of faith
• Realm: Sight/Carnal, Faith/Spirit
• Key Words: Salvation, Spirit, Israel, Appeal to Transform/Walk
• Audience: Christians in Rome

Two wrongs don't make a right

Two wrongs do not make a right!

I don't particularly like to disagree with comments, but it was necessary in this regard as it could lead people down two wrong roads.

The following comment is a reaction to this post:

• https://thebigpictureviews.blogspot.com/2024/06/why-is-it-difficult-to-read-bible.html 

STATEMENT:

First, forget the King James. New International Version is best now. Nobody knows how to read the Bible. If you are born again, the Holy Spirit often shows you things by giving you understanding. Also, don’t read it front to back. First read the Gospels. Next read James, Peter 1 and 2, and Acts. This will save your eternal life.

RESPONSE:

Thank you for your comment. I always appreciate subsequent communication as it generates additional learning material for readers, as well as allows us to learn from each other.

If Peter did not preach Paul's grace gospel, why does he speak of grace, the cross, and of faith and hope in his epistles?

If Peter did not preach Paul's grace gospel, why does he speak of grace, the cross, and of faith and hope in his epistles?

QUESTION:

Read 1 Peter 1:10-12, 14-21. Within the first chapter of Peter’s first letter, he speaks of the grace of God that would come to them. Not only did He speak of this, but He also spoke of faith and hope they would have by being in God. He also referred to the cross of Christ when he said his recipients were redeemed with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.

It sounds to me that Peter is preaching the grace gospel since he spoke of the grace that would come to the Jews and the blood of the cross being shed for them which is what Paul preached day to day.

Peter was the apostle to the circumcised and Paul was the apostle to the Gentiles, Galatians 2:8. This does not mean the gospels they preached were different, it only means their assignments were different.

Once again, these words were written by the apostle you said never preached the grace gospel of Paul. Please explain.

ANSWER:

Your questions are valid. I appreciate you asking. Let me take them one at a time and clarify with my perspective.

In Luke 20 you ask which gospel was Jesus' preaching.

The answer is that He was preaching the only gospel that existed at that time, the gospel of the kingdom that pertains to the Jews. Paul has not yet been saved, so God’s revelations concerning the grace gospel have not yet been made known.

Clarity on the dual ministry of Paul

Clarity on the dual ministry of Paul

QUESTION:

Do you have an actual verse that justifies ignoring the models of Paul in Acts? Acts covers virtually all of Paul’s ministry, including the time that he wrote those four epistles (except for maybe Philippians). So, should I think that Paul changed his doctrine between say, Acts 19, where he baptized the Ephesians believers, and when he wrote the Epistle to the Ephesians? So, can you point out a verse that specifically tells us where that dispensation stopped and this new dispensation started where we are not supposed to follow Paul’s old example but instead follow some new example, that presumably isn’t recorded in Acts? I am genuinely curious to know the answers.

ANSWER:

I’m completely open to answering your questions. However, many of them originate because you have your timeline incorrect. For example, Acts 19 (as you say) is when Paul visited the Ephesians in 54AD, but it’s not when he wrote Ephesians. During this visit he wrote the first letter to the Corinthians. The letter to the Ephesians is only written in 60AD after he was imprisoned in Rome.

Paul's Gentile Curriculum Explained (Romans to Galatians - The Milk)

Paul's Gentile Curriculum Explained (Romans to Galatians - The Milk)

Recently, I was asked by a friend to elaborate on Paul's 9-church epistles as a spiritual curriculum for the grace believer. I ended up making a video of it; at least the Romans to Galatians part. The rest to follow in subsequent videos. This post is just to advertise the video series and provide you with some encouragement to get back into the Word.

Not many people know this, but the 9-church letters of Paul (Rom. to Thess.) can be seen as a study curriculum for the grace believer. The curriculum guides the believer through a process of growth in Christ, renewing the mind and becoming educated on spiritual things. Although one can read any of Paul's letters, it is highly recommended to study the letters in the given order as provided in the Bible.

This video explains the first part of the curriculum (Rom. to Gal.) and details the validity and importance of it.

If you enjoyed the video, please share it with others too. TX

CLICK HERE FOR THE VIDEO

A response to the article called: How do we live according to Christ?

A response to the article called: How do we live according to Christ?

RESPONSE

The Bible provides several explicit teachings on how to live like Christ. Here are some key principles and instructions:

Love God and love others: Jesus taught that the greatest commandments are to love God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and to love your neighbour as yourself (Matthew 22:37-40). This emphasis on love is foundational to living a Christ-like life.

Follow Jesus' example: Jesus is the perfect example of how to live a righteous and holy life. Believers are called to follow His footsteps, imitate His actions, and adopt His attitudes (1 Peter 2:21, Philippians 2:5-8).

Paul's Two Ministries: Chronological Order of Epistles and to Whom He Wrote Them

Paul's Two Ministries: Chronological Order of Epistles and to Whom He Wrote Them

Paul did not write anything until after he began his second missionary journey in which he was preaching the gospel of God in the synagogues and separating out those who believed it, into houses and schools, to establish them in the Gospel of Christ. His audience was a mix of Jews and Greeks (Gentiles) and during this time he was still water baptizing and doing miracles and signs for the Jews to believe his message. The gospel of God was about the resurrection of Christ and that this proved He was the Son of God. The gospel of Christ was about how Christ died for their sins, releasing them from the laws of Moses (yet maintaining some basic laws to keep the peace between the mixed cultures). Both these gospels that were preached to those who believed could be proved from the scriptures and the prophets. Those established in the gospel of Christ became members of the fledgling yet expanding Body of Christ.

The Progressive Content of Paul's Epistles After Acts 28:28, when Paul turns his focus wholly to the Gentiles, one sees a change in the content of his epistles. With careful study one finds much less references to Old Testament quotes and to Jewish customs and traditions. This post will provide some insights as to why.

Interesting Fact: In Paul's writings from after Acts 28, —that is in his "Prison Epistles - Ephesians to Colossians", —one finds minimal references to Old Testament quotes or any mention of Jewish customs or traditions. Why is this? My answer would be that in Acts 28:28 he mentions that his attention will now turn to the Gentiles as they were receptive to his message. Paul spent years in his early ministry trying to bring the Jews to salvation through the grace gospel, but they would not hear. The fact that there is little in the subsequent prison epistles regarding the Jewish prophetic program and their customs validates for me that his heart was now set solely on a 'pure' grace message alone.

Our Doctrine Comes From Paul's Inspired Writings Let's not be ignorant of Paul's writings, but study them and apply them to your lives and walk worthy of our Lord.