Welcome dear listeners in Jesus name to our seventh talk in our series of our New Testament Survey. This is the first of two talks on the epistles of Paul. Our coverage of the book of Acts in the last talk showed us that Paul was the Apostle of Christ to the Gentiles. The Spirit used him to preach the Gospel and plant churches in many regions and cities of the Roman empire, ending with his arrival in Rome as a prisoner but thereby, bringing the Gospel there. Luke, the author of Acts, was telling us through Paul’s ministry that the message of the Gospel has reached the capital of the Roman Empire, although Paul was not the first to do so. Let us look at the man Paul himself who wrote 13 epistles that form about 23% of the New Testament.

He was born in AD10 in Tarsus as a Jew and a Roman citizen. He was a Pharisee who trained under a prominent Rabbi Gamaliel. We find this in Acts 22. In AD35, he was converted by personal encounter with the ascended Jesus Christ on his way to Damascus to extend his authority to curtail the expanding church. His life took a total turnabout as Christ commissioned him to be an apostle to the Gentiles. He then spent 3 years in Arabia, digesting what happened to him and reaching out to the Nabataeans as noted in Galatians 1: 17. In AD37, he made his first visit to Jerusalem, but was received with much suspicion, but Barnabas helped him. He met with Peter who recognised his call and we can find this in Acts 9: 26-30, also Galatians 1: 18. Paul returned to Tarsus, evangelising Syria and Cilicia for many years. Barnabas then invited him to the Antioch church, where a large number of Gentiles were responding to the Gospel. From there on, Acts 13 to 28 which we covered in our last talk, traced out for us Paul’s three missionary journeys to preach the Gospel and plant churches in many regions and cities of the Roman empire.

His arrest and trial in Jerusalem at the end of his third missionary journey led to his being sent to Rome, the capital of the empire, and to preach the Gospel there. Let’s now look at Paul’s epistles. Paul wrote his epistle in the course of his ministry to present his understanding of his gospel and the Christian faith and deal with pastoral and doctrinal matters that were addressed to him. In the course of church history, the epistles of Paul, we find in the New Testament are those that have come to be recognised as inspired by the Holy Spirit and have become accepted as Scripture. Based on evidence in Acts, some extra biblical history and the epistles themselves, we can surmise that he wrote 1 and 2 Thessalonians between AD49-AD50. Galatians, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Philemon and Philippians at Ephesus between AD52-AD55. Romans at Corinth in AD55-AD56. The rest of his 13 epistles that are not named have less certain dating and writing locations.

Let’s look at his teachings. Fundamental to Paul’s theology is his acceptance of Jesus Christ as Lord. Since the Messiah has come, the end is at hand. We note this in Romans 13: 1 and 1 Corinthians 10:11. Now, these decisive events have already occurred in history as noted in Galatians 4: 4 in the death and resurrection of Christ as 1 Corinthians 15: 20 tells us. Since the Messiah was the crucified one, as Paul calls him in 1 Corinthians 1: 23, the cross is crucial to Paul’s Christology, that means his understanding of who Jesus is as 1 Corinthians 2: 2 makes clear. Through the crucified one, the love of God is revealed as he notes in Romans 5: 8. Similarly, he reveals to us in his person, our Creator through 2 Corinthians 4: 6. Surrounding the centrality of Christ Jesus as Lord is the wrath of God against sin which brings death. This is noted in Romans 1: 18 and Romans 3: 20. Christ reveals God’s righteousness in His life and teaching and offers God’s justification by His death. Those who respond in faith to repent of sin and receive Him as Lord and God are saved. We can find references to this in Romans 3: 22, Romans 3: 25-26, Romans 10: 17 and Philippians 3: 9-11 or 2 Corinthians 5: 18-19. In being redeemed by Christ, they are thereby reconciled with the Father. We note this in Galatians 4: 5, 1 Corinthians 1: 30, 2 Corinthians 5: 18-19 and Romans 5: 10. Those saved in Christ are given new life in Him. It is a life of freedom and responsibility.

The person of faith is free from God’s wrath, free from sin, free from the law and free from death. These you find in Romans 5, 6, 7 and 8. They are to live by the law of love as noted in 1 Corinthians 9: 21 and Galatians 6: 2. This law of love is the law of Christ. It is the new ethics of obedience to God’s truth, as Romans 3: 19 and Galatians 5: 14 supports. The demand of love is the new norm in Christ as noted in 2 Corinthians 5: 14. The Spirit is given by Christ to live in the faithful. It is the Spirit who enables this way of life, as Romans 8: 4 and Romans 8: 9-11 and Galatians 5: 25 tells us. He seals and guarantees their salvation and transform them to bear the fruit of the Spirit which is Christ-likeness. We find this in Ephesians 1: 13-14, Romans 8: 4, 9-11, Galatians 5: 22-25. The response of faith creates a community of the people of God as Galatians 6: 16 notes. Their central act of worship is the Lord’s supper - a common meal in which the community celebrates the presence of Christ and anticipates His coming - 1 Corinthians 11: 23-26. The church is the body of Christ as noted in 1 Corinthians 12: 12-27 and Romans 12: 4-5. It lives in unity in Him and in interdependence as fellow members under His Lordship.

In our next talk, we shall outline the various epistles of Paul.

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