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PAUL’S EPISTLES

A Brief Introduction To The Apostle’s Letters To The Churches

Paul was first of all a bond- servant of Jesus Christ. He was also an Apostle of God. Bond-servant, Douios in the Greek, a word meaning “one who is in a permanent relationship of servitude to another”. In Paul’s case his absolute servitude to Jesus Christ was without question. to Jesus Christ. The Hebrew term is also used in the Old Testament describing the Elijah-Elisha relationship and the relationship of the prophets and some Kings to God.

Apostle, or Apostolos in Greek, means “one sent or an ambassador”. It is used in the New Testament to mean “one sent by God as an ambassador of Christ”. It is a special, seldom used word in Greek which gives it a connotation of one who was sent with a special message. Paul was sent by God to spread the Word of the Gospel (good news) of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles. He received the Gospel he preached not from man but through a revelation of Jesus Christ (Galatians 1:12). He was unique in that the 12 original Apostles walked with Christ for at least 3 years, and received their Word from Him, quickened by the Holy Spirit after the outpouring of the Spirit on the Day of Pentecost (Acts Chapter 2). Paul also got his ministry from Christ but from the resurrected Lord.

Paul, before he met the Lord, was what he called a “Pharisee of Pharisees”. The Pharisees were a sect of Judaism who demanded strict adherence to the Mosaic Law. They became so preoccupied with the detail and nuances of the law that Israel was overburdened by trying to follow a law they were not even familiar with. They exalted the form of obedience causing it to prevail over matters of the heart: “man looks on the outward appearance but God looks on the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). Their religion fostered social advancement while looking down at the “sinners” who were beneath them. Therefore they were the ultra religious, legalistic, self seeking leaders of Judaism in that day.

Paul studied under a high ruler of the Pharisees and after years he became a well known Pharisee himself. He actively persecuted the foundling Christian Church, capturing and participating in the murders of some (Acts 8:59-8:1). He was much feared by early Christian converts.

However, on his way to Damascus, to persecute a Christian movement there, he had an overwhelming face to face meeting with Christ Himself. He was actually struck blind by the experience for three days (Acts Chapter 9). When he was recovered he began to preach Christ to the people of Damascus. (Acts 9:19-21). Christians were amazed and skeptical, that one day he was a violent persecutor of Jesus but suddenly was supporting Him. He was so effective in his Word of Christ that the Jews sought to kill him but he escaped. Paul retreated into the Arabian Desert, learned the Gospel (the Good News) from Christ himself and thereafter became a most effective Evangelist and ambassador of Christianity, an Apostle.

Paul occupied the next 17 years in three separate missionary journeys during which he started churches throughout the Grecian world, Asia Minor and eventually Rome. His epistles are actually letters written to the various churches he established and oversaw. They contain the basic principles of foundational Christianity that we refer to today. His journeys are summarized in the Book of the Acts of the Apostles and in Paul's various epistles.

Paul was severely persecuted by the Jews and others during that time. In II Corinthians 11:23-33, Paul states that he was whipped with 39 lashes by the Jews 5 times, he was beaten with rods 3 times, he was stoned (with rocks), shipwrecked, in hunger and thirst and sleepless nights, encountering all the dangers on the road from robbers etc. and imprisoned many times. In addition he had the constant pressure of the oversight of the many churches he had begun who were in a period of great persecution at that time. He was finally imprisoned by the Romans in a dungeon for many years and eventually beheaded by the Roman Emperor Nero. But not before being able to preach the gospel in Rome, along with Peter and Luke, and to start a church in Rome. The Epistle to the Romans was written to the church at Rome.

The epistles he wrote (those that are preserved for us today) were as follows: two to the Corinthian church, to the Galatians in Galatia, to the Ephesians, to the church at Philippi, to the Colossians, 2 to the Thessalonians, 2 to Timothy his confident and bond-servant, one each to Titus and Philemon and to the Romans. There is dispute as to whether Paul was the author of the Book of Hebrews; some say it was written by Paul, some say Barnabas and others Apollos. There is so far no conclusive evidence as to who the author is.

Here we briefly identify some of Paul’s writings however each of his epistles should be thoroughly studied as his writings form the foundation of the Christian Church today.

The epistles were written by Paul were not written abstractly but addressed specific issues that arose in the churches he founded in the various locations. Many were written to counter false spiritual influences that had infiltrated the churches, causing them to turn from the gospel Paul had preached. For example the Epistle to the Colossians opposes no fewer than 5 or six separate influences that had began to corrupt the church (see Col. Chapter 3-4). Therein he identifies those groups who would regulate behavior, food intake, advocate worship of angels, physical debasement, exaltation of visions and saint worship. But in opposing these negative forces Paul is again able to reinforce the gospel of Jesus Christ, which remains a foundation for us today.

Paul addressed other problems that allowed him to again emphasize the true Gospel of Christ. The Gnostic sect of Christianity was particularly prevalent during those times. The Gnostics taught that it was a “secret knowledge” that brought perfection, not Jesus Christ. So were the Judaizers who advocated a form of Christianity still requiring some Jewish ritual such as circumcision. However, in the crucible of problems, persecutions, doctrinal disputes and hardships came forth a word that set forth nearly all of foundational Christianity that we refer to today 2000 years later.

In The Epistle to the Galatians Paul addresses those who came into the churches teaching that Christians that, in addition to serving Christ, should also adhere to the Law of Moses including practicing circumcision. Paul condemned this practice saying: “O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain. He therefore that ministers to you the Spirit, and works miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? (Galatians 3:1-5). Thus he distinguished the ministry of Christ as being obtained through faith, not by obeying the former law.

In his epistle to the Philippians Paul again describes the freedom and grace of God that makes one free from the old law. He also identified Christ as a bond servant. “ Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not [important] to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. (Philippians 2:5-8).

Paul knew our battle was not against man and his pronouncement of false doctrines. He knew the true battle lay elsewhere. “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world-forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12).

He then taught the Christians how to put on the armor of God to resist and defeat those spiritual powers. “Therefore, take up the full armor of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming missiles of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:10–17.

In his epistle to the Romans, Paul brings forth two critical points. In Chapters 2-4 and 9-11 he explains the Kingdom and Christ’s salvation in relation to the Jews. First, the Jews were God’s chosen people in the Old Testament but after Christ introduced the New Covenant, salvation was opened to the Gentiles (all non-Jews), which had the effect of putting everyone on equal footing. Despite having crucified the Lord of Glory, God extended forgiveness to the Jews just as He extended the same to the Gentiles, and to the whole earth. The concept of being a Jew radically changed from the Old Testament definition, Paul said: “he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God”. (Romans 2:28-29). Therefore the decidedly Christian thinking that the Jews are still God’s chosen people, and that the New Jerusalem will be set up in Israel, is a false concept. Now the true Jew is one created by the Spirit of God by faith, a spiritual Israelite in a spiritual Jerusalem.

Second, in Romans, Paul explains the Spirit realm as opposed to the flesh of men. Man was subjected to the fallen nature of Adam after the Fall and sin became a part of his nature from then until now. In Romans chapter 7, Paul recounts his own battle with the flesh nature, and acknowledged his own powerlessness against sin in himself. He says: “For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwells in me. I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members (Romans 7:19-23). He finishes the description of his dilemma with: “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? (vs. 24).

In Romans 8 he answers his own question. “the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (Romans 8:2-3). He goes on to point out that man cannot know God through his natural mind but only through the mind being renewed to be the mind of Christ through the Spirit (v. 5-8). Those who walk in the flesh cannot please God (v.6). Unfortunately, this applies to much of Christianity today.

The Christian sometimes thinks he can be justified by his good works but the truth is he can only be justified through his faith in Christ. The good and lasting works will come through this spiritual relationship, not vice versa. You cannot please God with good Works. Christ said: “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (Matthew 7:21-23). No amount of good works, unless done according to the Spirit of God, are of any avail.

Paul says of the earth then and more so now: “For the creation was made subject to vanity [literally futility], not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, Because the creation itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. Going back to the fall of man, God subjected creation to a futile state. Futility is variously defined as a state of no importance, trifling, untrustworthy, ineffective, and useless and denoting that the state of man is vain and his strivings unjustified (Webster’s Dictionary). However, God did not subject it to that state without a way out. He did it in hope that the fully manifested Sons of God would come along and release creation from that hopeless state (Romans 8:20-210.

Finally he identifies the Sons of God (plural) as those who are led by the Spirit of God (Rom 8:14). He prays that we be “adopted” as Sons, grafted into the vine of the chosen people Israel. “For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory” (Hebrews 2:10). Christ is the first fruits but many Sons, like Him, will come forth; those who know the voice of the Lord and be led by Him.

In 1 Corinthians, Paul again contrasts the Spirit man from the natural man. In advocating that we speak not the words of man’s wisdom but the wisdom of God by His spirit (v.13). He goes on in his rebuke in verse 14: “the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. Christ spoke to the multitudes, knowing they had no eyes to see or ears to hear what He was saying. “Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Elijah, which says, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive” (Matthew 13:13-14). God give us eyes to see what is ours in the Spirit realm and ears to hear what Christ is speaking to us!

Paul took the gospel of Christ where it would not have gone otherwise. The majority of the original Apostles remained in Jerusalem for many years converting Jews. Paul went to the ends of the known earth. He traveled widely in some of the most demonically possessed nations in the known world including Greece, Macedonia and Rome and its provinces. He taught beneath the great Greco-Roman architectural wonders that pervaded the earth at that time. He spoke in ampatheaters and in people’s homes and small gatherings. Wherever he went he ministered the gospel despite his frailties as a man.