The Gospel Breaks Down Social Walls

The reader enters Paul’s letter to Philemon without being provided with the backstory. The traditional interpretation of the letter views it as Paul’s request for Philemon to welcome back Philemon’s slave Onesimus. Another interpretation suggests that Onesimus was not a fugitive but had committed some misdeed and sought out Paul to intercede for him with his master. One thing is clear: meeting Paul in prison resulted in Onesimus becoming a Christian. What is the meaning of the letter for us today? The inclusion of this incident in the New Testament canon reveals how the Christian faith breaks down what seems to be insurmountable social walls.

Paul’s letters to Timothy and Titus are known as the “Pastoral Epistles” (PE). However, they are more than a simple manual of church practice. They are Paul’s attempts to address specific situations in the ministry contexts of Timothy and Titus. At the heart of these letters is Paul’s concern for “sound” doctrine (1 Tim 1:10; 6:3; 2 Tim 1:13; Titus 1:9). Paul uses the term “sound’ to refer to teaching rooted in the gospel that produces healthy or wholesome living. Thus, the unique contribution of the PE is applying theology to address issues related to church organization, leadership, relationships, and families within the household of God. Paul’s message is 
that every situation or issue must be addressed theologically.

Living in Hope of Jesus’ Return 
Paul’s second letter to the Thessalonians shares similar concerns of the first letter. For example, Paul commends the church for enduring persecution (1:3-12). He also continues his focus on eschatology or the meaning of the “day of the Lord.” There are similarities in how both letters describe the day of the Lord—e.g., that day involves surprise and judgment for unbelievers but anticipation and vindication for believers. However, in 2 Thessalonians, Paul clarifies the topic and comforts the church, which was frightened by a false claim about the day of the Lord. Lastly, Paul instructs the church on how to deal with its idle members (3:1-15). 
 

Living in the Light of Christ’s Second Coming

The Apostle Paul wrote 1 Thessalonians in AD 50-51 during his 18-month ministry in Corinth. Except for the possibility of an early date for Galatians (AD 48), this letter represents one of Paul’s earliest canonical letters.
In response to Timothy’s reported concerns about the church, Paul wrote the letter to address several issues.

• First, Paul wrote to defend attacks on his personal integrity. Non-Christians accused Paul of impure and selfish motives with regard to his ministry.
• Secondly, Paul wrote to encourage believers, who were being persecuted for their faith in Christ (2:14, 3:1-5).
• Lastly, but most importantly, Paul wrote to comfort his readers about the fate of both deceased (4: 12-18) and living (5:1-11) beliers at Christ’s return.

The Sufficiency of Christ

As an integral part of the Prison Letters, Paul wrote Colossians to reinforce the believer’s faith.

The church was in dange of becoming extinct, because it was trapped in an error that Paul calls an outside “philosophy” (2:8, 16-23), which treatened their assurance. This error was not a heresy or some kind of false doctrine. The most one can say is that the error devalued Christ’s supremacy and the adequacy of salvation thorugh him. 

The congregation, therefore, needed encourangement about the certainty of their faith. Against this treat, Paul argues for the all-sufficiency of Christ by asserting 3 truths:

1. all the fullness of deity dwells in Christ
2. believers are complete in Chirst, &
3. Christ has authority over all angelic beings and cosmic powers (2: 9-15)

Paul wrote his letter to the Philippians to acknowledge the gifts from them (4:10-19). Along the way, he also urges two individuals to be reconciled to one another (4:1-3). One of the key features of this letter is the so-called hymn of Christ (2:5-11). This, along with John 1:1-18, is one of the most exalted statements about Jesus’ divinity and pre-existence in the New Testament. Thus, Phil 2:5-11 is a brief account of the gospel.

However, the letter is not primarily about doctrine. Rather, Paul also focuses on such Christian virtues like humility and unity (1:27-2:4), knowing Christ (3:8-11), and joy (1:4, 25; 2:2, 29; 4:1). Paul’s main burden in writing is to describe what the gospel looks like in real life.

Christian Identity, the Church, and Mission 
Paul’s letter to the Ephesians is probally the least situational of all his  letters, because it does not explicitly address any specific problem. As a circular letter, it is a manifesto to the church, describing its identity: who it is, how it came about, how it must conduct itself, and its mission within Christ’s sovereign rule. 
A major theme of reconciliation between Jew and Gentile is developed. Paul draws out the implications of living as God’s reconciled people and addresses how the church functions with God’s grand vision of peace and unity in the world. 
Chapters 1-3 present the foundational story of how the church understands its identity in Christ.
Chapters 4-6 exhorts the church to live out its calling in the world. 

Christian Identity, the Church, and Mission 
Paul’s letter to the Ephesians is probally the least situational of all his  letters, because it does not explicitly address any specific problem. As a circular letter, it is a manifesto to the church, describing its identity: who it is, how it came about, how it must conduct itself, and its mission within Christ’s sovereign rule. 
A major theme of reconciliation between Jew and Gentile is developed. Paul draws out the implications of living as God’s reconciled people and addresses how the church functions with God’s grand vision of peace and unity in the world. 
Chapters 1-3 present the foundational story of how the church understands its identity in Christ.
Chapters 4-6 exhorts the church to live out its calling in the world. 

Paul’s letter to the Galations addresses a situation in church Paul’s Gentile converts are being told by a new group of teachers that in order to be fully intergreted into God’s covenant people they need to enter into the Mosiac covenant by circumcision. Having to defend his apostleship and message, Paul explains the origins of his theology by giving us his biography (chapters 1-2). He then gives us his theology and argues that this gospel is what creates the new, multi-ethnic family of Jesus and Abraham (chapter 3-4). Lastly, he gives us the application and shows how this gospel truely transforms people by the presence and power of the Spirit (chapters 5-6)

Paul’s letter to the Galations addresses a situation in church Paul’s Gentile converts are being told by a new group of teachers that in order to be fully intergreted into God’s covenant people they need to enter into the Mosiac covenant by circumcision. Having to defend his apostleship and message, Paul explains the origins of his theology by giving us his biography (chapters 1-2). He then gives us his theology and argues that this gospel is what creates the new, multi-ethnic family of Jesus and Abraham (chapter 3-4). Lastly, he gives us the application and shows how this gospel truely transforms people by the presence and power of the Spirit (chapters 5-6)